Item 0020
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| Accession number | 912L : 2090/14 |
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до gº Lancers on Parade Towerth 1913 . LTIDWORTH 1955 77 78 THE CHARGE OF THE 9TH LANCERS GLORIOUS ENGLISH CAVALRY CHARGE . ANOTHER BALACLAVA . GERMAN GUNS HIDDEN AS HAYSTACKS . HOW THE LANCERS SILENCED THEM . FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT , J. M. N. JEFFRIES . FROM A POINT BEHIND THE BRITISH TROOPS , Sunday Evening . I cannot mention the place from which I write , but I have come into contact with the English troops . Thousands of them have just passed me ; they have all come from the front , and there was a contingent of wounded among them . The faces of all are red with the sun , their tunics are open at the throats , they are covered thick with dust , and , for all the losses they have recently sustained , they take war lightly , looking around them with a good - natured laugh and waving a greeting to the townspeople , who look on them as saviours and friends . It is difficult to get any connected account of the operations from the soldiers , and if one could get it it would be injudicious to publish it ; but the campaign so far appears to have been a series of stubborn , dis ciplined , tactical retreats tempered by some offensive feats of extra ordinary gallantry . One of these , as it was recounted to me to - day , deserves to be put beside the most notable feats the British Army has ever performed . The 9th Lancers seem to have re peated under almost identical con ditions the famous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava , Since the beginning of the fight ing the German artillery has been the bane of our troops . During the action in question which took place close to the Belgian frontier terrible havoc had been caused in our ranks by great shells from a battery of eleven guns posted inside a wood . By the disposal of large quantities of forage the guns had been given the appearance of small haystacks or something of the kind , and their first fire caused terrible loss among our men , who approached them un suspectingly . These same guns continued their fire for several hours with continuous effect . STRAIGHT AT THE GUNS . It seemed impossible to silence their fire when the 9th Lancers made their heroic attempt . The regiment rode straight at the guns , debouching into the open and charging under a hail of melinite or lyddite from other German guns . I have not been able to get an ac curate estimate of the distance they rode , but they reached their goal . Nothing could stop them , men and horses were infuriated . They reached the guns - heavy guns , al most approximating to siege guns and cut down all the gunners and put the guns out of action . distance they 1914 . C Then , like their prototypes of Balaclava , they rode back , and on their return they fell in greater numbers still . All estimates of loss must be received with caution , as soldiers become detached and are lost and rejoin their regiments later . I have met several in quest of their regiments myself to - day . whole of the forces here are speak ing of this charge . The CAPT . GRENFELL'S DEED . Another gallant deed was that ( f Captain F. O. Grenfell , of the same 9th Lancers . He was hit in both legs , and had two fingers shot off at the same time . Almost as he received these wounds a couple of guns posted near were deprived of their servers , all of whom save one were struck by bursting shrapnel . The horses for the guns had been placed under cover . " We'll get the guns back , " cried Captain Grenfell , and , at the head of a number of his men and in spite of his wounds , he did manage to harness the guns up and get them away . He was then taken to hospital . man AN IMPERISHABLE STORY . 1X11 The veil of secrecy which envelops the deeds and fortunes of the little British Expeditionary Force is lifted for an in stant in the inspiring despatch from our Special Correspondent Mr. J. M. N. Jeffries which we publish to - day . He tells a simple story of heroism amid the sternest trials , of fierce rearguard actions against overwhelming masses of the enemy , of surpassing glory won by the British soldier in the face of heavy odds . The British troops and their officers have indeed immeasurably exceeded all that could have been expected of them by their conduct i the field . There is not a British heart but will be thrilled and up lifted by the imperishable episode of the charge of the 9th Lancers , who sacrificed themselves dauntlessly and rode to almost certain death that they might put the German heavy artillery out of action and save the infantry . Nor will the devotion of Captain Grenfell , who , sorely wounded himself , led his men to the res cue of the British guns , ever be forgotten by our race . Their country will follow with solemn pride this story of love and courage in the face of death . Our soldiers have added fresh examples of duty done to the great spiritual heritage of our country which is at once her glory and her source of strength . THE CHARGE OF THE NINTH LANCERS . Melinite , lyddite , darkened heaven , But straight at the guns the Lancers rode By the light of the rage that with them glowed Straight at the guns , the deadly Eleven , That had raked and shelled them seven times seven . With never a halt or a needless word , At the cannon in ambush our horsemen spurred , Knights of liberty , glory's sons And slew the gunners beside their guns , And captured the cannon , the roaring Eleven , That deafened the earth and darkened the heaven . Then their dauntless remnant came Out of the hurricane , out of the flame , Covered with smoke and dust and fame . Shout , you shires , with a chorus sent Ringing from Caithness right to Kent , From far Northumberland down past Devon , Shout for your heroes , Britain's sons Who quenched in silence the thundering guns That darkened like doom the golden heaven . The courage that lifted their hearts shall leaven All who in England's name go forth From east and west from south and north , Under the great Godspeed of Heaven . WILLIAM WATSON . ( In the " Times . " |
