Page 97 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 97
William Henry Pennington of the Balaclava Light Brigade
In 2023 The Museum acquired a unique and special archive; the scrapbook of William Henry Pennington, the last 11th Hussar survivor of the Charge of The Light Brigade. By coinci- dence Pennington died in 1923 making it an even more poign- ant and timely acquisition. With the upcoming 170th anniver- sary of the Charge in 2024 it is a good opportunity to explore Pennington’s extraordinary life as sailor, soldier and actor.
William Henry Pennington was born on 26 January 1833 in London. His father, Albert Pennington, worked for the Post Office but was also principal of a private school and intended for his son to follow him. But Pennington, seeking adventure and a life at sea, joined the Mercantile Marine in 1851. Over the next two years he served on several vessels, visiting Australia, the East Indies, Java and Singapore.
He returned to England and his studies but ‘the old restless- ness returned and with it the desire to roam’ and on 24 January 1854 at Portobello Barracks in Dublin he enlisted into the 11th Hussars. The only riding experience he had, according to his father, was ‘a pony ride on Blackheath as a boy’. Just a few months later he was embarking on the troopship Paramatta bound for Varna and the Crimea War. On the voyage over he would often assist the crew which gained him the nickname ‘Sailor Bill’.
On 25 October 1854 he rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade and a letter to his father written soon after the battle was pub- lished in several newspapers, including The Times, and gives his account:
‘I​was​surprised​to​hear​that​no​letter​had​reached​you,​as​ I​wrote​a​month​ago​since,​describing​the​Light​Cavalry​ charge​on​the​25th​October​as​far​as​it​concerned​myself.​ My​ wound​ was​ from​ a​ musket​ ball​ through​ the​ calf​ of​ my​ right​ leg,​ but​ so​ far​ has​ healed​ that​ I​ began​ to​ walk​
upon​it​an​hour​or​so​in​the​day.​It​was​a​mad​but​gallant​ charge​made​by​our​Light​Cavalry​at​Balaclava.
The​newspapers​will​let​you​see​our​position​at​the​time.​ The​word​was​given​to​“Charge​guns​to​the​front.”​We​ advanced​ at​ a​ gallop​ to​ these​ guns,​ and​ a​ fearful​ fire​ of​ grape,​shell​and​canister,​with​ditto​on​the​right​and​left​ flanks​ and​ infantry​ pouring​ in​ a​ dreadful​ fire;​ horses​ and​ men​ fell​ thick​ and​ fast,​ but​ even​ this​ did​ not​ check​ our​onward​rush.​All​the​Russian​infantry​artillery​men​ were​ sabred​ and​ for​ an​ instant​ we​ were​ masters​ of​ the​ guns,​but​having​no​support,​could​not​hold​them.
In​ this​ condition​ we​ were​ charged​ to​ flank​ and​ rear​ by​ numerous​regiments​of​Russian​cavalry​and​but​for​the​ desperation​ with​ which​ our​ men​ met​ their​ way​ there​ would​ not​ have​ been​ a​ single​ man​ retire​ from​ that​ fatal​ charge.
As​for​myself,​I​never​reached​the​guns​in​front​as​a​grape​ shot​went​through​my​busby,​about​two​inches​above​my​ head,​ knocking​ it​ to​ one​ side,​ another​ ball​ through​ the​ calf​ of​ my​ leg​ and​ the​ next​ through​ my​ horse’s​ head​ (a​ fine​black​mare).
I​ was​ now​ at​ the​ mercy​ of​ their​ Lancers,​ whom​ I​ saw​ lancing​wounded​and​dismounted​men.​The​demons​give​ you​no​quarter​when​you​are​down.​At​this​moment​the​ 8th​Hussars​came​by​with​a​horse​without​a​rider.​This​ I mounted, and formed in the rear of the 8th as if it were
William Henry Pennington, 1874
Invite to Carlton House Terrace