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VC21   Samuel Parkes

BORN  September 1815

DIED   15 November 1864  AGE   49

VC Won  25 October 1854  AGE 39

Place VC Won  Balaclava, Crimea (Charge of the Light Brigade)

War/Campaign  Crimean War

Name   Samuel Parkes   No.   635          

VC Issue No.   21   Awards   VC   

Regiment   4th Light Dragoons

Later   4th Hussars (Queen’s Own)

Now   Queen’s Royal Hussars

Rank VC Won   Private

Rank End Of Career   Private

Place Of Birth   Wiggington, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

Place Of Death   Stanhope Gate, Hyde Park, London, England

Buried/Location Ashes  Brompton Cemetery, Old Brompton Road, London, England

Cremated

Date Buried/Cremated   19 November 1864

Headstone   Headstone   Plot/Grave no.   Compartment R, Grave 39265

Gazetted   24 February 1857

VC Presented   26 June 1857 by Queen Victoria at Hyde Park, London, England

Memorials

P  Headstone at Brompton Cemetery, London, England

P  Plaque on family gravestone St Editha’s church Tamworth

P  Plaque in St Editha’s church Tamworth

P  Obelisk memorial Wiggington (unveiled November 14, 2011)

By The Way…

Samuel Parkes was captured after his VC action, on release was court marshaled for desertion, although all charges were dropped

VC Held By

Queen’s Royal Hussars H.Q.

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Having had his horse killed from under him, he saw two Cossacks attacking a defenceless trumpet major, putting himself between friend and foe fought them off. Making their escape they met six more Russians, but with brilliant sword play he forced their retreat.

VC Ephemera