Re: Anton D Next
Posted by:
Jasper Fforde (---.man.dial.ntli.net)
Date: August 13, 2002 10:48AM
<HTML>Anton is named thus because it is vaguely similar (in sound at least) to Nolan, who was a Captain during the original charge of the Light Brigade (1854) and had the disaster blamed on him. While Lords Cardigan and Lucan dithered and argued on the field after receiving Raglan's ambiguous third message "Cavalry to advance and take advantage of any opportunity to recover the Heights. They will be supported by infantry, which have been ordered (to) (A)advance on two fronts."
Lucan, apparently, spoke to Nolan (who had brought the message) and said: "Attack sir? Attack what? What guns, Sir?" To which Nolan replied (allegedly) with an arm pointing up the valley from where the Russian guns were occluded from their sight: "There, my Lord, is your enemy, there are your guns!"
Of course, we only have Lucan's word for this as Nolan lost his head (literally) a few minutes later as the cavalry charged the guns.
Further reading: 'The Reason Why' by Cecil Woodham-Smith.
Jasper Fforde</HTML>