Born in London.
1841 Census
Maidstone Barracks, Maidstone.
Bridget Purcell, 35.
Charles, 10.
William, 9.
David, 7.
Thomas, 5.
James, 2.
Enlisted into the 3rd Light Dragoons at London on the 16th of August 1849, regimental No. 1924.
No other enlistment details are shown.
Embarked for India on the 15th of June 1849 and landing on the 25th of September.
Returned to England aboard the "Herefordshire".
Transferred to the 11th Hussars on the 1st of July 1853.
Killed-in-action at Balaclava.
Next of kin: his brother (another source says this was his father) Charles Purcell, serving in the 3rd Light Dragoons. [See below for the identity of this man.]
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
There were two men named Purcell serving in the 3rd Light Dragoons at this time: 1406 Trumpeter Charles Purcell and 2076 Private Thomas Purcell, both shown as serving in the Band.
Charles Purcell was promoted Corporal on the 29th of October 1860, while Thomas Purcell deserted from Dundalk (no further trace being found) on the 30th of January 1860. Then said to have been born at Cahir, Ireland, he had enlisted on the 15th of February 1851.
It is very doubtful that they and Thomas Purcell were related. Charles Purcell is known to have transferred to the Military Train at Edinburgh on the 1st of April 1864. Shown as having born in Sheffield, he had originally enlisted on the 17th of February 1844 and had no trade at this time.