A Crimean War soldier from Semington who died in the hospital where Florence Nightingale organised care for the wounded troops has been recognised with a new memorial.
It remembers Hamon Cadby, who was born in Semington on February 12 1807 into a farm labouring family and worked on local farms before joining the army and going out to the Crimea.
The memorial has been put on one of the gateposts at Greenacres mobile park next to the West Wiltshire Crematorium on the Devizes Road at Semington.
Patrick Ward, 70, the owner of Greenacres, who gave permission for the memorial to be put on the gatepost, said: "I am honoured to have it here. It's like he has finally come home.
"Everyone at Greenacres are delighted and proud that the memorial is there. It is an honour."
The memorial was made from wood and metal by Ron Robinson, 72, a Semington parish councillor and retired Ministry of Defence driving examiner who had served in the 17th/21st Lancers, one of the regiments that had fought in the Crimean War.
Mr Robinson said: "I found out about Hamon Cadby and that there was no memorial to him, so I decided to make one. I wanted to make sure that he would be remembered."
In the 1841 Census, Hamon Cadby was listed as a servant at Harestock Farm at Bremhill between Calne and Chippenham.
By 1851, he had joined the army and was Private 1901 in the21st Foot, Royal Scots Fusiliers, a Scottish infantry regiment, at St John's in Glasgow.
Private Cadby took part in the Crimean War and fought in the battles of Balaklava (October 25 1854) and Inkerman (November 5 1854).
He died in the old barrack hospital at Scutari near Istanbul in Turkey in December 1854 aged 47. It was the hospital where Florence Nightingale, the founder of nursing, organised care for the wounded troops, many of whom died from their injuries or disease.
There is no record of Hamon Cadby ever having married or having children, but he grew up with a sister Matilda and two brothers, John and James, both of whom were sent to Australia.
Mr Robinson hopes that relatives of Hamon Cadby will get in touch after seeing this article. Please call 07743 194740 or email ronald.robbo@btinternet.com
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