(Rare!) Trumpeter Lanfried - The Bugle of Charge of the Light Brigade (Re-enacted in 1890)

[encrypter46]

This recording raises all my hairs. I've heard it many times on the LP "Hark! The Years" narrated by Fredric March. It's the very first and oldest recording and is followed by Florence Nightingale speaking, Thomas Edison and on and on. Great production.

[TheDiomalco]

In the past 3 weeks I have discovered my grandfather x 3 was Francis Henry Moran who, at the age of 20, was the trumpeter signalling the Charge to begin. He joined the army aged13 and was severely wounded in the battle but recovered well from the wounds. He went on to become the Regimental Bandmaster for 16 years but died quite young at the age of 45 in 1878. It has been quite extraordinary to hear the Charge he must have played on that terrible day.

[swinderby]

@TheDiomalco Sorry old chap, but your ancestor did not sound the Charge. William Brittain sounded the Charge. See comments above.

[swinderby]

@swinderby See comments below!

[swinderby]

@swinderby See comments below!

[swinderby]

@swinderby See comments below!

[bassaw1]

Wow Just too much to contemplate wonderful thank you

[17pazza]

wow

[Isaac4498]

I was the last 17th/21st Lancers Trumpet Major and played the 17/21L Regimental Call followed by "The Charge" on the actual Balaklava Bugle, at the final Officers Mess Dinner Night before amalgamation with 16/5L to form the Queens Royal Lancers in 1993.

[corneliusvanDB]

@Isaac4498 that's amazing!!! you sir, have kissed history.

[swinderby]

@Isaac4498 This fellow Langfriedd was exposed as a fraud. he was in the Heavy Brigade and did NOT sound the Charge of the Light Brigade......My great, great uncle did. His name was William (Billy) Brittain and he came from Dublin. 60% of the British Army at that time were Irish. Billy was the best trumpeter in the 17th Lancers and was appointed orderly trumpeter on the fateful day. He rode alongside Lord Cardigan right up to the Russian guns. he was badly injured and died 3 months later....more.

[swinderby]

@swinderby Billy actually died of bedsores because of poor nursing at Florence Nightingales hospital at Scutari. His bugle was brought home to Dublin by his brother and was in our family for years. It is now in the Regimental Museum near Grantham, Lincolnshire. I have actually held the bugle and blown on it. Billy was 24 when he died. I suggest you read the book "Hell Riders" by a chap called Brighton who used to be the curator of the regimental museum. The best account yet of the famous Charge

[swinderby]

@swinderby Terry Brighton wrote "Hell Riders"

[swinderby]

@swinderby Terry Brighton wrote "Hell Riders"

[LoveAddictREmix]

*Next Door Neighbor (just woke up*

"SHUT UP, YOU MORON!"

[liten48]

ian amazing recording! ive seen the bugle as well, i think i held it

[donno54]

ive seen the bugle at Belvoir Castle near Grantham Lincolnshire ,,awesome to see it Dented from a Russian lance too

[swinderby]

@donno54 Yes, that is where my ancestors bugle was kept. Belvoir Castle museum is closed down now and so the bugle is kept in the nearby barracks. Terry Brighton was the curator of the museum and has written a wonderful book about the Charge told from the ordinary soldiers point of view. The book is called "Hell Riders" It's the best account of the Charge of the Light Brigade ever written.

[donno54]

@swinderby ive got that book its very good

[swinderby]

This was not the man who sounded the Charge of the Light Brigade.

He was indeed on of a few trumpeters who rode in the Charge but the actual charge was sounded by my ancestor, William Brittain of the 17th Lancers. Billy Brittain was orderly bugler to Lord Cardigan that day and rode with him at the head of the Charge.

Billy was severely wounded and died three months late at Scutari.

His bugle was in the Brittain family for generations and is now in the Regimental museum near Grantham

[Tlax13]

thats goddamn amazing

[oldnedofthehill]

He was trumpeter in the 17th Lancers who rode in the charge. His father was bandmaster of 60th Rifles, which was an infantry regiment and not in the charge.

[swinderby]

@oldnedofthehill The father of the trumpeter was Alfred Brittain who served 35 years in the British Army as a farrier. His son Billy was the bugler who sounded the Charge. He was a young Irishman from Dublin aged 24.

[MrJST87]

Epic.

From a time when war was fought with cannons, muskets and cavalry with swords and spears.

This guy is a legend.

[swinderby]

@MrJST87 I'm afraid this guy is not a legend but was exposed as a fraud by his fellow soldiers. He made a lot of money giving talks around the country pretending to be the bugler. he wasn't actually in the Charge. He rode with the Heavy Brigade who were kept in reserve.