Picture of a 17th Lancer in 1829 wearing a 1796 LCS

[terry1956]

As most of us know.the forming of lancer regiments in the british army was a direct result of meetings with french and polish lancers during the napoleonic wars.not only did we copy the uniforms but also the lance itself.that famous RHA officer Mercer when walking around the battlefield of waterloo after the battle, came across a wounded lancer of the red lancers of the old guard.mercer took the lancers lance as a souvenir of the battle and took it back to the UK.it was this lance that was used for the pattern for lancers for the british cavalry. As a note, there was a 1821 pattern sabre with an engraved blade stating that it was ueed during the LB action.michael

[Queequeg]

The gentleman in the first picture bears some resemblance to one Sir Harry Paget Flashman VC KCB KCIE.

[Jim McDougall]

For anyone interested in regulation military swords, in particular those of the British cavalry, one of the most fascinating and accurate books to date on these and historic events and persons using them has just been published by Richard Dellar:
"The British Cavalry Sword 1788-1912,

This volume, rather than being the usual rather dry typology and classification compendiums reads more like a fascinating historical story using actual weapons with key provenance to illustrate them.

On p.252, the instances I referred to concerning the M1796 light cavalry swords with presentation plaques on the scabbards are detailed thoroughly and there were several as noted. The first one surfaced in 1976 at a Wallis & Wallis auction (referred to as the 'Tucker' sword for the 17th Lancers private who was indeed in the Charge). Later another of the 17th Lancers and one to the 4th Hussars appeared . It is believed that these were possibly presented by the Balaclava Commemoration Society which first convened October 25,1875. It is noted that while the troopers were not armed with the 1796 sabres at the Charge, access to old stores of these were likely available at associated armouries and would have served well as such presentation swords. The engraved escutcheons on the scabbards only reference Balaklava and Oct 25 1854. On the Tucker sword the owners name is inscribed on it. It is puzzling on the 4th Hussar sword that it is marked 4H, and the hussar title was not in use until 1861, clearly indicating these marking were applied later than the charge.

Since Woodville did not begin to exhibit his artwork until 1879, with the Light Brigade and 17th Lancers works apparently sometime later, probably early 1880s, it is tempting to presume that perhaps these presentation swords might have influenced his illustrations as these commemorative events were in place.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All; Just reading the poem conjours up some of the feelings and atmosphere of that great charge.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,
  Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death,
  Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldiers knew
  Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
  Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
  Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
  Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
  All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
  Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
  Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
  All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
  Noble six hundred!

[sirupate]

Thank you everyone for your input, especially Jim McDougall, the book by Richard Dellar: "The British Cavalry Sword 1788-1912, sounds very interesting, and worth a shout.