Home Search Index of men A-Z

LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

Added 26.11.12. Minor edits 2.4.14, 4.4.14.

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1916 John SURCOMB — 4th Light Dragoons

Birth & early life

Born at Tayport, Scotland.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 22nd of March 1855.

Age: 21.

Height: 5' 6".

Trade: Groom.

Service

Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 1st of June 1855.

"Deserted" from Brighton on the 25th of July 1856.

Can find no further trace to 1879.

Medals & commemorations

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol.

Not recorded by Lummis and Wynn.

Further information

He must have rejoined the regiment at some time as the Canterbury Depot muster rolls show him as being discharged "time expired", on the 16th of November 1868. He was named as "Sercombe" on discharge.

Rejoined the regiment from "Desertion" on the 4th of January 1858. Was in "Barrack Cells" until tried by a Regimental Court-martial on the 12th of January and in the Military Prison at Aldershot until the 31st of March 1858, when he rejoined the regiment on the 1st of April 1858.

Served 12 years, but only 10 years 240 days to count, "having forfeited the remainder by his conviction for desertion."

Conduct: "good".

In possession of one Good Conduct badge.

Life after service

Death & burial


New on the site Search Index of men S
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, viainfo@chargeofthelightbrigade.com