James Champion

Shot through his body, he still led his own troop in pursuit

James Champion came from Hammersmith, where his father was a policeman. He enlisted in the 8th Hussars in September 1851 and sailed for the Crimea in 1854. He served at the Alma and Sevastopol, but illness took him into hospital during the period of the Charge of the Light Brigade. Promotion followed, and by 1856 he was a troop sergeant major. He married Sarah Hamblin that year; they had a large family.

The regiment went to India in 1857. Champion served in the Central India campaign, including the operations around Gwalior. At Beejapore on 8 September 1858, both officers attached to his troop were disabled. Champion was himself shot through the body early in the action, but continued forward throughout the pursuit and used his pistol against the enemy. His Victoria Cross citation also recognized his earlier distinguished conduct at Gwalior.

He remained in the Army after recovering, returning to Britain in 1864 and serving in England, Scotland and Ireland. He left regular service in December 1873 and became regimental sergeant major of the Cheltenham Troop, Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, remaining with the yeomanry for about a decade. Later he worked at the Paris Hippodrome in London. He died in Hammersmith on 4 May 1904 and was buried in Margravine Cemetery, where a permanent headstone was eventually erected in 2016.

Victoria Cross citation

“For distinguished bravery at Beejapore on the 8th of September, 1858, when both the Officers attached to the Troop were disabled, and himself severely wounded at the commencement of the action by a ball through his body, in having continued at his duty forward, throughout the pursuit, and disabled several of the Enemy with his pistol. Also recommended for distinguished conduct at Gwalior.”

Source: London Gazette citation, reproduced by the Queen’s Royal Hussars Museum.