AN ENIGMATIC & VERY INTRIGUING “LIGHT BRIGADE” CRIMEA MEDAL,
“Alma” “Inkermann” “Sebastopol”
(Officially Impressed)
E. NEWALL. 8th DRAGOONS.
(Probably Died at Sea Returning to England)

[BIOGRAPHY]
Edward NEWALL was born in London c. 1817 and enlisted into the Army in October 1837, aged 20. He was 5'7" and he had no trade shown. He embarked from Exeter for the Crimea on the HT Shooting Star in April 1854.

Having joined his unit in spring of 1854 he was next seen in hospital at Scutari for unknown reasons in December of 1854. Edward is then recorded as being invalided back to England in the following January of 1855.

The usual Light Brigade references do indeed give Edward NEWALL as being a member of the Light Brigade and as serving with 8th Dragoons, but they do not list him as a Charger.

However, and as happens regularly with Light Brigade Crimea medals, there is a great big anomaly & two serious questions here.

The first question is:
“Where was Edward NEWALL on the day of The Charge of The Light Brigade on 25th October 1854 ? as he’s not a listed charger.”

The second question is:
“Why is Edward’s medal ‘officially impressed’ to 8th Dragoons which is always the case with a casualty of this unit, when he’s actually not formally listed as casualty.”

Because, as a survivor, his medal, which is recorded on the roll as being “Sent to England” would have been either privately engraved or depot impressed as E. NEWALL “8th HUSSARS“, because it’s well known that only medals to those who died of wounds or disease or were killed in action were given “officially impressed” medals named to “8th DRAGOONS ” !

Therefore there is an interesting anomaly here as Edward’s medal is indeed “officially impressed” to 8th DRAGOONS so it insists that he was indeed a casualty of illness or wounds sustained in the Crimea.

There is perhaps only one other possibility in that he may have succumbed to his medical situation on the ship on his way back to England, which would then have lead to him being immediately buried at sea.
His medal would then indeed have reflected his casualty status and thus led to it having been officially impressed at the Royal Mint back in England as was usual with a casualty soldier’s award before it being sent onward from the War Office to his family.

His “official” clasp entitlement confirmed on the rolls is for the three clasps of Alma, Inkermann and Sebastopol which are correctly fitted with original rivets and are supported by the rare & original 1855 cotton ribbon.

Edward NEWALL certainly was a member of “The Light Brigade” but does not appear on the Balaklava clasp roll and for reasons that currently remain unknown apparently did not take part in the charge.

A Rare, excellent & interesting cavalry casualty medal.
Medal is About EF on its rare & original cotton ribbon.

£1995