An edited version of this recording is Track 1 on Balaklava, an album by sixties US band Pearls Before Swine. Well worth a listen!

Please find below some additional information regarding this man:

Martin Landfried retired as bandmaster for the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers at Shoreham Fort, West Sussex, UK.

He left the army in 1865 and came to live in Brighton taking a job at Hannington's department store. He married his first wife, Josephine Barnes, in 1866 had 7 children, one of whom died as an infant. Josephine passed away in 1890 and he married Annie Knight. At the time of his death he was living in Portland Road Hove and his grave is Hove Cemetery.

The recording was made and distributed by the Light Brigade Relief Fund. The aim was to benefit the remaining veterans and inform the public about the bad times some of them had fallen on.

If you would like any more information about Shoreham Fort or Martin Landfried then please feel free to contact us:

secretary@shorehamfort.co.uk
www.shorehamfort.co.uk

Researched by Hilary Greenwood, Shoreham Fort historian

This ill-fated battle of the Crimean War wasn't the result of arrogance of commanding officers evidently, rather it was the result of mis-interpretation of vague orders and inexplicable oblivion of the British troops to the presence of Cossack forces all around them.

It was a tribute to the valour of the British cavalry to press on - knowing what was present all around them. My theory is, British were not annihilated in the Balaclava battle because the Russian forces were mainly serfs and could not care less what the outcome of the battle or the war was. The Cossacks fired on their own equally as easily as they fired on their enemies in skirmishes; the only good outcome for Russia was the elimination of serfdom by the Czar because the Czar saw full well the result of compulsory servitude in war.

Having served in the 17th/21st Lancers (now The Queens Royal Lancers)winning C.O.'s Trumpeter on three occasions and also the very last 17th/21st Lancers Trumpet Major before amalgamation I find this recording fascinating and it makes me even more proud to have been associated with one of Britains finest cavalry regiments - Death or Glory!

having visited martin landfrieds grave many times, to hear his voice and the charge played sent shivers down my spine. take the guns they were told, and they succeeded. heroes to the last man

Although I find significant value in the recording it is also very apparent it was not only a horrendous event caused by the arrogance or ignorance of a commanding officer but can be married to General Robert E. Lee's order to General George A. Pickett to send his men to certain death at Gettysburg. I find neither charge to be glorious but rather the murderous mistakes of two pompous men who should have been court- martialed and then executed. Alvin Pleasan

Trumpeter is actually called Martin Leonard Lanfried (not Lanfrey) and he was trumpeter with the 17th Lancers. He was wounded in the charge and his horse was killed.
See p665 of Spinks British Battles and Medals for details of chargers.
Emotive stuff!

The other reviewer apparently fails to recognize the significance of the charge of that ill-fated brigade during the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. This charge, though ill-fated and ill-advised, helped exemplify the British ideal of glory, honor, and power on the battlefield. Even though crazy, one might say that it was possibly one of the last great and famous British charges the world had seen.

Yes, it is important to rate the recording for it's overall value, but you have failed to place much note on the beginning of the recording, which speaks of the circumstances surronding the charge. It is important to be able to have a first hand account of the charge of the 13th and 14th light Dragoons, and failing to note that is a grave error. This recording is important for this historical value, and is not meant to be rated for it's entertainment value. That's why it was never commercially released!

While the historical signifigance of this record is somewhat important (The bugler of the Crimean War? Oh yes, very important!) the short tune gets bogged down by the introduction of the piece which, YES, is longer than the piece itself! The piece itself is not bad, but nothing to get worked up about.