AN IMPORTANT & HIGHLY DESIRABLE "FOUR CLASP" (CASUALTY) CRIMEA MEDAL.

"RESCUED BY A VICTORIA CROSS WINNER"

To:
2871. Pte R. HEALD. 68th FOOT (Durham Light Infantry)
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, BATTLE of INKERMANN, 5th Nov'1854.
With Full Attestation & Service Papers.

[THE CRIMEA MEDAL]
CLASPS
Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann & Sebastopol.
"Regimentally Impressed" in sans serif capitals:
2871 Pte R.HEALD. 68th Foot. 5 Nov 1854.

The medal has clearly had an interesting history. At the 12'o'clock position on the reverse just to the right of the suspender claw there is a minute pawnbrokers mark "F/X" which demonstrates that the medal was pawned at some early time in it's history. This was a very common situation as in many cases an awarded silver medal was all that a poor family or discharged soldier had to lean on in times of financial difficulty. Made and presented in Victorian England, there was no social security net if you fell on hard times. We think that it's highly possible that Richard's medal was perhaps pawned at the time of his death by his wife or dependants.





[NAMING]
* The medal's naming style is a classic example of later but still contemporary "Private Impressment" with its typically unevenly positioned, sized & spaced lettering of varying 'odd' font styles. This type of work was normally carried out by a local jeweller or watchmaker at the request of the family and thus unusually, Richard's medal also carries the date of his serious wounding and rescue at The Battle of Inkermann '5 Nov 1854'. This being a pivotal date, the family clearly asked for it to be applied to his award."

[BIOGRAPHY]
Richard HEALD was born in about August 1832 at Leeds, Yorks. Prior to enlistment he worked as a groom. He joined the British Army at Leeds on 21st January 1851 at age 18 and was 5ft 9". He served at all four of the major actions during the Crimean war. He was seriously wounded at the Battle of Inkermann on 5th November 1854.

Men of the 68th Foot (Durham L.I.) in winter dress 1855 . The regiment sustained 13 men killed & 11 men wounded at Inkermann



[THE BATTLE OF INKERMANN, 19th Century Bloodbath]
The main battle of Inkermann was a dreadfully vicious affair which was fought on 5th November 1854. Known as The Soldiers' Battle, it was largely a bloody hand to hand struggle fought in shocking conditions of night & freezing fog by individual groups & single men cut off from each other by the darkness and zero visibility. Casualties of all types were totally horrific with the Russians losing over 15,000 killed and wounded. The British army lost 2,500 men many of whom perished in and around the famous Sandbag Battery in a pitiless struggle which it eventually won at enormous cost of life.

(* See our other listings for two "Sandbag Battery" casualty pairs to two Grenadier Guardsmen who lost their lives defending the position.)

[SERIOUSLY WOUNDED]
On 5th November 1854, during the Battle of Inkermann, Richard HEALD was seriously wounded & permanently incapacitated when he was struck on the left side of his head by a shell fragment. This led to his disablement due to persistent headaches and bad vertigo. Clearly his balance had been badly affected by damage to his inner ear mechanisms. Unusually, his complete papers have survived and contain the full descriptive details of his wounding, subsequent medical examination and discharge.

[RESCUED BY A VICTORIA CROSS WINNER]
On seeing the Russians attempting to outflank the Guards on Sandbag Battery Cathcart sent Torrens' brigade of ten companies (four of the 20th Regiment, two of the 46th Regiment and the four of the 68th) against them, sending the three Russian battalions into the valley below.The 68th followed the Russians too far, and now were out of ammunition. On retiring along the valley they found more Russians on a ridge above their right.

— -Captain Horatio Morant-

The French Zouves saved the 68th from being totally annihilated.

It was during this action that Pte. John Byrne and Sgt. Daniel Dwyer returned to this ravine to rescue the several (9) wounded comrades who were incapacitated due to wounds (including Richard Heald) which would lead both to be recommended for the Victoria Cross, and Byrne to receive it. With this cover, the regiment was reorganised with the rest of the brigade and other stragglers, including some numbers of surviving Sandbag Battery Guardsmen, and were then deployed to 'The Barrier' in front of Home Hill for the rest of the battle.
The losses for the day were 69 men killed, wounded or missing.

Richard's initial discharge on 18th April 1855 was confirmed when he was medically examined by army doctors on 3rd July 1855 and found to be: "unfit for service"
He had served for 4 years 161 days and was still only about 24

A Truly Excellent & Exceptional Medal fit for inclusion in the finest collection and if you are Durham Light Infantry collector you probably won't forgive yourself if you miss this one !!

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