Born at Merstham, Surrey.
Enlisted at London on the 14th of January 1852.
Age: 21 years 11 months.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Groom.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Dk. brown hair.
From Private to Corporal: 9th of July 1854.
The Muster rolls show him as "In hospital (wounded)", but he is not shown as so recorded on any other official casualty roll. For the October muster, at the Veterinary Depot for November and again that for January-February 1855. [Needs clarification.]
At Scutari: 4th of April — 15th of June 1855.
At Daidar, attached to the 10th Hussars, during July and August 1855 and on Detached Duty at Scutari from the 14th of December.
Corporal to Sergeant: 21st of December 1855.
Discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 30th of December 1856:
"Unhealthy constitution. Is also affected by varicose veins. He is continually sick, and is therefore recommended for discharge."
Served 4 years 340 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.
Conduct and character: "good", Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Aged 26 years on discharge.
Granted a pension of 1/- per day for one year.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
1871 Census
East Port Lane, Lewes.
Richard Davis, 44, Porter, Mickleham, Surrey.
Caroline, 36, Laundress.
Three children shown: Edward & Anderson, both 12, and George 4.
Death registered
Caroline Davis, 37, September Quarter 1871, Lewes, Sussex.
Marriage registered
Richard Davis married Louisa Fenn, September Quarter 1875, Lewes.
1881 Census
5, Park Cottages [moved to number 9?], St John under Castle, Lewes, Sussex.
The 1881 Census shows him as Richard Davies, aged 54, born at Michelham [sic], Surrey, living with his wife Louisa, 40, born at Mildenhall, Suffolk, and one child, Albert R., 4, born at Lewes, Sussex.
Note: The spelling of his name varies from Davies to Davis in many of the rolls, but from the above it would seem that his name should be spelt Davis.
1891 Census
9, Park Cottages, New Road, St John, Lewes.
Richard Davis, 64, Labourer on railway, born Mickleham.
Louisa, 49, born Mildenhall.
Two children shown: Albert W. 14, Mary L. 9.
Davis was confined to his room for the last eighteen months of his life and being in a very feeble state was unable to attend the Jubilee entertainment given by Mr. T.H. Roberts at his Fleet Street Offices in June of 1897.
He was a beneficiary of the "Roberts" Fund, and received a total of £17/10/- from it during his lifetime.
There are also two entries on his documents regarding certificates sent to the Patriotic Fund, dated 4th of March and 18th of July 1894.
In July 1897 his wife, Louisa, wrote to Mr. T.H. Roberts thanking him for the 10/- P.O. he had sent to him:
"It has quite cheered him up, as he is a very weak and feeble state. It is nearly a twelve-month since he left his room."
After his death, Mr. T.H. Roberts tried to obtain a pension for his widow from the Patriotic Fund, but their reply to his letter was unhelpful:
"This widow was not married to Davis until 1875, nearly twenty years after the war with Russia, and there are hundreds of widows married before 1856, of those who fought in the war and for whom there are no funds available for relief. It is quite impossible to do anything for her, I am sorry to say."
He had been twice married, his first wife's name being Caroline, and had by her three sons and a daughter. He had been employed as a prison warder at Lewes Jail, as a railway-man and an infirmary porter.
Died at Lewes, Sussex, on the 27th of December 1897.
The following death notice and funeral report appeared in the "Sussex County Express" for the 5th of January 1898:
"Death Notice: Davis. On the 27th of December at No 9 Park Cottages, Lewes, Richard Davis, aged 70.
Funeral of a Balaclava Hero — The funeral of Richard Davis, one of the few who returned from the Balaclava Charge, took place on Friday afternoon amidst expressions of sorrow and sympathy; Amongst those present at the graveside or in the church were Councillor Felling, Mr. W.J. Tapp, Mr. C.L. Whitehouse, Mr. G.W. Peel. Mr. Blaber, etc.
Many beautiful floral tributes were sent from sorrowing relatives and friends. These included: "From his loving son, Edward, his wife, and grand-children"; "A tribute of respect" from A.F.A. Rowe. "D" Company. 1st. Cinque Ports. R,V.C. "Honour the Light Brigade", with sincere sympathy from T.H, Roberts. The chief mourners were Mr. G. Davis, (Brother) Mr. G. Davis, (Jun.) Miss Louisa Davis, Mr. T. Weaver, Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. Longbridge, and Corporal Thurston, (Scots Greys.)
The deceased had been poorly in health for some considerable time."
The coffin was of elm, and the breast-plate bore the following inscription: "Richard Davis. Died December 27th 1897. Aged 70 years."
Buried in St. John's churchyard at Lewes on the 31st of December 1897. His grave was a common one and no memorial stone was erected.
RM: In 2005, his gravestone was found at St John, Sub Castro, Lewes (memorial no 450). It is barely legible in places:
"Sacred
To the Memory
of
Richard Davies
Formerly Sergeant in the [illegible]
Who died in the
Charge of the Light Brigade
At Balaclava in [illegible]
After spending over 40 years
of Honest Labour in this [illegible]
He passed away peacefully/The 27th December 1897
Aged ..6 Years
[3 lines illegible]
Her Majesty [illegible]
Also of Louisa wife of the above
Died Jan 14th 1902 aged 62 years"
There is a photograph of the gravestone in the 11th Hussar file, and photos of Park Cottages and St John's sub Castro.
An article also appeared in the Sussex Express in October 2005 concerning the new discovery of his gravestone by RM. Subsequently contact was made with a descendant, whose aunt did not have any further information.
Interest was also shown by a Lewes undertaker Richard Green in restoring the stone, having read the Sussex Express article, but nothing resulted from this enquiry.]
In May 2001 an article appeared in the "Sussex Express" prompted by the purchase at a Wallis and Wallis auction by a local militaria collector of Davis's invitation card to the 1897 Jubilee Celebrations. Little else was recorded about him apart from the fact that he was a Lewes man and had ridden in the Charge.
The following week a woman who believed she was his great granddaughter wrote to the paper saying that she remembered her grandmother, who had lived in Newick, often talked about his being in the Charge and that a picture of him had once been on the wall of her house, but had now been lost.
An attempt was made to contact the correspondent. Pictures of Davis in uniform, of the medals that he was awarded, and a full copy of everything known of him from these records were sent, requesting too that she would tell of anything she can remember, but has so far not brought any response (See copies of the newspaper articles in the 11th Hussars files).
Marriage & death registration, and Census information for 1871 & 1891, kindly provided by Chris Poole.