October 25 - The Charge of the Light Brigade

This Day in History: 25 October 2020

 

25 October 1854

 

166 years ago, today, the Charge of the Light Brigade occurred. This was a failed military mission involving the British light cavalry, led by Lord Cardigan, against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. A miscommunication in the chain of command caused the Light Brigade to instead be sent on a frontal assault instead of their original task of removing captured guns from overrun Turkish positions. They reached a different artillery battery under withering direct fire and were forced to retreat immediately. The assault ended with very high British casualties and hardly any decisive gains. Nevertheless, Lord Cardigan was hailed as a national hero in Britain.

 

The events of the incident were the subject of Alfred Lord Tennyson's narrative poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade', that was published only six weeks afterwards. The verses of the poem emphasise the honour and valour of the cavalry when they bravely carried out their orders, despite the nearly inevitable outcome. Tennyson also wrote this while he was acting as Poet Laureate for Great Britain. This was not Tennyson's only patriotic poem, however, as he wrote several under various pseudonyms, such as 'Riflemen Form!'.

 

Want to find out more about the Charge of the Light Brigade? Click here for more information, or here to read Tennyson's poem.

October 21 - The Battle of Trafalgar

This Day in History: 21 October 2020

 

21 October 1805

 

215 years ago, today, the Battle of Trafalgar occurred between Admiral Lord Nelson's British fleet and a combined French and Spanish fleet. The battle began after Nelson caught sight of a Franco-Spanish force and divided his ships while preparing to engage. In the five hours of fighting, the British devasted the enemy fleet, destroying 19 ships. No British ships were lost, however, but 1,500 British seamen were killed or wounded. At the battle's fiercest point, a French sniper shot and killed Nelson. His last words, after being informed that victory was imminent, were: "Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty."

 

At sea, Lord Nelson and the Royal Navy were consistently victorious over Napoleon Bonaparte, who led France to greatness on the European mainland. Nelson's last and greatest victory against the French was the Battle of Trafalgar. The British victory at the battle ensured that Napoleon would never invade Britain. Nelson was hailed as the saviour of his nation after the battle was won and was given a grand funeral in St. Paul's Cathedral. In the newly named Trafalgar Square, a column was built in his memory, and many streets were renamed in his honour.

 

Want to find out more about the Battle of Trafalgar? Click here for more information, or here for more about Admiral Lord Nelson.

October 19 - The First Battle of Ypres Begins

This Day in History: 19 October 2020

 

19 October 1914

 

106 years ago, today, the First Battle of Ypres began, with Allied and German forces fighting to control the city and gain advantageous positions on the north coast of Belgium, during World War I. A protracted period of fierce combat was initiated, as the Germans opened their Flanders offensive and the Allies resisted, as they sought their own opportunities to attack. Until November 22, when the winter weather forced the battle to stop, the fighting continued, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The area between both positions became known as the Ypres Salient, where some of the war's bitterest and most brutal struggles would take place.

 

Prior to the battle, the German advance through Belgium and eastern France was weakened by Allied victory in the Battle of the Marne, beginning the 'Race to the Sea'. Each army attempted to outflank the other on their northward journey, building trench fortifications as they went. After the Germans captured Antwerp, the city's remaining Belgian forces withdrew to Ypres to reinforce the Belgian and French defences. The Germans, meanwhile, were preparing to launch the first phase of an offensive aimed to break the Allied lines and to capture Ypres and other channel ports. This manifested itself in the forms of the numerous Battles of Ypres.

 

Want to find out more about the First Battle of Ypres? Click here for more information, or here for more about the Second Battle of Ypres.

English Civil War Websites

As quite a few classes are currently researching the English Civil War, here are a few useful links that may be of help:
Easynet (Good for weapons and battles)
Wikipedia
History on the Net
BBC More from the BBC
Spartacus (Lots of stuff here)
National Archives The British Civil War (Super Detailed)

If you find anything else of interest, please leave a comment and a web address!