The Reason Why?

[Stargazer]

I am just reading this book by Cecil Woodham-Smith. The younger generation have almost no knowledge about the events of that period and some have not even heard of the poem from which the title of the book is taken.

[Zacs-Master]

Really. How have you arrived at this conclusion?

[pixie374]

Neither have I. And I'm not the younger generation...
I might know other things you don't, though.

[New Judge]

What period?

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of Cecil Woodham-Smith - I'd never heard the name before now so I don't know what period he might be writing about.

[maggiebee]

I must admit I have never heard of this lady before. There is more than one poem called The Reason Why. Which one are your referring to?

[Zacs-Master]

What Lady?

[piggynose]

and your question is? drum roll!!

[douglas9401]

This one?

[maggiebee]

ZM the lady who wrote the book - Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith was a British historian and biographer. She wrote four popular history books, each dealing with a different aspect of the Victorian era.

[Zacs-Master]

Ooooh, beg pardon. Cecil is a bisexual name is it. I bet not a lot of young people know that.

[jno]

The Charge of the Light Brigade? It was a blunder but the death toll was only average for Victorian battles. The real blow was the loss of trained warhorses.

[jno]

“ theirs not to make reply,
theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die."

Tennyson

[bednobs]

stargazer, so what?

[DTCwordfan]

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Kiev
Drove the six hundred.
“Forward, the Tank Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Kiev
Drove the six hundred.

II
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Putin had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Kiev
Drove the six hundred.

III
Anti-tank weapons to right of them,
Anti-tank weapons to the right to left of them,
Anti-tank weapons in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with bazooka and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Kiev
Into the mouth of Ukrainian hell
Drove the six hundred.

IV
Flashed all their guns bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Bombing the civilians there,
Charging a proud nation, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they tried to break;
Cossack and Ukrainian
Reeled from the damning stroke
But stood there, resolute and defiant
Then they tried the retreat, but not
Not the six hundred.

V
Anti-tank weapons to right of them,
Anti-tank weapons to the right to left of them,
Anti-tank weapons in front of them,
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with bazooka and shell,
While tanks and generals fell.
They that had fought not so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
But to face Putin's mouth of hell,
All that was left of them, Kiev or home
Little of six hundred.

VI
When can their shame fade?
O the criminal charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Defend the charge Putin had made!
Defend the Tank Brigade,
Dishonoured six hundred