Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. Lahey, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, who probably rode in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava, 25 October 1854

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Pte. J. Lahey. 6th. Drags.) contemporarily engraved naming; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (1256 Jas. Lahey. 6th. Dragoons); Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed as issued, pierced as issued with later small ring suspension, edge bruising and heavy contact marks, nearly very fine £1,000-£1,400

Provenance: Glendining’s, May 1965.

James Lahey was born at Donaghmore, co. Cork, in 1834, and attested for the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 2 November 1853. He served with the 6th Dragoons as part of the Heavy Brigade in the Crimea, and was present at the Battles of Balaclava and Inkermann, and the actions before Sebastopol. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 22 February 1872, and was discharged on 19 January 1875, time expired.

Lahey’s name appears on the latest reconstructed list of ‘Chargers’ as having ‘probably rode in the Charge’: most members of the Heavy Brigade entitled to the Balaklava clasp, in the absence of any evidence or status details to the contrary, took part in the Charge, and it is only the absence of some definite proof that means Lahey is listed as a probable ‘Charger’, rather then a definite ‘Charger’.