Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Troop Sergeant Major William Ellison, 5th Dragoon Guards, a probable Heavy Brigade charger at Balaklava

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Tp-Sjt-Mr. W. Ellison. 5th Drago.....) officially impressed naming partially obscured by edge bruising; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (No 1007. Troop. Serjt. Mjr. W. Ellison. 5th Dragn. Gds.) regimentally impressed naming, the first with edge bruising and contact marks, therefore fine, the second very fine (2) £1,000-£1,400

Dixon’s Gazette, Autumn 2005.

William Ellison was born in the Parish of All Saints Peaceholme, York, and attested for the 5th Dragoon Guards at York on 9 March 1848, aged 21 years 8 months, a clerk by trade. He was promoted to Corporal in July 1853, to Paymaster Sergeant in October 1853, and to Troop Sergeant Major in October 1856. He served abroad 2 years in the Crimea and the musters show that he was effective from 1st-16th October and from 21st October to 31st December 1854 (remarks state Scutari 17th-20th October), and is therefore considered to be a ‘probable charger’ (Forgotten Heroes - The Charge of the Heavy Brigade by Roy Dutton refers). Ellison re-engaged at Aldershot for 12 years as Troop Sergeant Major on 8 March 1860, but in March 1869 was deemed to have committed some unknown offence, being ‘In arrest’ 14-26 March, tried, reduced and Imprisoned, 27 March to 7 May 1869. He continued to serves a Private until his final discharge on 13 July 1869.

Sold with copied discharge papers.