Born at Agharoe, Abbeylieux, Co. Queens's [County Laois], c.1827.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 16th of March 1847.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 10".
Trade: Servant.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Brown eyes. Lt. brown hair.
Memo's sent from the Horse Guards, dated the 25th of August 1857, to the Commanding Officers of both the 1st Dragoon Guards and the 4th Light Dragoons:
The transfer of 1319 Private Thomas Guthrie from the 11th Hussars to the 1st. Dragoon Guards is permitted. Reason, "To serve with brother."
Transferred to the 1st Dragoon Guards, "to serve with his elder brother," on the 18th of September 1857. Regimental No. 105.
Discharged from Newbridge "by own request, after 24 years' service," on the 8th of April 1871.
Served 24 years 9 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.
Conduct: "good".
In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Thirty-one times entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Four times "in cells" between the 15th of December 1860 and the 19th of July 1870.
To live at 2, Castle Street, Shrewsbury.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean, Turkish Medal French War Medal and the Long Service medals.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Awarded the French War Medal. The citation for this stated: "Gallant and distinguished conduct during the Charge of the Light Brigade on the 25th of October 1854. Served during the whole of the campaign in 1854-55. Present at the battles of the Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Traktir and the Expedition to Eupatoria in October of 1855."
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 7th of July 1869, with a gratuity of £5.
His name was on the 1877 list of members of the Balaclava Commemoration Society, but not on the 1879 revised list. He may possibly have died between these two dates.
According to his death certificate he died on the 9th of June 1877 from "Chronic Pneumonic Phthisis." He was shown as being 50 years of age and an "Army Pensioner." His brother, James Guthrie, of 19 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, was present at, and the informant of his death. (See copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.
A man of this name is shown in the St. Catherine's House records as dying at Atcham, Salop, aged 50 years, during the April-June quarter of 1877.
Information from the Superintendent of the General Cemetery, Longdon Road, Shrewsbury, shows that he was brought from 2, Castle Street, Shrewsbury and interred in Grave No. 60 14D., the name on the grave-site application form being — James Guthrie, 19 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Sergeant Major Shropshire Yeomanry. The records also show that there is neither a headstone nor kerb on this grave.
(See photograph in the 4th Hussar file of the grave-plot, somewhere in the grassed area in the centre of the picture.)
His brother, James Guthrie, served 24 years in the 1st Dragoon Guards, being discharged on the 4th of May 1870, with a pension of 24d per day, but this was increased to 30d. from the 1st of May 1883. Born in Aberlais [sic] he only served 4 years and 4 months in India, and had no campaign service. Possessed of a "very good" character and would have been possession of five Good Conduct badges if not promoted.
Extract from the Oswestry Advertiser:
"James Guthrie, late Sergeant-Major Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry and the King's Dragoon Guards, passed away at West Felton, near Oswestry, on the 3rd of September 1884, aged 59 years."
[A letter] from the Cemetery authorities states that James Guthrie is not interred in the same grave as his brother, Thomas.)
His group of medals was offered by Spink's in their list for September of 1975, Item 1493, comprising of the Crimean medal, imp. naming, four clasps, but with the last two clasps detached, Turkish Crimea (English type) Long Service & Good Conduct (Victoria) 1st Dragoon Guards, French Medaille Militaire (2nd Empire.) Obverse set with a 50 centime piece and named to "Thomas Guthrie. 4th Light Dragoons."
Included with the medals were enlistment and discharge papers, warrant for the French War Medal and also the relating papers and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal awarded to his brother, 1209 Troop Sergeant Major James Guthrie. (12th of September 1868.)
This group of four medals, Crimean with four clasps (the last two now seemingly attached) and impressed naming to "T. Guthrie. 4th Light Dragoons.", the Long Service & Good Conduct to "105 Thos. Guthrie. 1st Dragoon Guards.", the French Medaille Militaire, and the Turkish Crimea (English type) and named, was again offered in a Christie's auction on the 22nd of March 1988. The L.S & G.C medal of his brother, James Guthrie, was not listed as being amongst the family group in the catalogue at the time of printing, but following representation, this was also offered.
(See photograph of his group of medals (superimposed on his discharge certificate) in the 4th Hussar file.)