page_title: 11th Hussars
section_title: The 19th century
hierarchical_section_title: 11th Hussars / History / The 19th century
caption_attribution_description: Charge of the Light Cavalry Brigade, 25th Oct. 1854, under Major General the Earl of Cardigan, by William Simpson Print shows Lord Cardigan leading the charge of the light brigade toward Russian artillery on the left, in the foreground, Russian artillery fire on the left flank of the charging light brigade, as artillery on the hills in the background fire on the right flank; Russian cavalry wait in readiness to engage the British or to counterattack. Українська: Атака бригади легкої кавалерії, 25 жовтня 1854 року під Балаклавою у Кримській війні, Вільям Сімпсон, 1 березня 1855 року. Key.
context_page_description: The 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army established in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second World War but then amalgamated with the 10th Royal Hussars to form the Royal Hussars in 1969.
context_section_description: With the exception of a short spell in Egypt in 1801, the regiment did not see active service again until it was sent to Portugal in April 1811, where it joined the Peninsular War campaign. In August, one of its squadrons was forced to take cover in an orchard at San Martín de Trevejo in Spain, an incident that may have been the derivation of its nickname, the Cherry Pickers. It fought at Badajoz in April 1812 and the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 before returning to Britain. During the campaign of 1815, it was part of Vandeleur's 4th Cavalry Brigade, fighting at Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
  In 1819, the regiment moved to India, where it remained until 1836. Shortly before returning to Britain, the Earl of Cardigan became Colonel; he embarked on a series of changes, which were intended to increase regimental prestige but resulted in a number of highly publicised disputes, including the so-called 'Black Bottle' affair.
  In 1840, it was named 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, who later became Colonel-in-chief. Prince Albert's interests included military tactics and equipment and he helped design a new uniform for the regiment named after him. Purely by coincidence, this included "cherry" or crimson coloured trousers, unique among British regiments and worn ever since in most orders, except battledress and fatigues.
  The regiment served in the Crimean War, as part of the Light Brigade commanded by Cardigan, now a Major General and fought at the Battle of Alma in September 1854. It was also involved in the Charge of the Light Brigade in October 1854; due to miscommunication, Cardigan led the brigade against unbroken and more numerous Russian forces and while able to withdraw to its starting position, it suffered heavy losses as a result.
  The 11th lost three officers and 55 men in the debacle, while Lieutenant Dunn was awarded the Victoria Cross for rescuing two members of his troop. Edward Woodham of the 11th Hussars later acted as Chairman of the organising committee for the 21st Anniversary dinner held at Alexandra Palace for survivors of the Charge. The regiment was renamed the 11th (or Prince Albert's Own) Hussars in 1861. A detachment took part in the 1884 Nile Expedition and during the Second Boer War, it participated in the February 1900 Relief of Ladysmith.
caption: Charge of the Light Brigade, October 1854; 11th Hussars, second line, left flank
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