The British Soldier At Balaclava

By Robert J (Bob) Moore © 2016 I am a British soldier, been a soldier all my life and back home in England, I left 2 kids and a wife now I’m outside Sebastapol, with Cardigans Brigade waiting to fight the Russians, Cavalry on Parade We are part of Raglans Army, and we’re ready for the fray, Light Dragoons and Lancers, and Hussars were there that day We rode our light fast horses, for mobility and speed Unarmoured, armed with lance and sword, skirmishing our deed we have our orders “charge the guns” believe it we cannot but ours is not to reason why, to do or die our lot we sit our horses and wait there, for the word for us to go hoping we won’t have to, a mistakes been made, we know. We started down the valley, toward the waiting foe riflemen to right and left, were shooting as we go three quarters of a mile we rode, sprayed with shot and shell 600 of the Light Brigade, went charging into hell A Russian battery to our left, another to our right 500 yards ahead of us, Russians, are starting to take flight Line one went through the battery, 2 Regiments in all the cost was great as all around, we saw men and horses fall The second line of Cavalry, now charging through the guns Cut and slash the gunners, as they turned to run then came the third line, to complete the duty so assigned to finish any gunners, or rifleman they could find The charge is done, its “threes about”, and retire back up the hill once more to brave the Valley of Death, Though the battle continued still through the Russian skirmisher, rifle fire and cannon shot the end for many brave soldier, who’d given all he’d got And so the brave 600, with two thirds left behind after a charge against 5000, returned, only to find the heavies had not followed them, momentum had been lost the charge, although magnificent, had not been worth the cost. <><><><><><><><><><>