Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Charge of the Light Brigade pair awarded to Private George Badger, 13th Light Dragoons

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (G. Badger. 13th Lt. Dragoons.) officially impressed naming, suspension post re-fixed, unofficial rivets; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, fitted with a replacement ring suspension, the first a little polished, therefore good fine, the second very fine (2) £6,000-£8,000

George Badger was born at Shrewsbury and enlisted into the 13th Light Dragoons at Birmingham on 23 January 1854, aged 18, a servant by trade. He joined the regiment in Turkey, at Varna, on 13 August 1854, before proceeding to the Crimea. According to the Regimental History he was one of the four men wounded in the affair at the Bulganak River on 19 September 1854, the day prior to the battle of the Alma. He was sent to Scutari on the 20th and is shown as being in the General Hospital there until the 24th or 25th. At the time of his death a newspaper report mentioned that “In an early engagement he was wounded in the foot, and was in hospital for a short time.” Badger returned to his regiment on 3 October, in time to take part in the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October.

Badger, along with some 57 other men of the regiment, transferred to the 17th Lancers on 10 September 1857, having volunteered for service in India and arrived in Bombay on 19 December 1857. He does not appear to have seen active service during the Indian Mutiny and does not appear on the medal roll, despite the fact that he appears in a photograph in a local newspaper around the time of his death when he is shown wearing a Mutiny medal without clasp. He was discharged ‘time expired’ at Colchester on 24 January 1866, intending to live in Birmingham.

He was a member of the Balaklava Commemoration Society in 1879, and signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887. On 5 November 1895, Badger, together with just over 100 veterans of campaigns up to and including the Ashantee War of 1873-74, were invited to an Assembly and Banquet at Shrewsbury, and from the Market Square marched to the Music Hall. A newspaper report of the time stated that: ‘Corporal Badger, another survivor of the famous Charge, ascended the platform after the meal and gave a graphic account of the “ride”, and then recited the “Charge of the Six Hundred”, for which he was roundly applauded.’ He attended the annual Dinner in 1897, and was also present at the Fleet Street offices of Mr T. H. Roberts for the Jubilee celebrations held there in June 1897, and signed the testimonial given to Mr Roberts on that occasion (sold by Dix Noonan Webb, 18 September 2014, Lot 590).

George Badger, who lived at Wolverhampton, received help for the T. H. Roberts Fund. He died at Wolverhampton on 11 January 1904, lengthy obituaries appearing in the Wolverhampton Chronicle and the Shrewsbury Chronicle, from which latter, dated 15 January 1904, the following extract is taken:

‘Mr Badger enlisted at Birmingham in January of 1854, when he joined the 13th Light Dragoons (now 13th Hussars). He was sent out in a short time to Varna in Turkey, afterwards proceeding to the Crimea. In an early engagement he was wounded in the foot, and was in hospital for a short time.

He left a vivid description of the “Charge” in which he says:

“The Russians opened fire on our right, on our left, and then in front... Three men on my right (next to me) and two on my left fell; I found my horse was wounded, but with a little rein and close leg, I managed to keep him up.

Getting nearer the guns, I was struck with a piece of shell, which tore away part of my clothes, and took a piece of my flesh away with it. Still we kept pushing on to the guns, and on reaching them I was attacked by a Russian gunner, who made a point at me, the steel entering my side before I could parry his thrust.

Then, fortunately, one of the 4th Dragoons came up and cut the man down. The artillery men stuck to their guns until they were nearly all cut down. The Russians in the rear then rushed on us, and we had to make the best of our way back, the Russians still keeping up the heavy fire.”

In the return ride Mr Badger’s horse was again struck by a shell, and killed, and Badger fell:

“One of the 8th Hussars happened to pass,“ he says. “I caught hold of the stirrup-iron of his saddle, but not being able to run fast enough, I was obliged to let go.”

He lay on the ground for some time, but was eventually able to get out of the enemy fire and rejoin his comrades. Later on, Mr Badger was posted to the 17th Lancers, to which regiment he belonged at the time of his retirement.

The remains of the gallant old soldier were laid to rest in Wolverhampton Cemetery yesterday amongst many expressions of sympathy and respect.

The funeral cortege left the deceased’s former residence in Mostyn Streey, Staveley Road, at 2.30 p.m. Various branches of the military services were well represented, and in the funeral party was also Alderman Kilvert, of Wednesbury, late of the 11th Hussars, and also “One of the Six Hundred.”

The coffin was of polished oak with brass furniture. It was covered with the Union Jack, and bore the inscription on the breastplate: “George Badger. Died 11th January 1904. Aged 69 years.”

The many handsome wreath included two sent by the 13th Hussars and the 17th Lancers.’