LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

Build 13 — 12 October 2026 · Last modified 12 October 2026

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

LINKS

Contents: New on the site · The men · The regiments · Research · Notes to follow up... · The Light Brigade · The Crimean War · To the Crimea · Principle actions and battles in the Crimea · After the Crimea · Medals · Accounts, memoirs etc of the Charge · Accounts, memoirs etc of Russian captivity · Commemorations, lists of survivors etc · Individuals (non-military) · Queen Victoria · Memorials · Memorials: School · Cemeteries · Health, disease, hospitals etc · Schools & the Crimea · Artists & images · Photographers & group photographs · Authors, poems, novels etc · Online sources (facsimiles etc). · Other · Indexes [temporary] · In the Crimea · Images of the Charge · The Charge as metaphor · Blog Notes

New on the site

— Further Information: the working list — restored, with every Further Information folder and page listed at the end (12 October 2026)

— Aliases: Light Brigade men who used other names — 37 men, from the men’s pages (9 October 2026)

— Letter from Private John Bevin, 8th Hussars, a prisoner at Simpheropol, 26 November 1854 — Prisoners of the Russians (9 October 2026)

— Letter from Cornet John Chadwick, 17th Lancers, a prisoner at Karkoff, 2 April 1855 — Prisoners of the Russians (9 October 2026)

— The Memoir of William Henry Cory (Walter Canning), 11th Hussars: transcription — by Michael and Tripp Cory; with the commentary page (9 October 2026)

— Prisoners of the Russians: the Light Brigade in Russian captivity, 1854-1855 — new research hub: accounts, letters, records and all 66 names (9 October 2026)

— Search the site — new search page: searches the text of every public page, no Google (9 October 2026)

— Who Charged? Towards an improved roll of the Light Brigade — research note, Philip Boys and Roy Mills (9 October 2026)

— The Balaklava Clasp: what it proves and what it does not — research note, incl. John Breese (Breeze), 1102, 11th Hussars (9 October 2026)

— Tough, 1415, 13th Light Dragoons — 13LD pilot: page modernised (28 September 2026)

— Eccles, 1468, 13th Light Dragoons — 13LD pilot: page modernised (28 September 2026)

— McNally, 1272, 13th Light Dragoons — 13LD pilot: page modernised (28 September 2026)

— Linkon (Lincoln), 762, 13th Light Dragoons — 13LD pilot: page modernised (28 September 2026)

— Olympia 1890: Balaclava survivors group photograph — rebuilt, with pan-and-zoom (24 September 2026)

— Charge survivors group photograph, 1887 — rebuilt (24 September 2026)

— 1904 Jubilee souvenir postcard: Balaclava survivors — incl. Soley (15 September 2026)

— Charles Booth, Battersea and Nine Elms, c1890 — notebook transcribed; Benjamin Soley's home c1870 (15 September 2026)

— Notes on "Any Old Iron" — Benjamin Soley's (alleged) nickname (15 September 2026)

— Soley, 1120, Private Benjamin, 17th Lancers — new info, page tidied, re possible memorial service in Ealing (September 2026)

— Levick, 1253, Private John, 8th Hussars — images converted to click-to-enlarge (September 2026)

The men

— All men A–Z: hidden listing (everyone)

— All men A–Z: public listing

— By letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N P Q R S T U V W Y Z

The regiments

— Five regiments of the Light Brigade

— 4th Light Dragoons

— 8th Hussars

— 11th Hussars

— 13th Light Dragoons

— 17th Lancers

Research

— Who Charged? Towards an improved roll of the Light Brigade

— The Balaklava Clasp: what it proves and what it does not

— Prisoners of the Russians: the Light Brigade in Russian captivity (hub page for all the captivity material)

— Light Brigade prisoners of the Russians (list of 66, from the Nominal Roll of 4 May 1855)

Notes to follow up...

— Notes...

— E.J. Boys Collection of Crimea medals.

The Light Brigade

— Introduction

— 4th Light Dragoons — overview

— 8th Hussars — overview

— 11th Hussars — overview

— 11th Light Dragoons & other passengers aboard the Indiaman Atlas departing for Calcutta from Gravesend, 7th of February 1819.

— 4th Light Dragoons aboard the Duke of Sussex bound for Bombay, 1831.

— 13th Light Dragoons — overview

— 17th Lancers — overview

— Cavalry Barracks in the British Isles

— Introduction

— 4th Light Dragoons — overview

— 8th Hussars — overview

— 11th Hussars — overview

— 13th Light Dragoons — overview

— 17th Lancers — overview

The Crimean War

— Encyclopedia Britannica (1911): The Crimean War.

— Encyclopedia Britannica (1911): Balaclava.

To the Crimea

— Chobham Camp [to be added]

— Troopships to and from Crimea

— The journey out etc [to be added]

— Animation from COLB, 1968 - ADD

— Bulgaria [to be added]

Principle actions and battles in the Crimea

— Journey to/landing in the Crimea [to be added]

— Affair of the Bulganak (19th September 1854)

— Alma (20th September 1854) [to be added]

— Balaklava (25th October, 1854)

— Inkerman (Inkermann) (5th November, 1854).

— Siege of Sebastopol (Sevastopol) (25th September, 1854 to 8th September, 1855)

— Battle of Eupatoria, February 1855 [also known as "the Expedition to E."]

— Siege of Kars, June to 28th November, 1855.

— Battle of the Tchernaya (aka "Chernaya", "Traktir Bridge") (25th August, 1855).

— Expedition to Kertch, 1855

— Killed in action at Balaklava, 25th October 1854

— Prisoners of War, Balaklava.

— Women in the Crimea ("with the regiment") and others

— Horses (and other animals) in the Crimea.

— Aliases: Light Brigade men who used other names

After the Crimea

— Return to Britain [to be added]

— Public reception in Britain [to be added] [Add Victoria refs from below?]

— Cardigan v Calthorpe libel law-suit

— Overland to India, 1857

— The Nile - transportation to Australia, 1857-8 - William Thistle and Charles Wilson, 11th Hussars.

Medals

— Medal info [needs work]

— Crimea Medal and clasps (Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol) [to follow]

— NorthEast medals: 4th Light Dragoons, Eupatoria only

— Turkish Crimea Medal [to follow]

— Order of the Medjidie [to follow]

— Distinguished Conduct Medal

— Legion d'Honneur

— Médaille Militaire (French Military War Medal)

— Victoria Cross

— Michael Hargreave Mawson: Honours and awards of the Crimean war period, detailed and with excellent links.

— Wikipedia: List of Crimean War Victoria Cross recipients

— Distinguished Conduct Medal

— Legion d'Honneur

— Medaille Militaire (French Military War Medal)

— Victoria Cross

— Placenames commemorating Balaclava etc

Individuals (non-military)

— Alicia Blackwood

— Alicia Blackwood and Florence Nightingale

— Fanny Duberly

— Nightingale at Scutari, Barrett, 1857

— "The Mission of Mercy: Florence Nightingale receiving the Wounded at Scutari, 1857", by Jerry Barrett, exhibited 1857.

— T.H. Roberts and the Roberts Fund (by Chris Poole).

— Royal Patriotic Fund.

— Central Association in Aid of Wives and Families etc.

Queen Victoria

— Queen Victoria's first visit to her wounded soldiers, Brompton Barracks, Chatham, 3rd March 1855

— Queen Victoria Presents Crimea Medals, 1855

Memorials

— Cathcart's Hill (Crimea) [to be added]

— Crimea Memorial, Cheltenham.

— "Remembering the Charge of the Light Brigade: Its Commemoration, War Memorials and Memory", Gavin Hughes and Jonathan Trigg (2008).

Memorials: School

— Eton College [to be added]

— Harrow School (memorials [and chapel?] commemorate old boys who died in the Crimea)

— Rugby School: The Centurion Window, commemorating old boys who died in the Crimea. [to be added]

— Westminster School (memorial commemorates old boys who died in the Crimea). [to be added]

— Winchester School [? to be added]

— Eton College [to be added]

Cemeteries

—

List of Cemeteries and other burial places

—

List of Cemeteries and other burial places, with names of Chargers buried there.

Health, disease, hospitals etc

— Cholera

— Snow on Cholera

— "Fever"

— etc etc

Schools & the Crimea

— Eton College [ADD? CHECK]

— Harrow School

— Royal Hibernian School, Dublin

— Royal Military Asylum (Duke of York's School), Chelsea

— Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum for Boys, Wandsworth

— Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum for Girls, Wandsworth

— Rugby School (including Centurion Window).

— Soldiers' Daughters' Home, Hampstead

— Westminster School

— Winchester School [ADD? CHECK]

Artists & images

— Henry Alken [Halkett / Chobham camp?]

— Thomas Jones Barker (1815-1882)

— Jerry Barrett [Queen Victoria, Brompton Barracks, 1855, and Florence Nightingale, Mission of Mercy, Scutari]

— John Charlton (1849 — 1917)

— Robert Collinson (dates) [Farewell to the Light Brigade, 1870]

— Robert Crozier (1815-1891)

— ADD Alfred Frank De Prades?

— [Chevallier?] Louis William Desange (1822-1887)

— Lowes Cato Dickinson (1819-1908)

— Artist? Tucks Postcard: "The King [Edward VII] and Queen acknowledging the salute of the Balaclava Heroes in Fleet Street, October 25th, 1902. From "The Daily Graphic."

— A S Hartrick (dates), Celebratory Scene, Chargers line the route at the Coronation of George V, 1911.

— NEEDS WORK: Michael Angelo Hayes

— NEEDS WORK: George Henry Laporte

— John Everett Millais (1829-1896), Peace Concluded, 1856

— Edward Morin (dates), "The Cavalry Charge at Balaklava, Oct. 25th 1854", published 28 November 1854.

— William Simpson (1823-1899)

— George Housman Thomas (1824-1868)

— Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler (1846-1933)

— J. Kitodily Williams [Portrait of William Sewell, 13th Light Dragoons]

— Richard Caton Woodville (1856 — 1927)

— Elizabeth Thompson: The Crimea Paintings ("Balaclava", "Return from Inkerman", "The Roll Call" etc)

— Jerry Barrett [Queen Victoria, Brompton Barracks, 1855, and Florence Nightingale, Mission of Mercy, Scutari]

— Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler (1846-1933)

— William Simpson - Bulganak [picture link]

Photographers & group photographs

— Roger Fenton: ? photographs online at [?], Melbourne

— Roger Fenton: Many photographs online at LOC, Washington

— Roger Fenton: 8th Hussars group photograph — Cooking House.

— Roger Fenton: 13th Light Dragoons — 2 photographs — "Taken in front of their camp on the morning after the Charge of Balaclava. 16th October 1854."

— Roger Fenton: 13th Hussars group photographs (two) [shown as part of Soame Gambier Jenyns's page — make into its own page].

— Photograph of Balaclava survivors, 1887

— Photograph of Balaclava survivors, Olympia, 1890

— TRANSFER BLOG ENTRY ABOUT THE TWO BRIGHTON PHOTOGRAPHS

— Roger Fenton: Colonel Brownrigg and the two Russian boys, Alma and Inkermann

Authors, poems, novels etc

— The Charge in adverts [to be added]

— The Charge in decorative objects (ceramics, etc) [to be added]

— The Charge in postcards (ceramics, etc) [to be added]

— The Charge in cigarette cards [to be added]

— The Charge in comics [to be added]

— The Charge in film [IN PROGRESS]

— The Charge in music

— The Charge in fiction

— [URL?] The Charge in the theatre

— National Theatre of Brent, 1980, Oval House [see poster image "COLB at Oval House"]

— Kingsley Amis, Captain Nolan's Chance (1994?), play for BBC Radio. [PB: I have downloaded this.]

— [URL?] The Charge in Exhibitions, Panoramas, etc [BETTER PHRASE?]

— The Charge in poetry and song

— Poems

— Anonymous and unknown authors

— Parodies and pastiches

— Literary allusions

— Links to recent Charge-related poems not transcribed

— Index of Patrick Waddington, Theirs but to do or die: The poetry of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, 25th October 1854, Astra Press, 1999.

— The Charge on TV [to follow]

— The Charge in comics [to be added]

— [URL?] The Charge in film [to be added]

— The Charge in C20 and C21 popular music [to follow]

Online sources (facsimiles etc).

— Online sources (facsimiles etc.)

Other

—

The Great Train (or Gold) Robbery, 1855

—

Transportation of Court-martialled Crimea veterans on the NILE to Western Australia, 1857 - 1858

—

The Court Marshall of Colonel Crawley, 186? (involves e.g. Malone, Wooden, 1495 R Davies 11H, Soame Gambier Jenyns, and others.

— Clapham Rise & Frith's painting Derby Day

— Farrier-Major

—

Charles Darwin & the Crimean War

—

Devon and the Charge

Indexes [temporary]

— 2. Index of collective memorials (civic, school etc)

— 3. Index of churches etc

— 4. Index of cemeteries etc

— 5. Index of "Not Chargers" [better phrase?]

— Further Information: the working list, with all its folders