LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive
Birth
Born in the parish of St. Margaret's, Norwich.
Service
Enlisted at Norwich on the 27 of August 1842.
Age: 18 years 5 months.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Plasterer.
Fair complexion. Grey eyes. Lt brown hair.
Slightly wounded in action at Balaclava.
From Pte. to Cpl. 16 of December 1855.
Transferred to the 4th Bn. of the Military Train as Cpl. vide War Office Authority, dated the 14 of October, on the 1 of November 1856. Regtl. No. 1002.
Resigned to Pte. on the 1 of July 1857.
Discharged from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, on the 26 of February 1867.
"Found unfit for further service. Has Chronic Rheumatism. Disease did not exist before enlistment and is therefore the result of long service and exposure - has broken-down constitution which will materially affect his ability to earn his livelihood”.
Served 24 years 157 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years. New Zealand, 2 years 2 months.
Conduct, "Exemplary." In possession of four G.C. badges.
Once entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Medals
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the L. S. & G. C. medal.
His name appears on a "Supplementary List of Officers and men entitled to the New Zealand Medal but now no longer serving with the Regiment, per General Order, (no date)." Is shown as having served with the regiment in that country from the 18 of March 1863 to May of 1864 and being "Discharged, invalided."
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with four clasps, T.M., and the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. There is no mention of the New Zealand medal.
Can find no trace on the New Zealand Medal roll.
His group of medals, including the New Zealand Medal, and his photograph, are now in the Keep of Norwich Castle Museum. (See copy of his photograph in the 13th Hussar file.)
His medals were presented to the Castle Museum at Norwich by George Wilde's step-daughter, a Mrs. W. J. Fox, of Norwich.
At the 1999 OMRS Convention a Crimean medal engraved to "Geo. Wilde. 13th Drags." in large upright serif capital, with clasps for Balaclava and Sebastopol only, was offered by a Lancashire dealer for £975. It was said to be "in a very bad condition, heavily contacted and toned almost black." However the Museum were able to confirm at the same time that they still had his entire group at the Keep.
Later life
The 1881 Census Return shows him as living at No [?] Gladstone Street, Heigham, a Private, Chelsea Pensioner, aged 57, born in Norwich, Norfolk, with his wife, Mary A., aged 58, born at Wymondham, Norfolk, and a granddaughter of 13, Mary J. Fox
See copy in the 13th Hussar files of the document admitting him as a Freeman of the City of Norwich on the 20 of October 1868. His father was granted the same honour on the 24 of February 1819.
Death
Died on the 18 of May 1887 at Gladstone Street, Norwich. Another source states Thorpe Hamlet.
Extract from "Norfolk Annals" for the 12th of May 1887:
“Died at Gladstone Street, Norwich, George Wilde, aged 62, the last survivor in the City of the famous light cavalry brigade charge at Balaclava. Wilde was then present with the 13th Light Dragoons, his horse being killed under him and he himself being wounded. He was in receipt of a pension of 13d. per day.”
His death certificate shows that he died at No 35 Gladstone Street, Heigham, on the 18 of May 1887, aged 62 years, a Messenger and Army Pensioner, from “Atrophy of the Liver. "A William J. Fox, a son-in-law, of No 71 Belvoir Road, Heigham, Norwich, was in attendance at, and the informant of his death
(See copy of the death certificate in the 13th Light Dragoons “Certificates” file.)
A report of his funeral appeared in the "Eastern Daily Press" for the 26th of May 1887
A stone was erected over his grave in the Rosary Cemetery. Made of sandstone, by 1980 it was very much weathered and flaked, only the first few lines of what appears to be a precis of his military service is readable:
"In affectionate remembrance of George Wilde, late of the 13th Light Dragoons. He was One of the Six Hundred and was wounded at Balaclava. He went through the whole of the campaign in the Crimea"
The Cemetery records show him as being buried in Grave No. 1a/125, aged 62 years. (See photograph of the stone in the 13th Hussar file.)
Photographs etc
|
 |
||
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, via info@chargeofthelightbrigade.com.