| Description | Marvels at his escape during the final assault on Sebastopol - "Appleyard & myself are the only two now who have been out here all the time & who have not been mentioned in dispatches, we were talking about it the other day & did not quite know whether to be sorry or not as we should at home be certainly thought the only two in the Regiment who had never been worthy of that honour. However, we do not much care, tho' of course it is nice to see one's name in a dispatch, as it is only in a few cases that a man really gets it from gallant service. For every Commanding Officer of a Regiment at the time, whether he might be the greatest coward on earth, must be mentioned as a matter of course & likewise with many others. If my name is mentioned, depend upon it, it shall be for something out of the way. I am second in command now & very likely to remain so. I have just written out an inscription for a tomb stone for poor Yea, which has been made in the Regiment. The less the better always I think, simply this:- To the memory of Colonel Lacy Walter Yea 7th Royal Fusiliers Who was killed whilst leading the assault On the Redan on The 18th June 1855 Poor old fellow. I do indeed miss him. We were latterly the best of friends and as you say all his former little tyrannies were wiped away by his conduct here. He is the greatest loss . . . They talk of another assault soon. I hope & trust to have nothing to do with it. I think it would hardly be fair." |