Cardigan’s Charger Led Brigade

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31760, 17 August 1968, Page 5

Cardigan’s Charger Led Brigade

(Specially written for “The Press” by MEREBIMUR)

One of the most famous and tragic episodes of British military history was the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854.

The commander of the Light Brigade was Lord Cardigan. Ronald, his charger, carried him into “the Valley of Death” and safely out again. Lord Cardigan died 14 years later, and Ronald died in 1872, eighteen years after leading the famous charge.

A film based on the charge of the Light Brigade is currently showing in Christchurch.

The making of this film was most interesting and it was costly. There was a High Court case over the copyright of the original script, which was replaced by that of a former Corporal of the 17th-21st Lancers. A Short Service officer of the 15th19th Hussars played the part of Captain Morris, who was a close friend of Captain Nolan of the 15th Hussars. It was Captain Nolan, aide-de-camp to Sir Richard Airey, who delivered the written message to Lord Lucan, who passed it verbally to the Commander of the Light Brigade, Lord Cardigan. A. W. Kinglake’s complete and scholarly history, “The Invasion of the Crimea,” gives an eye-witness version, and is used widely by modem writers. I can claim to have known all these regiments, at a later date, for I served with them in peace time and on active service. Rigid Hussar Kinglake writes: “As before, when advancing at the trot, so now, while flinging themselves impetuously deep into the jaws of the army, these two regiments of the first line still had in their front the same rigid hussar for their guide, still kept their eyes fastened on the crimson-red overalls, and the white near hind leg of the chestnut which showed them the straight, honest way—the way down the mouths of the guns.” The two regiments of which he wrote were the 13th Light Dragoons (later Hussars) and the 17th Lancers. The “rigid Hussar” was Lord Cardigan; and “the chestnut,” his charger, Ronald. Behind them in the second line came the 4th Light Dragoons (later Hussars), the 18th Hussars, and the 11th Hussars. The crimson overalls were those of Lord Cardigan's regiment, the 11th Hussars, whose uniform he wore.

Into and through the Russian guns and back again Ronald carried Lord Cardigan, and Kinglake has recorded how the Russian General Liprandi, when questioning the British prisoners after the charge, asked them to identify the officer whom he had seen galloping back

on a chestnut with white heels. The officer was, of course. Lord Cardigan, on Ronald who had “white stockings” on the near fore and hind legs.

Cardigan’s Funeral Fourteen years later, on April 6. 1868. Ronald followed the coffin of his master on the occasion of his funeral at Deene. Lord Cardigan having died nine days previously. Lady Cardigan recorded that Ronald was of Spanish blood, and that when led behind the coffiin of his master, he had to be given a good dose of laudanum to keep him quiet. Ronald died on June 20, 1872, 18 years after leading the most famous cavalry charge in history. His head was stuffed, and is now preserved in Deene Hall, together with his tail, and one of his hoofs mounted as an inkstand. Two other hoofs are known to be in existence, one in the regimental officers' mess of the 11th Hussars, and another in the guard room at Windsor Castle. There is probably a fourth in existence, but, if so, it has not been possible to locate its whereabouts.

My drawing of Ronald Is from a photograph of the charger taken at the time of Lord Cardigan’s funeral in April, 1868. He was led by a groom. It shows the white stockings on the near fore and near hind legs, and it may be imagined how they must have caught the eye of the Russian General Liprandi when the horse was galloping. The horse furniture shows the shabraque of blue cloth, edged with two rows of gold regimental lace on crimson cloth a quarter-inch apart, and showing another quarterinch of crimson on the outer edge.

Gold Embroidery The design of the fore part of the shabraque consists of a cypher VR and a crown in gold, and on the hind corners, a crown over the Sphinx with a scroll bearing the words “Prince Albert’s Own Hussars” enclosing the number 11 with an “H” below. All the embmroidery is in gold, except the silver Sphinx. The seat cover is of black Ukraine lambskin edged with crimson. The throat plume is crimson over white. The saddle, bridle, and all the leather work is brown, and as seen on this occasion is bound in white ribbon in such a way as to show the dark leather work. The rosettes on the shabraque, seat cover* and bridle are two colours, white and red, the heraldic colours of the earls of Cardigan, which are argent and gules (silver and red), or white and red. Fastened to the stirrup leathers are Lord Cardigan’s Wellington boots and spurs. Lord Cardigan first joined the Bth Hussars in 1824, but transferred to the 15th Hussars and was their colonel in 1832. He transferred to the

11th Hussars in 1836, and commanded this regiment until 1847, after which he became a brigadier. Captain L. E. Nolan was Irish. He trained as a boy at the Milan Military Academy. At the age of 17 he held a commission in a Hungarian Hussars regiment, and became an instructor in the Austrian Imperial Cavalry. He joined the 4th of Foot, the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) for a short time, and then transferred to the 15th Hussars. He was always something of a stormy petrel in the British Army, particularly over cavalry training manuals.