United Kingdom. A Crimean War Group to Colour Sergeant Joseph Drage, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards

Crimea Medal 1854-1856, 4 Clasps - ALMA, BALAKLAVA, INKERMANN, SEBASTOPOL (4663. SERJt, JOSEPH DRAGE 3rd BATTn GRENd GUARDS.); Turkish Crimea Medal 1855-1856 (4663. COLOR. SERJT. J DRAGE. 3rd BATT. GREN. GUARDS.); and Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (4663 Cr SERGt JOSh DRAGE. GRENADIER GUARDS). Naming is engraved on all three medals, edge wear obscuring the regimental designation on the Crimea Medal, the service number double stamped with a "6" over a "9" on the ALSGCM. Un-mounted, edge nicks, bruising, contact marks, replacement ribbons, near very fine. Accompanied by copies of his Discharge Papers, announcements from the London Gazette and a typed biography.

Footnote: Joseph Drage was born in 1824 in the Village of Bogeat, near the town of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. He enlisted as a Private (4663) with the Grenadier Guards on March 5, 1844, in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, at the age of 20, stating his occupation as that of Labourer. Private Drage was promoted to the rank of Corporal on December 9, 1846, a rank he would hold for the next five years, and was granted his first Good Conduct Badge on March 5, 1849. Corporal Drage was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on December 10, 1851, a rank he would hold for the next thirteen and half years. He served for two years and four months with the Army in the Eastern Mediterranean (Crimea and Turkey). Sergeant Drage was "slightly wounded" on July 5, 1855 during the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Final Bombardments of Sebastopol. His wounding was mentioned in the Supplement to the London Gazette 21747 of Tuesday, July 17, 1855, on Wednesday, July 18, 1855, page 2780. He is also listed on page 135 of the Casualty Roll for the Crimea 1854-1855.

Sergeant Drage appeared before a Regimental Board of Officers in London on March 23, 1865 and applied for his discharge to pension, upon completion of twenty-one years' service. The board reported that Drage's character was "excellent", that his name had never appeared in the Regimental Defaulters' Book, that he had never been tried by Court Martial, that he was in possession of one Good Conduct Badge when he was promoted to Sergeant, and would have held five Good Conduct Badges had he not been promoted to Sergeant. He had been a recipient of the Crimea Medal with Alma, Balaclava, Inkermann and Sebastopol clasps, the Turkish Crimea Medal and the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with gratuity. Drage was discharged in London on April 11, 1865, credited with twenty-one years and 38 days' service, at the age of 41 and was awarded a pension of two shillings a day. The medal roll of the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards for the Crimean War states that 4663 Sergeant was entitled to the Crimea Medal with Alma, Balaclava, Inkermann and Sebastopol clasps, along with the Turkish Crimea Medal.