Four: Sergeant J. Hepplestone, Royal Artillery

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, naming erased; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860 (Bombr. John Hepplestone, No. 4 B. 13th Bde. Rl. Arty.) officially impressed naming, claw tightened, jeweller’s mark on edge; Army Meritorious Service Medal, V.R. (Sgt J. Heppleston, R.A.), impressed naming, jeweller’s mark to edge; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, jeweller’s mark to edge, pierced with ring suspension, note slight variation in surname, edge bruising, contact marks, nearly very fine and better (4) £650-750

John Hepplestone was born in Pontefract, Yorkshire. A Labourer by occupation, he attested for the Royal Artillery at Manchester on 12 August 1847, aged 21 years. He served in Jamaica, December 1848-January 1851; the Crimea, May-October 1855’ Corfu, November-December 1855; India, February 1858-March 1860, and China, March 1860-April 1862. Attained the rank of Sergeant in April 1864. In the 1871 Census he was listed as a Staff Sergeant of Militia at Dover Castle; in the 1881 Census listed as a Battery Sergeant-Major, Kent Artillery Militia and Chelsea Pensioner at Fort Burgoyne and in the 1901 Census he was listed as an army Pensioner. Awarded a £10 annuity and M.S.M. from 19 May 1901. Hepplestone died in Bromley, Kent on 24 July 1907, aged 81 years. With copied service papers, census extracts and death certificate.