Read the first installment of the Crimean War Diary written by John Harris and published in the Swindon Advertiser following his death in 1902.
Veterans of the Royal Artillery
The Crimean War Day by Day
(Special to the “Swindon Advertiser.”)
The death took place last week, as we have already announced, of a Crimean Veteran, in the person of Mr John Harris, of Sanford Street, Swindon, who passed away on Tuesday, July 29, at the age of 74 years.
As we announced the other day, we have, through the kindness of the deceased Mr Harris’ son, been granted a perusal of a diary kept by the veteran during the Crimean war, and from the diary we take the following, feeling confident that this unique history of that arduous campaign will contain records abounding with interest to the majority of our readers.
The writer opens his account with some very sentimental passages provoked by the scenes of farewell he witnessed when, as a sergeant in the K Battery of the Royal Artillery, he took leave of England for the seat of war. He opens as follows:-
Sailed 26th. – It was on one of those beautiful summer mornings very often seen on our shores in the latter end of July, 1855, at about 4 o’clock a.m., that her Majesty’s steamship, “the Atlanta,” weighed anchor, and steamed out of the harbour of Sheerness, with about 800 of the Royal Artillery, 185 horses, 60 officers and a crew of 150 men, bound for the Crimea. And there was many a sad and heavy heart partook of the hard and scanty meal of a breakfast, whilst others of a more noble mind were singing and whistling away as the vessel parted the foaming sea from her stately bows. I was on deck with several others pacing to and fro, smoking my pipe, whilst others were lounging and talking in various parts of the ships. Several of them were talking of home, and wondering whether they would ever behold their dear native place again. How many of those brave men left those shores on that bright sunny morning never to behold them again, and now rest on those ironbound and snowy hills of the Crimean shore, where there is no mark of respect to denote to the passer by or the stranger that beneath lie sons of England waiting to receive their Heavenly reward; those who went forth in the hour of need to share in the toils and hardships of a campaign, leaving those who were dear to them at home.
Continued tomorrow …
Crimean War Diary – Part Two
Radnor Street Cemetery 