Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol (T.(sic) Foster(sic), 4th Lt. Dragns.), officially impressed naming, neatly refixed suspension claw, edge bruising, contact wear and polished, fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late John Darwent.

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James Forster was born at Paddington, London and enlisted in the 4th Light Dragoons in October 1838, aged 20 years. Embarked for India, he landed at Kirkee in July 1839 and is shown in the regimental musters as having been briefly employed ‘on field service’ from 26 October to 12 November 1840. He returned to the U.K. in March 1842 but not with any medal entitlement, or certainly not according to his discharge papers.

Next actively engaged in the Crimea, having landed there in September 1854, he is verified as being present at Alma and Inkermann, in addition to the Sebastopol operations. Between January and May 1855, however, he was confined to a hospital bed at Scutari. Forster - or ‘Foster’ according to the medal rolls - returned to the U.K. in 1856; the discrepancy over the initial on his Crimea Medal is less easily explained, the roll clearly stating ‘Jas.’

He was finally discharged at Newbridge, Ireland in June 1863 and was admitted as an out-pensioner of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in the same month. His intended place of residence was at Brown Street, off Grosvenor Square in London, but he is known to have been resident in Newcastle as late as 1873.

Sold with original parchment discharge and Chelsea Hospital out-pensioner certificates.