Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Permanent Staff Sergeant J. Wells, South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, late 1st Dragoon Guards and Troop Sergeant-Major, 4th Dragoon Guards, who was twice wounded in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Serjt., 4th R.I. Dragoon Guards), contemporary engraved naming; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (1204 T.S. Major, 4th Dragoon Guards), officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (Serjt. Major, 4 Dn. Gds.), regimentally impressed naming, mounted as worn from a contemporary wearing bar, the first with refixed suspension claw, contact marks, edge bruising and polished, good fine and better (3) £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late John Darwent.

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John Wells was born in the parish of Witton, near Birmingham and originally enlisted in the 1st Dragoon Guards in March 1848, aged 19 years. A tall man for the age, standing at 6ft., he transferred to the 4th Dragoon Guards in March 1854 and was advanced to Corporal before serving with the regiment out in the Crimea. Present in the famous charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava, where, according to his discharge papers, ‘he was wounded in the bridle hand by a sabre cut’, and, according to an accompanying obituary notice, ‘slightly in the face’, Wells was duly advanced to Sergeant in February 1855.

Back home, he gained further promotion to Troop Sergeant-Major in March 1858 and was re-engaged for a further 12 years with the Colours at Brighton in March 1860. He was, however, reduced to Sergeant in March 1870, and, two months later, discharged as unfit for further service. But on the following day he was appointed a Permanent Staff Sergeant in the South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry and served in that capacity until he was finally discharged in June 1886. The gallant Wells died at Nottingham in December 1908, aged 74 years, and was buried locally - his grave can still be seen in the Waverley Street Cemetery, Nottingham.

Sold with an old photographic copy of a portrait and illuminated address presented to the recipient on his retirement from the South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, together with an original copy of a Crimean and Indian Mutiny Veterans’ Association printed obituary for him - ‘The deceased is the last veteran belonging to the 4th Royal Irish Dragoons residing in Nottinghamshire who fought in the Crimea, and another link is severed from the chain of that historic campaign ...’