CRIMEA MEDAL: LIEUTENANT (LATER COLONEL) JOHN ADDY, LAND TRANSPORT CORPS (LATE 5TH DRAGOON GUARDS AND 5TH ROYAL IRISH LANCERS) WHO SERVED AS A FARRIER SERGEANT-MAJOR, 5TH DRAGOON GUARDS DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR, TAKING PART IN THE CHARGE OF THE HEAVY

LIEUTENANT (LATER COLONEL) JOHN ADDY, LAND TRANSPORT CORPS (LATE 5TH DRAGOON GUARDS AND LATER 5TH ROYAL IRISH LANCEERS) WHO SAW SERVICE AS A FARRIER SERGEANT-MAJOR WITH THE 5TH (PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES) DRAGOON GUARDS DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR, TAKING PART IN THE CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE AND THE SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE AT BALAKLAVA (IN WHICH LATTER ROLE THE REGIMENT ACTUALLY SUSTAINED A GREATER LOSS THAN DURING THE HEAVY BRIGADE CHARGE ITSELF), AND WAS COMMISSIONED INTO THE LAND TRANSPORT CORPS AS A REWARD FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE, PROBABLY DURING THE CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE OR IN THE DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY THE FIRST QUARTERMASTER OF THE NEWLY RE-FORMED 5TH ROYAL IRISH LANCERS, BEING APPOINTED CAPTAIN AND QUARTERMASTER WHEN THE 5TH ROYAL IRISH LANCERS WAS RE-FORMED AS A REGIMENT IN JANUARY 1858.

Crimea Medal, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (officially engraved by Hunt & Roskell in upright serifed capital letters: LIEUTt. JOHN ADDY. L. T. CORPS.). Mounted as worn, with original silk ribbon and “buckle” type silver top brooch suspender, attractively toned, Good Very Fine to Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by biographical details, extracts from Army Lists of the period, and copied extracts Crimea Medal rolls (3), confirming medal and clasps, that Balaklava and Inkermann clasps were awarded for service with the 5th Dragoon Guards and the Sebastopol clasp for service with the Land Transport Corps, and additionally confirming that Addy’s Crimea Medal was forwarded to Hunt & Roskell for naming. Addy is the only Farrier Sergeant-Major on the Crimea Medal roll for the 5th Dragoon Guards.

A child of the regiment, Colonel John Addy was born in Fulford Barracks, York, on 12/4/1826, where his father, William Addy, was then serving with the 5th Dragoon Guards (William Addy, like his son, went on to be a Farrier Sergeant in the 5th Dragoon Guards). John Addy enlisted into the 5th Dragoon Guards in 1840 as a Boy soldier, and initially saw service with that regiment under age for four years and subsequently in the ranks for 11 years and 135 days, being promoted Farrier Sergeant-Major in 1852 and seeing service in that rank with the 5th Dragoon Guards in the Crimea.

Addy was commissioned Lieutenant, Land Transport Corps, 6/9/1855 (London Gazette, 18/3/1856, page 1080, but christian name given incorrectly as “William”, corrected to “John”, London Gazette, 29/4/1866, page 1591). He was promoted Second Captain, Land Transport Corps, 1/2/1856, placed on half pay, 1/4/1857, but was then appointed Quartermaster in the 5th Light Dragoons (later re-titled 5th Royal Irish Lancers), 8/3/1858. Addy was again placed on half pay, Land Transport Corps, and appointed Recruiting Officer at Limerick on 3/6/1859, was promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1879 and appointed Recruiting Officer, Dublin Recruiting District, 1/7/1881. Addy retired with the rank of Colonel on 1/10/1881, and died at Brighton, 25/11/1899, aged 73 years.

Roy Dutton, in his “Forgotten Heroes, The Charge of the Heavy Brigade” (October 2008), confirms John Addy as having seen service in the Crimea as a Farrier Sergeant-Major with the 5th Dragoon Guards and notes that he “probably” rode in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava.

Without evidence to the contrary, it is generally accepted that the vast majority of members of the Heavy Brigade entitled to the Balaklava clasp did acually take part in the charge, and it is only for the lack of definite proof that Addy is listed as a “probable” charger, rather than a “definite” charger.

Addy’s act of Meritorious Service that led to him being commissioned in the field probably took place during the battle of Balaklava, the only significant action that the 5th Dragoon Guards took part in during the Crimean war. The 5th Dragoon Guards arrived in the Crimea too late to take part in the battle of Alma and after Balaklava the regiment played only a relatively passive, role in the campaign. At the battle of Inkermann, 5/11/1854, the regiment played a casualty-free role, positioned some distance from the action, with the sole intention of discouraging the intervention of Russian cavalry during the battle. During the concluding months of the war, including the siege of Sebastopol, the regiment was mostly employed behind the lines doing transport and ambulance duties, ferrying provisions to troops in the trenches before Sebastopol and evacuating the sick and wounded. No British troops took part in the battle of Tchernaya, 16/8/1855, the last significant battle of the war, fought exclusively between Russian and French and Sardinian troops, the officers and men of the 5th Dragoon Guards again being positioned well away from the action, with a view to discouraging any attack on Balaklava by Russian troops, the regiment being, as a result, and as the regimental history describes them “passive spectators” during that action (during the battle of Tchernaya the only lossed suffered by the 5th Dragoon Guards were a few horses killed and wounded by long-range artillery fire).

The following account of the 5th Dragoon Guards services at Balaklava, 25/10/1855, are taken from Ralph Legge Pomeroy’s “5th Princess Charlotte of Wales’ Dragoon Guards” (London, 1924):

“On October 1 the 5th Dragoon Guards landed, and marched up to the camp on the plain of Balaklava, Where they remained, taking their share of outposts and picquets covering the siege of Sevastopol, till October 25. On the morning of the 25th, about 6 A.M, General Liprandis corps of Russians drove in the outposts and attacked and took some forts which were entrusted to the care of the Turks. The Heavy Brigade, under General Scarlett, were sent to the support of the Turks, but only arr ived in time to see their retreat from No. 1 Redoubt, and to come under a desultory rifle-fire which caused the loss of a few men and horses. Shortly afterwards the Heavy Brigade was ordered to join the Light Brigade, and while in this position General Scarlett received an order to move with four regiments of his brigade to support the 93rd Highlanders. When the column, of which the 5th formed part, was put in motion to perform this duty, a dense mass of Russian cavalry was perceived coming over the summit of the hill and bearing down on the left flank of the column. No time was to be lost, if disaster was to be averted. The Inniskillings, Greys, and 5th Dragoon Guards were immediately wheeled left into line, and, in spite of great difficulties of ground, for they were much hampered by vineyards enclosed by stone walls, charged straight upon the advancing columns. The enemy, unable to retreat, halted and tried to deploy, but the British cavalry were too quick for them, and got into them while they were still halted in a confused mass. Almost at the same moment the 4th Dragoon Guards charged them in flank, and the Russians broke and fled. Their loss was over sixty killed, besides wounded and prisoners and if the Light Brigade, a completely formed and fresh body of troops, had been ordered to join in the pursuit, very few of the Russian cavalry would ever have escaped. As it was, they reformed behind the very guns which the Light Brigade were destined to charge later in the day. It seldom occurs that two bodies of cavalry meet hand-to-hand, and this charge, with the overthrow of 3000 Russian cavalry by eight weak squadrons, is one of the most glorious feats ever performed by British arms. Undoubtedly, it is to this charge of the Heavy Brigade, that we must attribute the fact that for the remainder of the campaign the Russians, though in greatly superior numbers, never dared to attack a formed body of British cavalry. The 5th Dragoon Guards were led in this charge by Captain Burton, who was rewarded by a Brevet-Majority and the Companionship of the Bath. The regiments forming the Heavy Brigade, having been reformed, were afterwards advanced to the support. of the Light Brigade, who made a most brilliant charge on the enemys guns. Having been rashly ordered, by some mis-conception of a superiors order, to attempt an impossibility, they were nearly annihilated, and were obliged to retreat, leaving two-thirds of their number on the field: Fortunately the advance of the Heavy Brigade prevented the enemy from pursuing, and offered a rallying-point for the remnant of the Light Cavalry. This service could not be performed without loss, and the writer has been informed by an officer of the regiment who took part in the charge of the Heavy Brigade that the regiments losses were actually greater in performing this duty than they were in rolling up and driving off the field the whole of the Russian Cavalry.

The following extracts from Official Despatches are of interest as throwing light on certain vexed questions which, among the uninformed, are matters of dispute even to this day.

Official Despatches from the London Gazette extraordinary, November 12, 1854. BALAKLAVA, Oct, 27, 1854. The Heavy Brigade had soon to return to the support of the troops defending Balaklava, and was fortunate enough in being at hand when a large force of Russian cavalry was descending the hill. I immediately ordered Brig.-General Scarlett to attack with the Scots Greys and Inniskilling Dragoons, and had his attack supported in 2nd line by the 5th D. G. and by a flank attack of the 4th D. G. Under every disadvantage of ground these eight small Squadrons succeeded in defeating and dispersing a body of cavalry estimated at three times their number and more. I ordered the Light Brigade for advance in two lines and supported them with the Heavy Brigade. The Heavy Brigade advanced to the support of the attack under a galling fire, and acted with the most perfect obedience and in a manner to deserve all praise. I cannot too strongly recommend to your Lordship the two officers commanding the brigades and, indeed, every individual of every rank. Lucan, Lieutenant-General Commanding, Cavalry Division.”

The Land Transport Corps was established by Royal Warrant dated 24/1/1855. When the Crimean War broke out on 24/3/1854 there was no means at hand for supplying provisions to the army in the field, or providing it with transport. The Royal Wagon Train had been disbanded in 1833, and from that date to the outbreak of hostilities with Russia, whatever transport arrangements the army required were organised on an ad-hoc basis. However, the rapid build-up of troops in the Crimea demanded a more organised approach and the Land Transport Corps was established by Royal Warrant dated 24/1/1855. In his history of the various units that pre-dated the formation of the Royal Army Service Corps “The Predecessors of the Royal Army Service Corps”, Lieutenant Colonel C.M. Masse notes that the officers of the newly raised Land Transport Corps were largely volunteers from other regiments and corps of the British army or non-commissioned officers commissioned from the ranks for meritorious service in the field, and additionally notes that the Land Transport Corps was not a purchase corps. The Land Transport Corps had only a brief existence, from January 1855 to August 1856, when it was re-titled and re-organised as The Military Train, which Addy briefly served with prior to transferring to the newly re-raised 5th Royal Irish Lancers in 1858.

When the 5th Royal Irish Lancers, originally raised in 1689, were disbanded in 1799 as a punishment for mutinous activity during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. The regiment was re-raised on 9/1/1858, the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny prompting the military authorities to increase the mounted strength of the British army. Its ranks were quickly filled with recruits and by 21/5/1858 the regiment comprised some 485 privates in the eight troops of the regiment, along with 52 non-commissioned officers who had been transferred to the regiment from other regiments to assist in drilling the new recruits. The officers of the newly re-raised regiment volunteered to transfer to it from a wide variety of other cavalry regiments, the Military Train and the Staff. John Addy was the regiment’s first Quartermaster and the only officer to transfer into the new regiment from the Military Train.

John Addy’s father, William Addy (1802-1847) enlisted into the 5th Dragoon Guards circa 1818 and rose to the rank of Farrier Sergeant-Major. He died at Fulford Barracks, York, on 1/5/1847, where he had been serving in 1826, when his son John was born.

John Addy married Clara Ann Stapley in Dublin on 25/3/1851.

For further details of the official Hunt & Roskell engraved naming on Crimea Medals, see “By Order of Her Majesty, The Crimea Medal”, by Martin, Pickering and Satterley (Orders & Medals Research Society, 2017).