Henry Castle

Henry Castle was born on 29th October 1828 at Chilson in Oxfordshire and joined the 68th Light Infantry at Warwick on 29th September 1846, just before his 18th birthday. He served with the 68th for 21 years, including 14 years abroad, and fought in both the Crimean and New Zealand Wars.

In September 1854, when the 68th landed in the Crimea and fought in the Battle of Alma, Private Castle was ill at Scutari in Turkey and he did not join his Regiment until late October. He then took part in the Battles of Balaclava and Inkerman and served in the trenches during the long siege of Sebastopol. After the war, he was awarded the Crimean Medal with three clasps, an unusual combination for the 68th - only 1 Officer and 3 Other Ranks receiving such a combination.

On his return to England, after the New Zealand War, 2512 Private Henry Castle was discharged from the Army in November 1867. In 1904, he was admitted as a Chelsea Pensioner and died on 12th February 1912, aged 84.