CRIMEAN SURVIVORS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1932, Page 6

CRIMEAN SURVIVORS

LAST YEAR’S HEAVY TOLL. The survivors of the* men who fought in the Crimean War and in the Indian Mutiny become each ve-ar a diminishing band. The death is announced of another Crimean veteran, Mr Peter Ongley. at Earley, Reading, England. Mr Ongley, who was 96 years of age, served -with the i49th Foot (now the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) in the Crimea, and was present rat the siege and capture of Sebastopol in 1855. There is no complete roll of Crimean and Indian Mutiny veterans. It is known that there are now few suivivors—perhaps not more than 50. Of these, so far as is known, 24 fought 'in ithe Crimea and 26 in the Indian Mutiny. A further classification shows that of the Crimean veterans eleven 'belonged to the Navy and the same number to the Army, while the Royal /Marines claim two. The past year has taken a heavy toll of these veterans. Of those who to-tn-ain some of them are living in Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, and all of them are within easy reach of their hundredth birthday.