Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Crimean War pair attributed to Private John Whitehead, 4th Light Dragoons, whose horse was killed in the charge at Balaklava

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (J. Whitehead, 4th Lt. Dragns.) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue (John Whitehead, 4th Lt. Dragns.) contained in an old case, the lid inscribed in gold block letters ‘1289 Pte. John Whitehead, 4th Light Dragoons’, light contact marks, otherwise very fine (2)
£3500-4500

John Whitehead enlisted into the 4th Light Dragoons at Dublin aged 20. He served in the Crimea and had his horse shot from under him and killed during the charge at Balaklava. He was discharged at Dublin in March 1871 with five Good Conduct Badges and a ‘very good’ character assessment. He was an original member of the Balaklava Commemoration Society, signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887, and was in attendance at the Fleet Street offices of Mr T. H. Roberts for the Jubilee celebrations in 1897. Some of his recollections of the charge were published in an article in Answers Magazine on 26 October 1912:

‘We advanced towards the enemy. The 17th Lancers leading, men and horses falling wholesale. About three parts down the valley a shell landed just in front of my horse. When it exploded it caught her fair in the chest and brought her down. I shot over her head for a dozen yards but my poor mare didn’t move, being instantly killed. The shots from the Russian guns were so thick that I had to lie down behind my horse for protection. When at last the firing ceased I retired on foot to where the Roll call of the Regiment was being called. I didn’t do much in the actual Charge; but thank God, I have never had another such experience.’

Whitehead received a total of £272 from the Roberts Fund. He died on 26 May 1915 and was buried with full military honours in St Michael’s Churchyard, Camberley, Surrey. Newsreel film footage of the funeral still survives and was shown on a Timewatch programme in 1994.

The Medal roll shows two men by the name of Whitehead in the 4th Light Dragoons with the initial ‘J’; Private James (No. 1561) who was entitled to 3 clasps for Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol; and Private John (No. 1289) who was entitled to 4 clasps as catalogued above. Officially impressed 4-clasp medals to both men are known, both with just an initial ‘J’. One sold at Glendining’s in June 1991 together with an unnamed Turkish Crimea medal, the pair being sold again in 1998 with an original illuminated T. H. Roberts invitation to Whitehead to attend the 1897 Jubilee Day, together with some other Light Brigade ephemera and original documents pertaining to the recipient’s son and grandson. The pair of medals listed above have formed part of a private collection in Blackburn, Lancashire, for over 30 years. Whilst both medals are entirely genuine, one has had an additional clasp for Balaklava added at some point in time.