GUNNER AND DRIVER JOHN EGLINTON, “H” FIELD BATTERY, NO 5 COMPANY, 11TH BATTALION ROYAL ARTILLERY (LATER POLICE CONSTABLE, NORFOLK CONSTABULARY), INVALIDED FROM THE CRIMEA SUFFERING FROM EPILEPSY. Crimea Medal, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman

GUNNER AND DRIVER JOHN EGLINTON, “H” FIELD BATTERY, NO 5 COMPANY, 11TH BATTALION ROYAL ARTILLERY (LATER POLICE CONSTABLE, NORFOLK CONSTABULARY), INVALIDED FROM THE CRIMEA SUFFERING FROM EPILEPSY. Crimea Medal, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman, Sebastopol (contemporary engraved naming, engraved in serifed capitals: GR. & DR. JNo. EGLINTON, RL. AY.). Couple of old replacement rivets to one clasp on medal, scattered contact marks to obverse and minor rim nicks, otherwise Very Fine to Good Very Fine, and with a length of original ribbon.

Medal accompanied by birth and baptism records, extract 1841 and 1861 census, 5 pages copied discharge papers, Chelsea Pensioner admission record and copied medal roll extracts (3) confirming medal and clasps.

John Eglinton was born 26/1/1829 in the parish of Heigham, Norwich, Norfolk (baptised in the parish of Reepham with Kerdiston, Norfolk, 30/1/1829). He enlisted into the Royal Artillery on 10/10/1846 and was discharged on 9/19/1856, after 9 years and 8 days service with the colours. Eglinton was admitted as a temporary Chelsea Out-Pensioner on 9/9/1856, with pension payments initially being made at the Norwich District pension office, but transferred in January 1857 to the King’s Lynn office.

The medical notes on Eglinton’s discharge papers record that he was invalided from the Crimea after having suffered a series of epileptic fits and was discharged as a result of being unfit for further service : “Gunner and Driver John Eglinton, 11th Battalion Royal Artillery (Epilepsy) was admitted to hospital on the 7th June last having had an epileptic fit which was witnessed by Surgeon Chuniff. It seems that he frequently had them in the Crimea and was invalided home on account. Disability caused by constitutional disposition. After a careful examination I am of opinion Eglinton is unfit for service and likely to be permanently disqualified, Woolwich, 26th August 1956”. The medal roll extract for John Eglinton’s Crimea Medal has a manuscript annotation “W” indicating that Eglinton’s Crimea Medal was forwarded to Woolwich for presentation to him, no doubt because Eglinton was then hospitalised there awaiting discharge.

John Eglinton made a sufficient recovery from his epilepsy in order to obtain responsible employment. He is recorded in the 1861 census return as a 32 year old married policeman resident in the police barracks at Loddon, Norfolk, along with his 20 year old wife, Louisa.

Medal rolls confirm that Eglinton saw service in the Crimea exclusively with No. 5 Company, “H” Field Battery, 11th Battalion Royal Artillery. In the Crimea, No. 5 Company, “H” Field Battery was commanded by Major (later Colonel) Edwin Wodehouse, C.B. Under Wodehouse, that unit saw extensive service during the Crimean campaign, including the actions at Bulgannac and McKenzie’s Farm, and the battles of Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman (Wodehouse’s horse being killed during the latter action) and the siege of Sebastopol, including the repulse of the sortie of 26/10/1854. The distinguished service of Wodehouse and his No. 5 Field Battery resulted in Wodehouse being awarded the Order of the Bath (C.B.), appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour (France) and awarded the 5th Class of the Order of the Medjidie (Turkey).