Heavy Brigade

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A heavy brigade is a formation made up from 'Heavy' Cavalry ie Dragoon Guards and Dragoons.

The Heavy Brigade was a British heavy cavalry unit commanded by Gen. James Scarlett at the Battle of Balaklava in the Crimean War. The Brigade made an illogical uphill charge to defeat a superior force of onrushing Russian cavalry, an amazing instance of the triumph of the individual skill of the Victorian British soldier, as well as of British discipline and unit cohesion.

At the Battle of Balaklava the brigade was composed of the 2nd Royal North British Dragoon Guards (Scots Greys), 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, the 5th Dragoon Guards and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons