First just a picture that took my fancy on the return to the Wind in Yalta,a new meaning to undercover parking-
Unfortunately just before dinner the previous night mrsdrron developed the symptoms of food poisoning.Definitely not from anything on the ship-lunch was our suspect.Fortunately our tour in Sevastopol had a slightly later start at 0930 so she was at least settling by then.
On the way to dock passed old forts-
The tour we had chosen was Balaclava and the Secret base.Being educated in the 50s in Australia we were taught all things british.The Charge of the Light Brigade struck a chord with most young boys.The second and third verses have lines not to be forgotten-
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone 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.
So in this next picture we are standing where the British Commander Lord Raglan was.The light Brigade was under the hill out of sight.Raglan wanted them to advance across the rise where houses are now as Russians were taking captured British artillery back to the Russian lines-
Instead they attacked up this valley where the main Russian artillery was-
They came under heavy fire just beyond the vineyard in the distance.The middle tree in this photo is said to be where the first casualties were incurred-