|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
The Story of a Victorian Soldier - James Hicks (1839 - 81)
"His name appears in Regimental Defaulters Book Thirty three times, four of which are trials by Court Martial."
| Transcript of Military Record |
| Transcript of Medical Record |
James Hicks is my Great Great Grandfather, in my search for our family history, I came across his military records which tell a story of an ordinary soldier who was often in trouble, sometimes promoted and ultimately paid the price of his service.
James Hicks was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland in 1839. His father, William Hicks was a Journeyman Mason, his mother was Mary Hicks nee McLaren. Unfortunately we know very little about his early life other than that by the age of 20 he was a Stationer (bookseller, seller of paper & writing implements).
In 1860 he left his native Scotland and travelled to London. On January 7th 1860 he joined the Royal Artillery at Worship Street in Shoreditch as a Driver. From the record of his medical examination we can get some idea of what he looked like.
|
Height |
5’ 4" |
|
Weight |
118 lbs - 8st 6lbs |
|
Hair |
Light Brown |
From Shoreditch he travelled to Woolwich were the Depot Brigade of the Royal Artillery were stationed. Here he received what we would today call Basic Training. After a month he went absent without leave for 9 days, when he returned he was Court Martialed and imprisoned for 5 days. We can only speculate as to why he went missing for such a length of time. But many new recruits went missing during their first year of engagement. He did not learn his lesson because in July 1860 he went absent without leave again and was imprisoned for 10 days.
Having finished his ‘Basic Training’ he was assigned to the 11th Brigade who were stationed in India. It must have taken quite a few months to get to India because he did not arrive until March 1861.
We have very little information on his time in India, other than his Medical Records that include an extended period of rheumatic fever during March and April of 1863. Having spent seven years in India, he returned to England in 1867. By then he had quickly been promoted to Bombardier and then to Corporal. During his time in India he had obtained a 3rd Class Certificate of Education. This was a prerequisite for promotion to Corporal.
His promotion to the lofty heights of Corporal was not to last for long. In April 1868 he was reduced to the rank of Driver and forfeited his Good Conduct pay. At this time he was stationed at Aldershot.
In 1874 he married Caroline McCaughie at the Wesleyan Church in Aldershot. He was 35 and she was 21. During this time he was often absent without leave. In 1871 he had been transferred from the 11th to the 1st brigade, spending most of his time in Aldershot.
He was promoted to Bombardier again in 1876 having transferred to 24th Brigade at Woolwich. He was tried and reduced again in 1877.
By 1880 he had served 20 years in the Royal Artillery, however his time in India had caught up with him. In March 1880 he was diagnosed as having ‘a valve disease of the Heart’. On the 17th April 1880 he appeared before a Regimental Board that confirmed his discharge on the grounds of ‘ his having been found unfit for further service’. The medical report states that the Heart condition was a result of rheumatic fever contracted whilst in India. He was finally discharged on 14th May 1880 having reckanoble service of 20 Years and 78 days.
By this time he had 3 sons and a wife to support, his final posting was in Ipswich, Suffolk. This is were he and his family stayed until he died of Heart Failure on 16th January 1881. He was 41.
