One for Liverpool Annie (Continued in Part 2)

[liverpool annie]

This just to show there was sadness on both sides ......... 

A Russian Cossack sits by his dead horse

[seamike]

From http://www.militaryhorse.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=48846&sid=eba231c60a2058e95bae5cbcac835fc3

I just spent a short while thumbing through a couple of the Cavalry Journals I have. In issue no.4 of October 1906 there is a short article on the charge of the light brigade...issue no.4 being published on the anniversary of "Balaclava".
This was the first time I heard that at least 2 foreign cavalrymen had joined the charge, apart from the 3rd Chasseurs d'Afrique who joined in the charge supporting the left flank, and enabled survivors to return.
"..Lieutenant Mario Caccia writes from the Italian Cavalry School at Pinerola that it may interest our readers that two Italian Cavalry Officers took part in the charge - Major Govone and Liet. Landriani. The former in an account he sent home says : "We were on the right of the first line, but neither of us saw the finish, as Landriani fell 400 or 500 yards from the Batteries, and I had my horse killed under me 50 or 100 yards further on and was wounded in the shoulder. Landriani was made a prisoner; I retired on foot"...".
John.M.

John D Morgan

From the Russian book "Besieged Sevastopol" by M. Filippov:

Next to this ward there was another one, where French officers stayed, and among them there was Landriani, an Italian , adjutant of Canrobert. He was a handsome man, his leg wounded at Balaclava. In Sevastopol they wanted to cut his leg off, but Landriani saw Prince Menshikov and tearfully begged to intercede for him, as he had a bride and he could not live without a leg. Prince Menshikov ordered to use all efforts, and leg was saved. Now Landriani was recovering. French officers were introduced to the Russians and frequently they played cards together; Landriani started to learn some Russian. He greatly enjoyed words like "lozhecka" (small spoon), "bljudechko" (small cake-plate). He told that back at home he would call his bride such names.

Major Giuseppe Govone
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Govone

[liverpool annie]

Prince Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov

[liverpool annie]

I remember reading this book years ago and I went and hunted it down ... I still have it ..... 

" The Reason Why " by Cecil Woodham Smith was a brilliant study of the Charge of the Light Brigade
It became her most popular book, and afterwards she explained to a television audience how she wrote the Charge itself -  working at a gallop through thirty-six hours non-stop without food or other break until the last gun was fired -  when she poured a stiff drink and slept for two days ........ ( I think that's why I liked her !!  )

James Thomas Brudenell, seventh Earl of Cardigan 1797-1868 was the only son of Robert sixth earl of Cardigan and his wife Penelope Anne Cooke. He was born on 16 October 1797 at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire.

It was unfortunate that he was destined to grow up in a world that was almost entirely feminine. He already had an elder sister, and seven more girls followed his birth, of whom six survived. He remained the only son, the only boy among seven girls, unique, unchallenged, and the effect on his character was decisive. He was brought up at home among his sisters, and he grew up as such boys do, spoilt, domineering and headstrong. No arm was stronger than his. No rude voice contradicted him, no rough shoulder pushed him. From his earliest consciousness he was the most important, the most interesting, the most influential person in the world . . .

It was to be expected that his parents and sisters should be passionately attached to him, and natural affection and pride were immensely heightened by the circumstance of his extraordinary good looks. In him the Brudenell beauty had come to flower. He was tall, with wide shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, his hair was golden, his eyes flashing sapphire blue, his nose aristocratic, his bearing proud ... the boy had a dash and gallantry that were irresistible. He did not know what fear was. A superb and reckless horseman, he risked his neck on the most dangerous brutes. No tree was too tall for him to climb, no tower too high to scale. He excelled in swordsmanship and promised to be a first-class shot. He had in addition to courage another characteristic which impressed itself on all who met him. He was, alas, unusually stupid; in fact [he was] an ass. The melancholy truth was that his glorious golden head had nothing in it

http://victorianweb.org/history/crimea/cardigan.html

It still just amazes me that after this terrible debacle ........ this man went to his yacht ( without a scratch ) and drank champagne ...... !! 

[liverpool annie]

How poignant is this picture ??

All that was Left of Them by Richard Caton Woodville.

The Light Brigade had 195 mounted survivors, leaving 113 dead and 134 wounded with 231 unhorsed men .....  after the Charge of the Light Brigade -  the roll is shown being carried out.

[Tephra]

Quote Liverpool Annie

It still just amazes me that after this terrible debacle ........ this man went to his yacht ( without a scratch ) and drank champagne ...... !!   


The last line of the article sums it up precisely Annie:

"The melancholy truth was that his glorious golden head had nothing in it.........."

And that says everything.


Barbara


 
 
 
 

[liverpool annie]

I know Barbara ! .......  .... awful isn't it ??

But these two men didn't have to line up with the British - but they did .... it would be interesting to find out what happened to them after the war .... and where they were buried 

As soon as the advance started, the Russians withdrew from around No. 3 redoubt, but this was going to have little impact on the firepower the British cavalry were going to face. Cardigan quickly moved into a trot, probably well aware of the dangers they were about to face. The regiments kept pace. One of the three outsiders (the other two being Sardinian officers, Maggiore Govone and Luogotenente Landriani, despite the fact that Sardinia had yet to enter the war)

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_lightbrigade.html

http://www.rootschat.com/links/02un/

Mike gave us the url for Govonne but I can't read it !!  and the name on the picture is different .... is it the same man ??
Oh wait ! maggiore means older ..... is that his rank ?  .... maybe Major or something ?? .... I'm thinking out loud here .... I haven't the foggiest !!  ... and is Luogotenente - Lieutenant ? So this guy is really Giuseppe ?? .... just look at all those medals ??

Joseph Gaetano Maria Govone .... after long and serious illness, committed suicide at his home in Sunrise in January 1872.

[liverpool annie]

Now .... I "get it " ....... !!  woohoo !

http://www.rootschat.com/links/02uo/

But now could somebody please find his obituary in the Times February 1st 1872  ?? 

Annie 

[tonyrodaway]

hi annie, i was only kidding when i said Ned's horse was called getuphugh   the photo is the valley of death looks grim in black and white.  tony