5th Dragoon Guards


General Sir James Yorke Scarlett GCB


James Yorke Scarlett is best remembered as the commander of the Heavy Brigade at the battle of Balaklava in the Crimean War. He had been the commanding officer of the 5th Dragoon Guards for 14 years up until then. He had suffered from cholera in the months before the battle, and although the Russians were numerically much stronger and were advancing downhill towards them, the Heavy Brigade defeated them and scored a famous victory. Brigadier Scarlett, aged 55, was not seriously injured in the charge and was promoted to major-general. He went on to be Colonel of the regiment in 1860 until his death in 1871. Although born in London he adopted Burnley as his home town and is buried at St John's, Cliviger near Burnley.

1799 Born in London on 1st Feb, 2nd son of Judge Lord Abinger
1818 Cornet in 18th Hussars
1830 Major in 5th Dragoon Guards
1835 Married Anne Hargreaves of Burnley
1837 Tory MP for Guildford until 1841
1840 CO of 5th DG
1854 Brigadier in command of Heavy Brigade
1855 Major-General
1856 Lieutenant-General in command of cavalry in Crimea
1857 Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth until 1860
1860 Adjutant-General to the Forces until 1865
1860 Colonel of 5th DG
1865 C-in-C of Aldershot Division
1869 GCB
1870 Retired
1871 Died at Bank Hall, Burnley on 6th Dec.


Regimental details | Colonels | Commanding Officers


Regimental details | Colonels


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by Stephen Luscombe