Edward James Boys facts for kids
Edward James Boys (born September 19, 1916 – died July 1, 2002) was a leading expert. He studied the men from the cavalry regiments of the British Army. These soldiers took part in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854. This event happened during the Crimean War (1854-1856). The war was fought between the UK and Russia.
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Life and Military Service
Edward James Boys was born in 1916. His family lived on a farm in Plumpton, Sussex. This was during the middle of World War I. His father was a farrier in the army. A farrier is someone who shoes horses.
'Jim' Boys, as he was known, left school when he was 14. In 1937, he joined the 2nd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards. He later moved to the 3rd Battalion. From 1937 to 1939, he served in Egypt and Palestine. He was in Egypt during the early part of World War II. He met Nitza Lemonia Asnay in Alexandria. She was from Greece.
In 1941, Jim Boys was captured at Tobruk. He spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. He was held in camps in Italy and Germany. After the war, in 1946, he married Nitza Asnay.
Becoming a Medal Researcher
When he returned to the United Kingdom, Jim Boys became a Prison Officer. He worked at HM Prison Wandsworth. There, he managed a workshop. Prisoners made equipment for the armed forces in this workshop.
In the 1950s, he became very interested in collecting medals. He joined the Orders and Medals Research Society. This group studies military medals. Jim Boys retired early from the Prison Service in 1968. He then worked for the Ministry of Defence. He checked how military equipment was made.
His interest in medals grew. He started collecting information. He focused on the men of the Light Brigade. These were the soldiers who took part in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854.
His Amazing Research Work
Jim Boys worked very hard to find information. He tried to trace the life of every man in the Light Brigade. He looked into their lives from birth to death. In many cases, he even found their relatives today. He wanted to get as much information as possible. Many of these soldiers' lives are only known because of his records.
For over 40 years, Jim Boys gathered facts. He used many different sources. These included official records from the War Office. He also looked at old newspapers and census records. He checked church records and birth, death, and marriage registries. He visited many libraries, both local and national.
He wrote letters to the soldiers' descendants. He also contacted army regiments today. He exchanged information with other historians. One of these was Canon William Lummis. Jim Boys shared and received photos and copies of old letters.
What He Collected
Because of his research, Jim Boys built a huge collection. It included old photographs and paintings. He also had letters and personal stories. Some of these stories about the Charge had never been published before. He added his own modern photos too. He took pictures of medals, memorials, and gravestones. He even owned some Crimean War medals. These were given to the soldiers who took part in the Charge.
Many historians believe his work is the most complete record. It tells the lives of the Light Brigade men and their families.
Edward James Boys lived in Wandsworth for many years. He lived with his wife, Nitza Asnay Boys, and their son, Philip. An online archive of his research is being created.
Edward James Boys passed away in London in 2002.
