THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19903, 24 September 1926, Page 12

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

“WHILE ALL THE WORLD WONDERED.” One may wonder why “all the world wondered” at that particular Balaclava incident and went almost untouched by the equally gallant charge of the heavy cavalry brigade in the same battle. It cannot bo that Tennyson immortalised the Lancers and Hussars of the Light Brigade, for ho was impartial in his praise of both brigades of cavalry. Yet, while every schoolboy will recito in praise of the Light Horse: “Into the jaws of Death. Into the mouth of Hell Rode the Six Hundred,” how many boys, or, for tho matter of that, how many men, would even recognise as a description of tho charge of the gallant Three Hundred of Scarlett’s Brigade tho following lines:— “Thro’ the forest of lances and swords In tho heart of the Russian hordes, They rode, or they stood at bay.” Tennyson wrote of both Light and Heavy Brigades in words that stir tl\e blood, but it is the Light Brigade which still holds place in public memory; their comrades of the Scots Greys am! Inniskillings are almost forgotten.. That, perhaps, is why. says (lie London Sunday Times the Charge of the Light Brigade was reproduced in the historic pageant at Aidershot Military Tattoo this year. Although the uniforms that helped the realism of tho living picture of the charge were but copies of the handsome old Hussar and Lancer kilts .there was one real and original relic of the famous charge produced at the Tattoo. By the kindness of the president and committee of the Royal United Services Institution, the very trumpet was used nt Aldershot which at Balaclava sounded—- “ Forward the Light Brigade; charge for tho guns.” Lord Cardigan’s brigade trumpeter, Trumpeter-Major Britain of the 17th Lancers, sounded the “Charge” at Balaclava on that trumpet, which since has rested for many years in the United Services Museum Tho trumpet he sounded then was n-ed bv a trumpeter of the same