Description
Crimea Medal, bar Sebastopol, Turkish Crimea, British Issue, with pierced ring an flat bar suspension, Private John Baylis, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, both named in neat contemporary engraving.
Crimea contemporarily engraved: “PVe J. BAYLIS COLDm Gds”
Turkish Crimea contemporarily engraved: “J. BAYLIS + C. G D S.”
A good original matching pair, with professionally done period hand engraved naming.
Confirmed on medal roll and papers.
John Baylis spent 20 years in the Coldstream Guards, however only a year after joining up, he deserted the regiment, and went missing for over 4 years before he was finally recovered. Upon being recovered he was forever branded with the Letter “D”, he was unfortunate to have deserted during the time period that the British Army branded all deserters, the painful process was done by an early style of tattooing machine:
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co155799/branding-tool-for-marking-deserters-london-england-1810-1850
Branding in Britain had been abolished since 1829 for Civilians, but it remained present for deserters from the Army, until it was finally abolished for soldiers in 1879.
In his later career, he improved to become a Corporal and was Dispenser to the Regimental Hospital.
Corporal John Baylis was born in the village of Tardebigge, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, census states Redditch birth.
The son of James and Mary Baylis, his father was a Whitesmith, living in the 1840s in Blockhouse, Worcs.
He married Alice Clover in Whitechapel during 1858.
He first enlisted with the “Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards” aged 20 on 21st July 1847.
He served a total of 14 years and 42 days, spending 2 years 4 days on service overseas: “With the Army in the East (meaning Crimea).
In actual fact he had served almost 20 years, but the 14 years and 42 were all t hat was counted for his pension, due to his conviction.
Eventually poor health had led to his discharge: “His being unfit for further service.”
“Character is good, he is in possession of 3 good conduct badges, A Crimean Medal and one clasp, for the Siege of Sevastopol and a Turkish War Medal.”
“Five Times Sentenced in the Regimental Defaulters Book, Once Tried by Court Martial.”
John got off to a rocky start to his service.
After a little over a year of service, he “Deserted on 11th September 1848” and remarkably remained missing until he “Rejoined on 16th July 1853”.
Upon his return he was “Tried by District Court Martial and convicted of desertion, forfeits his former service.”
For his conviction he lost his 1 year and 53 days of service, his further 4 years missing was not counted as he was not serving.
He would then also be locked up “Confined and Imprisoned” from 16th July 1853 until 2nd January 1854.
He had come back just in time to get shipped off to fight in the Crimean War with the Guards Brigade.
After his conviction he improved and began to finally earn some good conduct badges since 1859.
Near the end of his career he finally saw a promotion to Corporal on 21st December 1864, which came by a letter: “Promoted by Authority of War Office Letter 20 Coldstream Guards 2 of 21st December 1864.”
He left the service as a Corporal on 15th January 1867, whilst it had been 20 years since enlistment, he was only allowed to claim 14 years of service to pension.
It was recalled upon discharge that he had in his later years of service “Acted as the Dispenser to the Regimental Hospital.”
John had redeemed himself as he matured in the Army, although he could not escape his “D” Tattoo from his youthful indiscretion.
Following his discharge he remained around London and in 1871 lived with his wife in St Stephen, Middlesex noted as a “Chelsea Pensioner” with his wife who worked as a Seamstress.
