James William Wightman, son of James Thomas Wightman,was born on 3 Nov 1834 in York. In 1851, he attended the Mile End School in Norwich, along with his brother John Alexander Wightman. He enlisted in the 17th Lancers on 19 October 1853 at Hounslow at the age of 19. He rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade during which he received bullet wounds to the forehead, shoulder, shin, and right knee, as well as lance wounds to the neck, chest, back and hands. James was assisted from the field of battle by Thomas Fletcher of the 4th Light Dragoons, while the two were being goaded by the Cossacks. At this time James noted that Fletcher had a head wound, but he was assured that the wound was 'nothing'. Fletcher died of the wound a few days later. James was taken as a prisoner

of war and an account of his experiences in the Charge as well in his later captivity appears in the May 1892 issue of "Nineteenth Century Magazine". He rejoined his regiment on 26 October 1855 as the result of a prisoner exchange. On 1 September 1856, he was promoted to Corporal vice Taylor who had transferred to the 12th Lancers. He accompanied the 17th Lancers to India in 1857 and served in the Indian Mutiny; his account of this service is in the archives of the 17th Lancers in the Regimental Museum at Belvoir Castle, and also appears in the appendix of my book. He was promoted to Sergeant on 7 September 1857. Returning to England, he married Eliza Buckingham on 12 June 1864 in Maidstone, Parish of the Holy Trinity and at the time was shown as a Troop Sergeant-Major in the 21st Lancers. At some point in time he transferred to the Military Train, where he was promoted to Ensign on 10 November 1865, and resigned from the service on 27 October 1868. He was a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society of 1877 and 1879. The 1881 census shows him working as a sanitary inspector and living at 45 Gordon Place, Kensington with his wife and six of his seven children still living with him. His children included Helen Elizabeth, born 25 March, 1865 in Canterbury barracks, northgate; James Thomas (named after his grandfather), born c. 1867 in Shorncliffe, Cambridge; William born c. 1870 in London; Herbert born c. 1872 in Paddington; Margaret born c. 1874 in Paddington; Matilda born c. 1878 in Kensington; George born c. 1879 in Kensington; and John Alexander, DOB unknown, but enlisted in the 17th Lancers in 1880. He signed the Loyal Address of 1887, and attended the Annual Dinners in 1890, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1899. James Wightman died at age 72 while living at 47 Seagrave Road SW6, London. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery in grave no. 168238.