David McInnes was born in Glasgow in 1833.

On 20 January 1851, at the age of 18,  he joined the 13th Light Dragoons and obviously prospered in that by the time of the war in the Crimea he was a Sergeant 1245 McInnes.

In 1854 Sgt McInnes was one of the 600 members of the Light Brigade who made the famous charge at Balaclava and was fortunate to be amongst the 26 who survived.

During the charge he survived five sword attacks and had two horses shot from under him before remounting on a horse from a fallen comrade.He eventually emerged through the enemy lines unscathed.

On 24 July 1858 Sergeant McInnes retired and was appointed as Drill Instructor with the West Essex Yeoman Cavalry with the rank of Sergeant Major where he became a much respected figure.

Sadly in April 1865 Sergeant McInnes died, at his father in laws house at Warley,  from Consumption aged 32, leaving a wife and one child and was buried at South Weald Parish Church in a ceremony attended by members of C troop of the West Essex Yeoman Cavalry, surviving colleagues from the famous charge and many other military figures.