SERGEANT H. HOLMES, 56TH (WEST ESSEX) REGIMENT (THE POST 1880 2ND BATTALION ESSEX REGIMENT). Two: Crimean Medal 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (regimentally impressed naming, impressed in block capitals: NO 3888 SERJ. H. HOLMES. 56. REGT) Turkish Crimea Medal, Sardinian flag to the fore, with replacement swiveling straight bar suspender (regimentally engraved naming: 3888 H. HOLMES. 56 REGt.). One lug removed from clasp carriage on Crimea Medal, surface contact marks overall, naming a little weak on the Turkish Crimea Medal but still fully legible, otherwise generally Almost Very Fine to Very Fine and with and attractive old dark tone.
Medal accompanied by 4 pages of copied discharge papers, extracts from 1851 and 1881 census returns and copied medal rolls confirming Crimea Medal and clasp.
Henry Holmes was born in Battersea, London, circa 1836. He is recorded in the 1851 census as a 15 year old solicitor's clerk resident in Battersea with his 50 year old "velum painter" father, 52 year old mother (needlewoman, born Niagra, Upper Canada), 17 year old sister (Assistant Teacher, National School) and 12 year old schoolboy brother. Holmes enlisted into the 56th Foot, 20/2/1854. At the time of enlistment he was 17 years and 6 months old and gave his trade as that of clerk. Holmes had several promotions during his first years of service, being promoted Corporal, 25/3/1855, Sergeant, 27/11/1855, and Colour Sergeant, 19/3/1856. However, he was reduced to Sergeant, 19/8/1856, reduced again to Private, 23/5/1857, before being promoted again to Corporal on 4/3/1873. He was discharged 24/1/1876 after serving 20 years and 359 days with the colours. At time of discharge his character was described as "good", despite the fact that his name had been entered 39 times in the Regimental Defaulters Book, that he was imprisioned on a number of occasions by the military authorities and was also tried and imprisoned for a month by the civil authorities for "assault". Holmes is recorded in the 1881 census as a 44 year old "scribe" resident at 63 Percy Road, Battersea, with his 28 year old wife Adelaide.
