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Crimea

Crimea, bar Sebastopol, 1499 Pte John Johnson, 1st Regiment of Dragoons. Officially impressed: “J. Johnson 1st Dragoons” John Johnson was born in Olney, Buckinghamshire, during 1836, working as a Shoemaker…

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SKU: J5589 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
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Crimea, bar Sebastopol, 1499 Pte John Johnson, 1st Regiment of Dragoons.

 

Officially impressed: “J. Johnson 1st Dragoons”

 

John Johnson was born in Olney, Buckinghamshire, during 1836, working as a Shoemaker.

 

He attested for the 1st Regiment of Dragoons on 19th February 1855 at the age of 19.

 

He was promptly posted to the war in Crimea serving there from July 1855 until March 1856.

 

Having arrived after the Grand Battles of 1854 such as Inkermann, Balaklava, Alma where the Heavy Brigade distinguished themselves and took heavy casualties.

 

Pte Johnson was engaged during that time in the Siege of Sebastopol, this period is detailed in the Historical Record of the First or the Royal Regiment of Dragoons by General De Ainslie:

 

“On the 30th May, Captain Davenport, Lieutenant Fitzgerald, 68 men, and 120 horses, joined from England at Radikoi, and on the 16th and 31st of July, Captain Ainslie, with 85 men and 111 horses, arrived also from England, and a further detachment of 29 men and 35 horses, with Lieutenant Hartopp, on the 14th of August joined the regiment.

 

Early in the year Sardinia had entered into the coalition, and on the 16th of August, the Russians driving in the French and Sardinian outposts and crossing the Tchernaya, attacked their positions, when the cavalry division, concentrated by Major-General The Hon. Scarlett, stood in reserve, but were not engaged in the action.

 

At the final storm and capture of Sebastopol on the 8th of September, the Royal Dragoons furnished a squadron to prevent stragglers from entering the city.

 

On the 11th of the month, Lieutenant Colmena, Cornet Cutler, with 54 men joined at Radikoi, where, on the 21st of October, an additional 40 men arrived.

 

The Royal Reigment of Dragoons embarked at Balaclava on board the Golden Fleece, on the 15th November, and landed at Scutari, where they encamped at Parda Pasha, being joined on the 19th by Cornets Curtis and Graham with 37 men from England.

 

In the course of the month General Simpson resigned the command of the army to Lieutenant-General Sir William Codrington, K.C.B.

 

On the 6th of December the regiment moved into the Zinc barracks, where it passed the winter.
The Crimean War was now virtually at an end and on the 30th of March 1856, a treaty of peace was signed at Paris.

 

The Royals embarked at Scutari for England on the 13th of May, having previously cast and sold by auction 48 horses, and made over 26 to the Turkish Government. They landed at Portsmouth on the 29th of the month, and marched to Aldershot, where they were inspected by Major General the Earl of Cardigan, K.C.B., Inspecting General of Cavalry.”

 

He continued his service until his discharge on 31st July 1866, having been found unfit for further military service after suffering a fissure of his kidney.