British Army Soldier. He was the British Trumpet-Major of the 17th Light Dragoons Lancers Regiment, and was present with the unit during the Crimean War. As staff trumpeter to General George Charles Bingham, the Third Earl of Lucan, he sounded the memorable Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854. During the battle, he had two horses shot from under him and finishing the battle on a foe's Russian horse. He was wounded in his heel. The battle lasted only 20 minutes but both sides lost over 600 men. Besides the Battle of Balaclava, he was in three other battles. The son of a soldier, he started studies at the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea at age six. According to his obituary, he enlisted into the military in May of 1833 as a boy and remaining in the same regiment for 28 years. He became a trumpeter in 1838, promoted trumpet-major in 1847, and was in charge of the band at the funeral of the Duke of Wellington in 1852. As a non-commissioned soldier, he was highly decorated. In addition to the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), Joy was awarded the Crimea War Medal serving from 1854 to 1856; Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Army, 1857; and the Turkish Crimean War Medal. The exact circumstances of the award of his DCM was not recorded. After his death, the bugle that he blew was sold at auction for a considerable price, but now it has found its way to the Royal United Service Institution by a donation.
British Army Soldier. He was the British Trumpet-Major of the 17th Light Dragoons Lancers Regiment, and was present with the unit during the Crimean War. As staff trumpeter to General George Charles Bingham, the Third Earl of Lucan, he sounded the memorable Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854. During the battle, he had two horses shot from under him and finishing the battle on a foe's Russian horse. He was wounded in his heel. The battle lasted only 20 minutes but both sides lost over 600 men. Besides the Battle of Balaclava, he was in three other battles. The son of a soldier, he started studies at the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea at age six. According to his obituary, he enlisted into the military in May of 1833 as a boy and remaining in the same regiment for 28 years. He became a trumpeter in 1838, promoted trumpet-major in 1847, and was in charge of the band at the funeral of the Duke of Wellington in 1852. As a non-commissioned soldier, he was highly decorated. In addition to the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), Joy was awarded the Crimea War Medal serving from 1854 to 1856; Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Army, 1857; and the Turkish Crimean War Medal. The exact circumstances of the award of his DCM was not recorded. After his death, the bugle that he blew was sold at auction for a considerable price, but now it has found its way to the Royal United Service Institution by a donation.
Bio by: Connie Nisinger
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