CRIMEA MEDAL (1854)
& Turkish Crimea Medal.

AN IMPORTANT & CLASSIC CRIMEA "MULTI CLASP" AWARD TO A MAN WHO WAS  WITH MANY OTHERS ATTENDED BY NURSE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE AT SCUTARI HOSPITAL DURING THE WINTER of 1854-1855.

BALACLAVA, INKERMAN, SEBASTOPOL,ALMA. 

"OFFICIALLY IMPRESSED"

CORPl. J.C. SCOTT. 21st REGt

To: Corpl.  John C. Scott, 21st Regt. Royal North British Fusiliers, (now the Royal Highland Fusiliers.)
Roll confirms, Died at Scutari 28th February 1855.

John C. Scott was a labourer from Alnwick, Northumberland who enlisted on 12th April 1852.

He served in the Crimean war with 21st Regiment Foot ( North British Fusiliers). Like so many casualty medals Scott's award was originally issued 'short' of a clasp. His medal now carries his full four clasp entitlement for the Battles of Sebastopol, Inkerman ,Balaclava and Alma. His ALMA clasp is thus added loose on the ribbon having been recently obtained to complete his entitlement. The 21st Regiment sustained many battle casualties and were present in large numbers at all the major Crimea actions including Balaclava.

At the Battle of Inkerman (5th November 1854) the British troops built a wall across the post road on its descent, which they called “THE BARRIER". On the eastern face of Fore Ridge overlooking the Tchernaya River was an empty battery position called the “SANDBAG BATTERY". The Barrier and the Sandbag Battery were to be of great significance in the battle, both bitterly contested, particularly in the second series of attacks by Pauloff’s columns.

At Inkerman the 21st Regiment were in defence of the eastern end of "THE BARRIER" which was bitterly contested leading to the loss of 7 officers and 114 men. Many other men of the 21st were badly wounded here and Corporal John Scott being a junior NCO and in a position of minor command was probably one of them. The battle was fought in shocking winter conditions and in drifting heavy fog. The terrible winter of 1854-1855 in the Crimea took a huge toll of lives from the men of the British Army and many hundreds died from wounds and disease.

The famous NURSE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE "THE LADY WITH THE LAMP" arrived at Scutari Hospital in November 1854 just after The Battle of Inkerman and Like so many of other soldiers John C. Scott who had fallen seriously ill (almost certainly with septicaemia from wound infection ) was nursed by Florence and her nursing team before he finally died at Scutari Hospital on 28th February 1855. Corporal Scott would certainly have seen Nurse Nightingale on her rounds as she was a prominent and highly visible person at the hospital.   

                                                           

 The casualty roll shows his father Robert Scott, also of Alnwick, receiving 4/5d pay credit from the army.  

A TOTAL "MUSEUM QUALITY" BRITISH MILITARY CLASSIC PAIR

THE CRIMEA MEDAL IS IN EF+CONDITION HAVING NEVER BEEN WORN.

£1450