Birth & early life
Enlistment
Service, discharge & pension
Medals & commemorations
Death & burial
Private James Cameron - 1412, 13th Light Dragoons
1412? 412?
412 James CAMERON
cameron_j_412_13LD
Born in New South Wales, Australia, on the 19th of October 1813.
Enlisted in the East Indies on the 20th of October 1826.
(The regiment was at Arcot in the Madras Province at this time. No trace can be found in any New South Wales records of his birth or baptism, or in any held in the Army Chaplain’s Registers at St. Catherine’s House, but it would seem that he was the son of a serving soldier, but see later 1881 Census Return.
Age: 13.
Height: 5’ 4”.
Trade: None.
Features: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Attained the age of 18 years on the 19th of October 1831.
Returned to England from Madras in February of 1840 and landed at Gravesend in the following June.
Embarked aboard the H.T. “Negociator” and sailed from Portsmouth for the Crimea on the 10th of May 1954.
Was wounded in action at Balaclava, “being sent on board ship without seeing the Surgeon,” on the 26th of October 1854.
In Scutari General Hospital from the 31st of October 1854 to the 27th of March 1855, when he was “Sent home”, joining the Regtl. Depot at Dorchester on the 22nd of June.
From Private to Corporal, 9th of October 1855.
Rejoined the regiment on its return from the Crimea at Ballincollig, Ireland, on the 3rd of June 1856.”
From Private to Corporal, 1st of September 1855.
Sent to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, on the 6th of December 1855 and discharged from there on the 15th being “Unfit for further service. This man suffers from chronic rheumatism - the result of natural pre-disposition.”
Served 25 years, to count.. “Under age,” 5 years.
In Turkey and the Crimea, 1 year. East Indies, 9 years.
Conduct and character, “good”. In possession of six Good Conduct badges.
Aged 43 years on discharge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal on the 2nd of May 1856, with a gratuity of £5.
To live in London after discharge (Buckingham Palace, SW1) (sic) but he was living in the Salisbury Pension District from 1859.
Awarded a pension of 1/3d. per day.
Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Died Manchester 11th of December 1882.
Further information
A portrait that appeared in the “Illustrated London News” for the 30th of October 1875 and named as Corporal Campbell, may possibly be of him. (This is credited as being that of 1346 Aitcheson Campbell of the 13th who, although also ranking as a Cpl., was not shown on the list of those attending the Alexandra Palace Fete and Banquet on the 25th of October 1875. It should be noted that all the other portraits that appeared in the “Illustrated London News” of the time were of men who were present.) (See copy of this in the 13th Hussar file.)
The 1881 Census Return shows him as living at `No. 32 Brunswick Inn and 16 Gallenmore Street, Salford, the home of James Wilson, a Beer Seller, aged 36, born in Durham, Sunderland, his wife, Georgina, aged 35, born in Leavening, Yorkshire, and two children, aged ten and four, as James Cameron, Father-in-law, Pensioner (no Occupation) aged 68, born in Chelsea, Middlesex, (sic) with his wife, Jane, aged 54 and born at Leavening, York.
Extract from the “Salford Weekly News” for the 5th of November 1881;
“Honouring a Balaclava Hero: A few evenings since, at the Brunswick Inn, Union Street, Higher Broughton, a number of admiring friends met to celebrate the twenty-seventh anniversary of the famed charge of the “Light Brigade,” and to do honour to one of its renowned heroes, Corporal James Cameron of the 13th Light Dragoons. Speeches, toasts and songs suitable to the occasion kept the evening all alive, and to see the old veteran, who is now in his sixty-eighth year, behind some half a dozen clasps and medals which adorned his breast whilst he modestly expostulated on the dashing events of that ever-to-be-remembered day, was a picture worth looking at and one which could have hardly been improved by the magic art of even a Miss Thompson herself. The brave old veteran seemed thoroughly to enjoy his position, and appeared once more to realise the glories of that day that made British arms a by-word for bravery throughout the world. Poor fellow, their rank and file is getting very thin with age; but, as Tennyson says, “When will their glory fade.”
Died at Manchester on the 11th of December 1882, aged 70 years, and was buried in the Weaste Cemetery at Salford in Grave No. 1396/A3. The erected tombstone bears the following inscription: “In loving memory of James Wilson, who died July 2nd 1882, aged 36 years.” “In memory of the late Corpl. James Cameron of the 13th Light Dragoons. One of the last survivors of the “Six Hundred.” Wounded in the Charge at Balaclava. Died Dec. 11th 1882, aged 70 years.” Also of “Jane Cameron, wife of the above, who died April 7th 1892, aged 75 years.”
(See photograph of this gravestone in the 13th Hussar file.)
His L.S & G.C. medal only, was known to be in a West of England collection in 1981; the same medal with engraved naming in upright serif capitals to “Cpl. James Cameron. 13th Lt. Dragoons. May 2nd 1856.” was in a South of England collection in 1987. By 1992 this medal with an additional un-named Crimean medal with clasps for A. B. and S was in a Dutch collection, both medals having identical brooches for wearing.
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Photographs & illustrations
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, via info@chargeofthelightbrigade.com.