Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Victorian-era copy Victoria Cross named up to Private Samuel Parkes, 4th Light Dragoons
Victoria Cross, a contemporary copy slightly smaller than the original, the reverse of the suspension bar engraved ‘Private Samuel Parkes. 4th Light Dragoons.’, the reverse of the Cross dated ‘25th Octr. 1854.’, engraved in the ‘official’ style, very fine £200-£300

V.C. London Gazette 24 February 1857 No. 635 Private Samuel Parkes, 4th Light Dragoons:
‘In the charge of the Light Cavalry Brigade at Balaklava, Trumpet-Major Crawford's horse fell, and dismounted him, and he lost his sword; he was attacked by two Cossacks, when Private Samuel Parkes (whose horse had been shot) saved his life, by placing himself between them and the Trumpet-Major, and drove them away by his sword. In attempting to follow the Light Cavalry Brigade in the retreat, they were attacked by six Russians, whom Parkes kept at bay, and retired slowly, fighting, and defending the Trumpet-Major for some time, until deprived of his sword by a shot.’

Samuel Parkes was born at Stafford in 1813 and attested there for the 4th Light Dragoons on 28 July 1831. He served with the Regiment for nine years in India, and then in the Crimea, where he acted as Orderly to Lord George Paget, the Regiment’s Commanding Officer, and was awarded his Victoria Cross for his gallantry during the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October 1854. Wounded and taken Prisoner of War, he was exchanged exactly a year later, and was invested with his Victoria Cross by H.M. Queen Victoria in Hyde Park on 26 June 1857. He was discharged on 1 December 1857, after 24 years’ service, and died in London on 14 November 1864.

Note: At some point Parkes reported the loss of his original Victoria Cross and was issued with a replacement. His original V.C. was later found, and is now held by the Lord Ashcroft V.C. Trust. The purpose of the copy Cross in this lot is therefore open to speculation - it may be that the recipient had it named up for everyday wear.

Sold with copied research.