Born in Marylebone, London.
Enlisted into the 4th Light Dragoons at London on the 30th of April 1841. No Regimental number was allocated as he did not join the regiment from the Depot.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 8". Trade: Painter and glazier.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Light brown hair.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 17th of May 1842. (At this time his number was given as 414.)
He is mentioned by Nunnerley in his "Memoirs":
"At Balaclava they had a cook, named Stoddard [sic] whose feet were frost-bitten, and when frost-bitten the feet are quite numb. He showed them his feet, and took hold of his toes, one after the other, and to their surprise, they came off at the first joint. He held them up separately, saying, 'I am only a piece of a man now,' and threw them away. This was during the winter of 1854-55."
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September 1858 show no particular service movement during the whole of the period.
On passage to England on the 30th of January 1860.
From Private to Corporal: 17th of December 1860.
Corporal to Sergeant; 9th of June 1865.
Discharged, "at his own request", from Colchester on the 4th of July 1865.
Served 24 years 42 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. In India: 2 years 6 months,
Aged 44 years on discharge.
Conduct: "very good".
In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Never entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Granted a pension of 1/4d. per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Can find no trace on the Mutiny medal roll.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 21st of November 1861.
Address on leaving the Army, c/o No. 6 Melpham Mews, Dorset Square, Marylebone, London.
He moved to Edinburgh in November of 1865 and was employed as a messenger at the University. He lived at No. 10 South College Street, still a bachelor.
He died on the 7th of February 1869, aged 47, from "Chronic bronchitis with tubercle", in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.