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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 266

An interesting pair awarded to Private W. Donaldson, 2nd Dragoons, who was severely wounded 'by a round shot through the knee' in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October 1854

Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Balaklava, Sebastopol (Pte. W. Donaldson, R.N.B. Dgs.), contemporary - regimentally - engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian die (Private William Donaldson, Scots Greys), swivel-bar suspension, engraved naming, both with riband buckles for wear, edge bruising, nearly very fine or better (2)


PROVENANCE:
Ex Glendining's, 28 October 1978 (Lot 358).

William Donaldson was born at Kilsyth, Stirlingshire and enlisted in the 2nd Dragoons at Edinburgh in October 1852, aged 17 years. Subsequently embarked for the Crimea, he rode in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October 1854 and was severely wounded 'by a round shot through his knee'. He was carted off to a field hospital by some Turks and the shattered leg amputated without further ado.

As stated in Roy Dutton's Forgotten Heroes - Charge of the Heavy Brigade, Donaldson caught the eye of nurse Sarah Anne Terrot, one of the Sellonite Sisters of Mercy, at Scutari hospital. Her diaries are quoted fully in Nurse Sarah Anne, by R. G. Richardson, from which the following extract has been taken:

'Another of the Scot's Greys lay on his other side … the younger named William Donaldson recovered more quickly and was sent home before his friend. Donaldson lost his leg in the second Balaklava charge when the Greys and 1st Royals tried to cover the retreat of the Light Brigade.

His horse was also disabled, so that it was with great difficulty he got away trying to crawl with his poor shattered leg. At first looking at his leg and seeing the flow of blood, he thought in twenty minutes it will all be over and lay still, trying to collect his thoughts and prepare for the great change. Then feeling the blood flow less rapidly, he looked out for help and seeing the Duke of Cambridge riding by called out, "If no one is coming to help me will your Royal Highness shoot me through the head." Soon afterwards some soldiers came and carried him, but his sorrows were not over, for some officers seeing so many men carrying one man ordered them back to their regiments and he was left again.

At last some Turks came and lifted him so roughly he fainted and became unconscious. They took him to the Field Hospital where his leg was taken off rather high up, and he was carried to a ship and taken to Scutari. On his way to the ship he waved his arm and cried, "Huzza for auld reekie." He was only eighteen and seemed to have a robust constitution. He was also cheerful, patient, and sweet tempered, which contributed to his recovery. The good Queen's letter was a great comfort to some of the poor men as well as to us. The assistance of her sympathy was deeply valued. Donaldson got a copy of it and put it over his head and on my noticing it he looked up with a sweet expression and said, "Yes, it's very affecting and makes our suffering less to think she cares about us." '

Donaldson was discharged in March 1855; sold with copied research.


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Sold for
£3,500