PRIVATE JAMES WEBSTER
| H.M. 17th LANCER ONE OF THE NOBLE SIX HUNDRED |
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Crimea medal, clasps
for Alma, Balaklava,
Inkermann and
Sebastopol, officially
impressed naming to J.
Webster, 17th Lancers.
Indian Mutiny medal, no
clasp, officially
impressed to Jas.
Webster, 17th Lancers.
Long Service and Good
Conduct medal,
Victorian small letter
reverse, officially
impressed naming to 902
Jas. Webster, 17th
Lancers.
Turkish Crimea medal,
Sardinian reverse,
un-named as issued.
for Alma, Balaklava,
Inkermann and
Sebastopol, officially
impressed naming to J.
Webster, 17th Lancers.
Indian Mutiny medal, no
clasp, officially
impressed to Jas.
Webster, 17th Lancers.
Long Service and Good
Conduct medal,
Victorian small letter
reverse, officially
impressed naming to 902
Jas. Webster, 17th
Lancers.
Turkish Crimea medal,
Sardinian reverse,
un-named as issued.
James Webster was born in the small town of Erdington, now a suburb of Birmingham, Warwickshire, in early 1828. He enlisted
there in the 17th Light Dragoons on the 25th of January, 1847. His papers show him as being 5 foot, 7 and a half inches tall with
a fresh complexion and grey eyes. He received a bounty of five pounds, five shillings and sixpence upon his enlistment.
James joined his new regiment at its Headquarters which was then located in Dundlak, Ireland. He was assigned the regimental
number 902, a number he would keep for his entire military career. In April of 1848, James was flogged and confirmed to cells
for an undisclosed offense.
James embarked with his Regiment for the Crimea aboard The Eveline on the 23rd of April 1854, arriving in the Dardanelles on
the 18th of May. On the 2nd of June, the Regiment re-embarked for Varna, arriving on the 4th, and thereby becoming a part of
Lord Cardigan’s immortal Light Brigade. In early September, 1854, the 17th Lancers embarked for the Crimea, arriving on
September 17th at Kalamita.
The 17th Lancers were, of course, destined to ride in the most famous of all British cavalry charges, that of the Light Brigade at
Balaclava. On October 25, 1854, Private James Webster rode with his regiment, the 17th Lancers, in the Charge of the Light
Brigade. Of the 147 men of the 17th Lancers who rode in the Charge, 99 were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner, as the
17th Lancers formed the center of the front line of the Charge. James was one of the lucky few who managed to return to the
British lines unscathed.
Although there is no official roll extant for the men who actually rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade, James Websters’
participation in the Charge is undisputed. Canon Lummis in his seminal work on the Charge, Honour the Light Brigade, lists James
Webster as a confirmed Charger, as does Terry Brighton in his recent opus, Hell Riders. James Webster became a member of
the Balaklava Commemoration Society in 1879. In 1877 he signed the Loyal Address given to Queen Victoria by the surviving
Chargers upon the occasion of her Jubilee.
The 17th Lancers returned to England from their service in the Crimea in May of 1856. Their stay at home was to be short lived,
however. In October of 1857, the 17th Lancers sailed for India, the Great Indian Mutiny having started on May 10th, 1857, the
need for additional British troops, especially cavalry, being critical. The Regiment reached Bombay in December of 1857, and
after “horsing”, set out for Mhow, a hard five hundred mile march accomplished without a day’s halt. The 17th Lancers there
joined up with the troops under the command of General Michel in pursuit of the rebel leader Tantia Topee and his army of
mutineers. Private Webster, among other occasions, was in action with his Regiment at Zirapore on the 12th of December 1858,
and at Baroda on the 1st of January, 1859.
For their service in suppressing the Rebellion, only 369 officers and men of the 17th Lancers, including James Webster,
received the medal for the Indian Mutiny, all without clasps, making it one of the rarest of all Mutiny medals issued to British
regiments. The 17th Lancers were granted the Battle Honor “Central India” for their service during the Mutiny.
Upon his return to England from India with his Regiment, James joined the Riding School at Sandhurst as an instructor and
continued to serve there for the remainder of his Army career.
James received the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, without gratuity, which was issued on the 7th of July, 1864, being sent
to the Cavalry Depot at Maidenstone for presentment to him. As he had been listed in the Regimental Defaulter’s Book 14 times
during his military career, it appears the medal must have been recommended more in recognition of Webster’s “long service’ than
his “good conduct”. He was the only man of the 17th Lancers to receive the LSGC medal in 1864.
After serving 24 years to gain a pension, 902 Private James Webster, at his own request, was discharged from the 17th Lancers
by a Regimental Board held at Longford on the 12th of June, 1871. He was 46 years old at the time of his discharge and listed
his intended place of residence as Staff College, Sandhurst.
James Webster is shown in the 1881 Census as living at 4 Westcolts Cottages, Frimley, Surrey. His occupation was given as
Groom and “Vallet” (sic) and he was living with his wife Elizabeth, whose occupation was given as Laundress, and his daughter
Lilly, a “Scholar”. In the 1891 Census, James is shown as still living with his wife at the same address, but is now shown as being
an Army pensioner and is noted as being paralyzed.
James Webster, veteran of the Charge of the Light Brigade and the Indian Mutiny, died at age 65 of “disease of the heart valve.”
there in the 17th Light Dragoons on the 25th of January, 1847. His papers show him as being 5 foot, 7 and a half inches tall with
a fresh complexion and grey eyes. He received a bounty of five pounds, five shillings and sixpence upon his enlistment.
James joined his new regiment at its Headquarters which was then located in Dundlak, Ireland. He was assigned the regimental
number 902, a number he would keep for his entire military career. In April of 1848, James was flogged and confirmed to cells
for an undisclosed offense.
James embarked with his Regiment for the Crimea aboard The Eveline on the 23rd of April 1854, arriving in the Dardanelles on
the 18th of May. On the 2nd of June, the Regiment re-embarked for Varna, arriving on the 4th, and thereby becoming a part of
Lord Cardigan’s immortal Light Brigade. In early September, 1854, the 17th Lancers embarked for the Crimea, arriving on
September 17th at Kalamita.
The 17th Lancers were, of course, destined to ride in the most famous of all British cavalry charges, that of the Light Brigade at
Balaclava. On October 25, 1854, Private James Webster rode with his regiment, the 17th Lancers, in the Charge of the Light
Brigade. Of the 147 men of the 17th Lancers who rode in the Charge, 99 were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner, as the
17th Lancers formed the center of the front line of the Charge. James was one of the lucky few who managed to return to the
British lines unscathed.
Although there is no official roll extant for the men who actually rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade, James Websters’
participation in the Charge is undisputed. Canon Lummis in his seminal work on the Charge, Honour the Light Brigade, lists James
Webster as a confirmed Charger, as does Terry Brighton in his recent opus, Hell Riders. James Webster became a member of
the Balaklava Commemoration Society in 1879. In 1877 he signed the Loyal Address given to Queen Victoria by the surviving
Chargers upon the occasion of her Jubilee.
The 17th Lancers returned to England from their service in the Crimea in May of 1856. Their stay at home was to be short lived,
however. In October of 1857, the 17th Lancers sailed for India, the Great Indian Mutiny having started on May 10th, 1857, the
need for additional British troops, especially cavalry, being critical. The Regiment reached Bombay in December of 1857, and
after “horsing”, set out for Mhow, a hard five hundred mile march accomplished without a day’s halt. The 17th Lancers there
joined up with the troops under the command of General Michel in pursuit of the rebel leader Tantia Topee and his army of
mutineers. Private Webster, among other occasions, was in action with his Regiment at Zirapore on the 12th of December 1858,
and at Baroda on the 1st of January, 1859.
For their service in suppressing the Rebellion, only 369 officers and men of the 17th Lancers, including James Webster,
received the medal for the Indian Mutiny, all without clasps, making it one of the rarest of all Mutiny medals issued to British
regiments. The 17th Lancers were granted the Battle Honor “Central India” for their service during the Mutiny.
Upon his return to England from India with his Regiment, James joined the Riding School at Sandhurst as an instructor and
continued to serve there for the remainder of his Army career.
James received the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, without gratuity, which was issued on the 7th of July, 1864, being sent
to the Cavalry Depot at Maidenstone for presentment to him. As he had been listed in the Regimental Defaulter’s Book 14 times
during his military career, it appears the medal must have been recommended more in recognition of Webster’s “long service’ than
his “good conduct”. He was the only man of the 17th Lancers to receive the LSGC medal in 1864.
After serving 24 years to gain a pension, 902 Private James Webster, at his own request, was discharged from the 17th Lancers
by a Regimental Board held at Longford on the 12th of June, 1871. He was 46 years old at the time of his discharge and listed
his intended place of residence as Staff College, Sandhurst.
James Webster is shown in the 1881 Census as living at 4 Westcolts Cottages, Frimley, Surrey. His occupation was given as
Groom and “Vallet” (sic) and he was living with his wife Elizabeth, whose occupation was given as Laundress, and his daughter
Lilly, a “Scholar”. In the 1891 Census, James is shown as still living with his wife at the same address, but is now shown as being
an Army pensioner and is noted as being paralyzed.
James Webster, veteran of the Charge of the Light Brigade and the Indian Mutiny, died at age 65 of “disease of the heart valve.”
James Webster’s medals are
reputed to have been with his
descendents until the 1960’s when
they were acquired directly from
the family by Spink & Sons of
London. The Armoury in London
offered the group for sale in
1984 for £2,800. The medals
were subsequently in the
collection of the late George
Moss of New York City and in
the collection of the late John
Laidacker of Pennsylvania.
“Surely that handful of men were
not going to charge an army in
position? Alas, it was but too
true - their desperate valour
knew no bounds.”....William
Howard Russell, reporting in the
Times.
Please visit LIVES OF THE
LIGHT BRIGADE The E.J. Boys
Archive
reputed to have been with his
descendents until the 1960’s when
they were acquired directly from
the family by Spink & Sons of
London. The Armoury in London
offered the group for sale in
1984 for £2,800. The medals
were subsequently in the
collection of the late George
Moss of New York City and in
the collection of the late John
Laidacker of Pennsylvania.
“Surely that handful of men were
not going to charge an army in
position? Alas, it was but too
true - their desperate valour
knew no bounds.”....William
Howard Russell, reporting in the
Times.
Please visit LIVES OF THE
LIGHT BRIGADE The E.J. Boys
Archive