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  1. #1
    ziksby
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    Default Charge of the Light Brigade

    Tomorrow, 25th October 2004, marks the 150th anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade.

    "At ten minutes past eleven, our Light Cavalry Brigade advanced. As they rushed towards the front, the Russians opened on them from the guns in the redoubt on the right with volleys of musketry and rifles. They swept proudly past, glittering in the morning sun in all the pride and splendour of war .... A more fearful spectacle was never witnessed than by those who beheld their countrymen rushing to the arms of death. At the distance of 1200 yards the whole line of the enemy belched forth, from thirty iron mouths, a flood of smoke and flame, through which hissed the deadly balls. .... With courage too great almost for credence they were breaking their way through the columns which enveloped them, when there took place an act of atrocity without parallel in the modern warfare of civilised nations. The Russian gunners, when the storm of cavalry passed, returned to their guns,and poured murderous volleys of grape and canister on the mass of struggling men and horses. At thirty-five minutes past eleven not a British soldier, except the dead and dying, was left in front of these bloody Muscovite guns."

    Eyewitness account by William Russell, The Times correspondent

  2. #2
    Guy Etchells
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    Default

    I would not put too much stock in the accounts of the charge of the Light Brigade, apparently the casualty lists show a complely different account of the charge in that there were comparatively few dead and injured from that encounter.
    There has recently been issued a history based on the evidence and participents experiences and this reveals a different account.
    For example it was possible to see cannon shot coming towards you and manoeuvre out of its path due to the slow speed of such shot.
    Makes you think.
    Cheers
    Guy

  3. #3
    ziksby
    Guest

    Default Never believe ....

    You're right, of course Guy, .... "never believe anything you read in the newspapers" ... even if its The Times and its most respected Victorian correspondent, William Russell, whose readers hung on his every word. He covered many wars including The Crimean, The Indian Mutiny, American Civil War, the Franco-Prussian, the Zulu .. probably the greatest war correspondent of all time.
    Last edited by ziksby; 24-10-2004 at 1:43 PM.

  4. #4
    A fountain of knowledge
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Florida, USA
    Posts
    380

    Default The 600 (more or less)

    Speaking of the Charge, I have a book which lists the participants, by regiment. There is some biographical information for some names. Not easy doing lookups; but if someone has a name, preferably accompanied by rank and regiment, AND good reason to think that the man was in the Charge, I'll give it a try.

    Peggy

  5. #5
    revsandie
    Guest

    Default David McInnes - Possibly in the Charge?

    Hi Peggy

    If you are still willing to have a look, my 3 x Gt Grandfather David McInnes was in the right regiment at the right time to have been in the charge, and I'd be really interested to know if he gets a mention. He was in the 13th Light Dragoons and was either a private or a Corporal at the time - I'm not sure of the date of his promotion. The regiment has him listed as 1425 Pte David McInnes, and have confirmed that at a later date he was promoted again to Sergeant. They couldn't tell me if he was in the charge, but he was awarded the Crimean Medal with clasps for Inkermann, Balaklava, Alma and Sebastopol so he was certainly around.

    Otherwise, could you tell me the name of the book and I can try and get hold of it?

    Thanks

    Sandie



    Peggy wrote "if someone has a name, preferably accompanied by rank and regiment, AND good reason to think that the man was in the Charge, I'll give it a try. "

  6. #6
    A fountain of knowledge
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    Dec 2004
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    Florida, USA
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    380

    Thumbs up David McInnes

    Hi Sandie,

    Found him. His name is not listed in full caps, so he was not known to have ridden in the Charge. That doesn't mean that he didn't; no one made a list at the time. He was a Private on 25 Oct 1854.

    Enlisted: 17th January 1851
    Promoted: Corporal
    Sergeant: 1st October 1855
    Medal: Crimea (A.B.I.S.). New medal granted 13th August 1856.

    The clasps are for the Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol. Indicate the recipient's presence at the engagement.

    Peggy

  7. #7
    revsandie
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    Default

    Thanks so much Peggy!

    Sandie

  8. #8
    Denmark
    Guest

    Default Charge of the Light Brigade

    Hi Peggy, I have only just found this website and hope you are still willing to look up members of the "charge".

    My g.grandfather William Foulkes was in the Royal Dragoon Guards. His details are No. 1420 PT. W.Foulks (No e ) 5th Dragoon Guards. He received the Crimea Medal, and Turkish Crimea Medal. These medals are on display at the Dragoon Guards Museum in York, I believe.

    I would be interested to know if his name is listed in the Charge.

    Thanks. Maureen (Denmark)

  9. #9
    A fountain of knowledge
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Florida, USA
    Posts
    380

    Default

    Hi Maureen,

    Sorry for the delay. Due to power outages (thanks to Hurricane Dennis), and computer problems (thanks to Windoze.)

    The regiments listed in the book as participating in the Charge are:

    The Fourth Light Dragoons
    The Eighth Hussars
    The Eleventh Hussars
    The Thirteenth Light Dragoons
    The Seventeenth Lancers

    Seems to me they kept changing the names/numbers, so if one of those was a/k/a the Royal Dragoon Guards or 5th Dragoon Guards, just let me know.

    Peggy

  10. #10
    Denmark
    Guest

    Default Charge of the Light Brigade

    Hi Peggy,

    I am not sure which other name the regiment would have had. All the details in letters I have refer to the 5th Royal Dragoon Guards, or the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. I have a copy of a sketch showing the Charge of the Heavy Brigade and a Brigadier-General The Hon.James Yorke Scarlett commanding The Heavy Cavalry Brigade. On the sketch it shows the positions of:
    4th Dragoon Guards
    5th Dragoon Guards
    2nd Sqn. Inniskillings
    Scots Greys
    The Royals

    All the above seem to come under the banner of The Heavy Brigade and all took part in the charge.

    Most of this is double dutch to me and does not answer the question as to whether William Foulkes was actually there.

    Thanks anyway for your help Peggy.

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