Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private William Staden, 11th Hussars

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (William Staden, XI.th. P.A.O. Hussars) regimentally impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (870 W Staden XI PAO Hussars) regimentally impressed naming, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £900-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Kuriheka Collection of British Medals.

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Spink stock ticket £2/5/-.

William Staden was born in the Parish of Sandridge, near Sevenoaks, Kent, and enlisted into the 11th Light Dragoons at Maidstone, Kent, on 1 January 1836, aged 21 years, a Coachman by trade. He deserted on 5 August 1836, but rejoined on 5 May 1844, when he was tried by a District Court Martial and sentenced to 3 months imprisonment. He served abroad in Bulgaria, 4 July 1854 to 16 September 1854, and in the Crimea, 17 September 1854 to 28 July 1856, for which he received the Crimean medal with 4 clasps and also the Turkish medal.

William Staden transferred to the 14th Light Dragoons on 28 February 1861, with which regiment he served until discharged on 4 February 1868. His discharge papers confirm his service in Bulgaria and the Crimea and also both medals and clasps. Elsewhere on his papers, however, it states that he was ‘Present at the Battles of Alma & Inkerman (sic) and at the Siege & Capture of Sebastopol,’ but makes no mention of Balaklava. Whilst his entitlement to the clasp for Balaklava is fully confirmed on the relevant roll, Staden’s status as a possible charger is uncertain. He was in the list of members of the Balaklava Commemoration Society in 1877 but not in the 1879 revised list. Even more curious is an account of the charge published in The Illustrated London News, October 30, 1875, under the name of Private William Charles Stanton, which has been ascribed to William Staden in the absence of any more likely candidates. Sold with copy discharge papers and a copy of his so-called account of the charge.