Samuel Parks VC

Memorial plaque commemorates Crimean VC winner

Tamworth remembers it's 'forgotten hero'

After 150 years a memorial plaque to a hitherto little-known winner of the Victoria Cross has been approved - paving the way for 'Tamworth's Forgotten Hero' to come home. Church authorities give permission for a brass plaque commemorating Samuel Parks VC to be placed in the south aisle of St Editha's Parish Church. The memorial, which was part financed by the town's heritage organisations, was officially unveiled at a civic service on Sunday, October 24. The following day was the 150th anniversary of the infamous 'Charge of the Light Brigade' - the most celebrated event of the Crimean War (1854-56) - in which Samuel won his country's greatest honour for bravery under fire.

Born in Wigginton in 1813, the son of Thomas and Lydia Parkes (whose gravemarker can still be seen in St Editha's churchyard), Samuel was baptised at the parish church on December 24, 1815. He enlisted into the 4th Queen's Own Light Dragoons on July 28, 1831, when he was described as aged 18, 6ft 2ins tall with light brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. Prior to military service, he was described as being a labourer. Samuel's many adventures with the Army took him firstly to India. He took part in the storming of the Ghuznee Fortress during the Afghanistan War and was awarded a medal. Whilst serving in Ireland he was called upon to help put down anti-turnpike riots.

But the most famous event in Samuel's life occurred on October 25, 1854, at Balaklava. British and French troops had landed in the Crimea to prevent Russian expansion in the Balkans. Parkes was acting as Orderly to Lord George Paget, the Commanding officer of the 4th Queen's Own Light Dragoons, who referred to him as 'a fine specimen of an Englishman.' In this role, Parkes needed to stay close to both Paget and Trumpeter Hugh Crawford who relayed the Commanding Officer's orders to the troops. During the suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade, later immortalised in Tennyson's great poem, the 4th Light Dragoons hurtled down 'the valley of death' before finally reaching the Russian guns and becoming embroiled in savage hand-to-hand fighting was taking place. During the bloody maelstrom, Parkes rode past his Colonel shouting anxiously: "Where's my chief? Who's seen the Colonel?" Paget replied: "Here I am, my boy, I'm all right." Parkes then rejoined his Colonel and the Trumpeter. Whilst attempting to return to the Allied lines, however, Crawford's horse collapsed from exhaustion and the trumpeter fell, losing his sword. Shortly afterwards Parkes' own horse was shot, leaving him to try to get back to safety on foot. Whilst doing so he spotted Crawford about to be attacked by two mounted Russian cossacks. Parkes ran to Crawford and, standing in front of him, managed to drive off the two attackers. Joined by Private John Edden (also from Tamworth) whose horse had also been shot, the three men set off towards the British lines. Making their way through the carnage they came across Major John Halkett, who was severely wounded. He asked them to take his belt into which was sewn some money 'for the married women at home.' More Cossacks began attacking them, and Halkett told the three Dragoons to save themselves but to place his sword in his hand. Parkes refused and instead turned to face the Russians whilst his two comrades tried to lift Halkett. Crawford placed Halkett over Parkes' shoulders, but the burden was too much and he was forced to lay down the Officer. Again came the Cossacks and a Russian Officer called upon Parkes in English to surrender. "Give yourself up, and you won't be hurt." Parkes refused and a Russian fired a pistol which wounded him in the right hand. The Canadian-born Crawford, Parkes and Edden again attempted to make it back to the British lines. Edden managed to escape, but Parkes and Crawford were captured - seeing the body of Halkett stripped naked except for his jacket as they were escorted past the Russian lines. The two men were taken in front of General Liprandi who, noting the 6ft 2ins Parkes, commented: "If you are a Light Dragoon, what sort of men are your Heavy Dragoons?" He saw to it that both prisoners were given food and drink before they were marched into the Russian interior to endure 12 months of captivity.

In an extraordinary twist, on his release Parkes was Court Martialled for desertion... but cleared of all charges when the truth about his heroism came out.  He was only the second man in the British Army to receive the VC, presented in person by Queen Victoria. On December 1, 1857, Parkes was discharged from the Army at Aldershot after 24 years service. He was aged 44 and had served 26 years, 121 days - including nine years and five months in India. On discharge he was described as 'a good soldier.' After discharge, Samuel was awarded a pension of one shilling and one penny per day and, although stating he was returning to Tamworth, he in fact moved to London were he lived for the rest of his life. On February 13, 1858, he married Ann Jeffrey at St George's Church, Hanover Square, London.

At some point, Samuel reported the loss of his Victoria Cross, and was issued with a replacement. His Ghuznee Medal, the Crimea Medal with clasps for Alma, Balaklava and Sebastopol and his Turkish Crimea Medal, together with both the original and replacement Victoria Crosses, are now in the possession of the Regiment. At the time of his death, Samuel's occupation is shown as 'Inspector of Hyde Park Constabulary.' He died at Stanhope Gate, Hyde Park, London on November 15, 1864, aged 49. The cause of death is given as 'apoplexy', and he was buried four days later in an unmarked grave in Brompton Cemetery.

In May 1999, as a result of efforts by his great-great-great nephew Peter Elkin, the grave was located and a new marble gravestone was unveiled. Present were members of Samuel's family, the Queen's Royal Hussars and its forebear Regiments as well as Samuel's medals. Along with civic guests and members of Samuel's family, the congregation at the unveiling of the Tamworth plaque in October was a descendant of Trumpeter Crawford, whose life Samuel saved, and a descendant of John Edden, the fellow Tamworth soldier who fought so bravely at Samuel's side during that heroic action.