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

Added 17.9.11. Minor edits 13.3.14, 4.4.14.

872, Private Charles WATSON — 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Enlistment

Enlisted at Coventry on the 20th of July 1846.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 9".

Trade: None shown.

Service

Tried by a District Court-martial on the 12th of October 1855 for "being asleep on his post." Given 50 lashes.

Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain "on the 8th of October 1857.

The musters for July-September 1858 show him as being "On Detachment at Sholapoore" during the whole of the period.

Served in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.

Died at Secunderbad, India, on the 26th of May 1864.

Medals & commemorations

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.

Mutiny medal without clasp.

Awarded the French War Medal. The citation states: "For Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman, Was never absent from his duties."

From this, he may have ridden in the Charge, but there is no confirming evidence.

Further detailed medal information archived.

Death & burial

The India Office records show him as having died at Secunderbad on the 26th of May 1864, aged 36 years 10 months, from "Insolatio" [PB: sunstroke?]. He was buried on the same day by the Revd. C. Rhenies, Joint Chaplain.


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