Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Colonel H. B. Roberts, Royal Marine Artillery, whose guns played an active part at Balaklava

Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Balaklava, Sebastopol (Lieut. H. B. Roberts, R.M.A.) contemporary engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed; Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver, gold and enamels; Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamels, a slightly later period badge, the Legion of Honour with damage to white enamel, otherwise good very fine (4) £800-1000

2 Royal Marine officers received the Legion of Honour, Officers 4th Class; 17 officers and 10 other ranks of the R.M. and R.M.A. received the Knight’s 5th Class of the Order, and approximately 45 officers received the 5th Class of the Medjidie.

Henry Bradley Roberts joined the Royal Marine Artillery as 2nd Lieutenant on 18 October 1847. He was present in the action with the batteries and expulsion of the Russian garrison from Redout Kaleh on 19 May 1854. He served with the Royal Marine Brigade during the siege of Sebastopol; was employed as Assistant-Engineer at Balaklava, and with the Royal Marine Artillery in the siege train before Sebastopol in 1854-55 (Medal with Clasp, Knight of the Legion of Honour, 5th Class of the Medjidie, and Turkish Medal).

The following is extracted from an article on the Roberts family medals, by Brian Best, originally published in Medals International, July 1981:

‘On October 11th Roberts was sent to rejoin his regiment at Balaclava. He commanded No 4 battery on Marine Heights which protected the right flank of the British position. In a letter to his mother written on 27th October, Henry describes the events leading up to and including the day of the 25th, a day prominent in British military folklore for blunders and heroism, its lost opportunity and steadfastness.

On the evening of the 23rd Sir Colin Campbell (his commander) sent for him and asked “Be a good boy, go up the hill and superintend the formation of three guns for the sake of an old fellow who has a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders”. With the help of the Highlanders and Turks the job was completed by the evening of the next day. Fatigued by the day's labour, Roberts slept soundly only to be awakened in the early morning by gunfire and the clamour of the 93rd Highlanders getting under arms. Taking his position on Marine Heights behind the 93rd, Roberts saw the start of the Battle of Balacava.

Across the valley the Russians advanced and overwhelmed the Turkish-held redouts on Causeway Heights, while the great grey mass of Russian cavalry surged into the south valley. The greater part of the mass halted and received the charge of the Heavy Brigade under General Scarlet. Four squadrons were detached by the Russian Commander, Ryjov, to destroy the artillery park at Kadokol. The Turks having fled, all that stood between them and their objective was Sir Colin Campbell's small force of Highlanders and Artillery. Roberts was now actively engaged in the battle.

“Upon this mass of Cavalry we brought 5 guns to bear and poured 24 pound, 32 pound and 8-inch shells amongst them, myself rushing about from one gun to the other seeing the fuzes bored and laying the guns - and our practice was most admirable, the shells bursting amongst them and where they fell horses were seen to reel and fall with their riders. The gallant 93rd received a charge in line and poured rifle balls amongst them, file firing they stood like a wall. On their retreat my guns told most. . .”

Later in his letter he writes “...our practice was the admiration of the 93rd, who were in a position to see its full effects and they say it had a great influence upon the day. Several of them say it is a great injustice if I am not mentioned in despatches.” He wrote to his sister a week later about the General Order of Congratulations, which again omitted the work of the Artillery. However, he put on a brave face which only the Victorians could manage and wrote “...however, I feel that the consciousness of our having done so well is quite sufficient reward as far as I am concerned”.

For several days after the battle his sector were constantly on the alert for another attack and several artillery duels took place. One night the Cossacks got close enough to pepper the Marine’s tents, much to Roberts’ consternation. Later, carefully watching the Cossack outposts, he ventured out into the south valley, to where the Heavy Brigade fought “... mountains of horses lay dead and interspersed amongst the Russian dead whom we have since buried”. He also describes the results of the firing, the stench of death and the omnipresent vultures. He describes the onset of the horrendous winter which all but finished the British as an effective force “... everything wears a thick coating of frost and the plumes of the Highland bonnets shew white instead of black.”

When the Navy were sent to reinforce Marine Heights, Roberts was happy to transfer to the Royal Engineers as Assistant Engineer under General Jones. He received complimentary letters for his work from Jones and from his old Commander, Colin Campbell, who obviously took a shine to the young man. From the Spring of 1855, Henry was in the trenches before Sebastopol with the Artillery Siege Train. Unhappily his health broke and he was invalided home in July. He remained in the Marines for a further 25years, retiring with the rank of Colonel in September 1873. His painting hangs in the Royal Marines Museum.