Holdall : Corporal J Weston, 46th Regiment of Foot, British Army

White linen roll-up holdall. A strip of linen is sewn down the centre to form a series of eight loops. At the end is a pocket marked with 'H Comp 3328 D. Smith. 25 June 54.' and 'H Comp No. 3618 J Weston 46th'.

Holdalls such as this generally contained a soldiers cutlery and personal grooming items such as a brush, comb, toothbrush, soap and shaving equipment. This item is associated with the service of 3618 Corporal James Weston. A 19 year old labourer from the county of Warwick, Weston enlisted in the British Army on 23 April 1855. He served in the Crimean War with H Company, 2 Battalion, 46th Regiment of Foot from August 1855 until the evacuation of British forces in the spring of 1856. Weston went on to serve in the Ionian Islands, and then in India from 1860 to 1868 when his regiment returned to England. In early 1874 Weston was admitted to a military hospital suffering from diarrhea and a liver complaint. He died in c 1875. The history of 3328 D Smith who has also signed the holdall, is unknown.