Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Today the bay's turquoise waters surrounded by arid, scrub-covered hills shelter an ar-
mada of yachts, while pretty much the entire Ukrainian navy is tucked in the bay's far
corner.
History
The 2500-year-old settlement became a Genovese trading post in the medieval period. In
1475 it fell to the conquering Turks, who gave Balaklava its current name, which means
Fish's Nest. After the Russian takeover of Crimea, the area was settled by Greek refugees
escaping Ottoman rule.
During the war Florence Nightingale ran a field hospital on one of the plateaus above
the village, and the infamous charge of the ill-fated Light Brigade took place in a valley
north of the city.
Stalin deported Balaklava Greeks to Central Asia in 1944. Few of them returned to
their hometown, which was turned into a top-secret Soviet submarine base.
INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH
Unquestioning loyalty, bravery and inexplicable blunders leading to tragedy - these
ingredients turned an engagement lasting just minutes into one of the most
renowned battles in military history. The action in question is the ill-fated charge of
the Light Brigade, which occurred during a Russian attempt to cut British supply
lines from Balaklava to Sevastopol during the Crimean War.
The battle began northeast of Balaklava early on 25 October 1854. Russian
forces based on the east-west Fedioukine Hills wrested control of Allied (Turkish-
held) gun positions lining the parallel southern ridge of Causeway Heights. Then
they moved towards Balaklava itself.
Initially the Russians were blocked by the 'thin red line' of the British 93rd High-
landers, and repulsed by Lord Lucan's Heavy Cavalry Brigade. But four hours later,
they appeared to be regrouping at the eastern end of the valley between the Fedi-
oukine Hills and Causeway Heights. British army commander Lord Raglan sent an
order for the cavalry 'to try and prevent the enemy carrying away the guns'.
The order was vague - which guns exactly? - and misinterpreted. The Earl of
Cardigan headed off down the wrong valley, leading his Light Cavalry Brigade into a
cul-de-sac controlled on three sides by the enemy. The numbers are disputed, but
nearly 200 of 673 were killed.
'C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre'exclaimed a watching French gen-
eral. ('It's magnificent, but it's not war.') Later, romantic poet Lord Alfred Tennyson
would lionise the 'noble six hundred' who rode into 'the valley of death'. His poem
