Balaclava Collection

Battle Balaclava (Gibb)
The Thin Red Line of the 93rd Highlanders repel the Russian cavalry

1991 United States GP
STREETS OF PHOENIX, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - MARCH 10: Ayrton Senna puts on his balaclava and does up his fireproof suit in the McLaren garage as he prepares to head onto circuit during the United

Charge of Light Brigade
The charge of the Light Brigade Cardigan in action

11th Hussars at Balaclava, Charge of the Light Brigade, Crimean War. Date: 1854

CRIMEAN WAR: LIGHT BRIGADE. The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, 25 October 1854. Wood engraving from a 19th century edition of Lord Alfred Tennysons poem, Charge of the Light Brigade

1975 Monaco Grand Prix - Emerson Fittipaldi: Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren M23 Ford
1975 Monaco Grand Prix. Monte Carlo, Monaco. 9-11 May 1975. Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren M23 Ford. Ref: 75MON12. World Copyright - LAT Photographic

The Charge of the British Light Cavalry Brigade
CRIMEAN WAR. The Charge of the British Light Cavalry Brigade at Balaclava, Crimea, Oct. 25, 1854: English engraving, 1855

1994 San Marino GP
IMOLA, ITALY - MAY 01: Ayrton Senna during the San Marino GP at Imola on May 01, 1994 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

Heavy Brigade / Simpson
The charge of the Heavy Cavalry

7th Earl of Cardigan
James Thomas Brudenell 7th earl of CARDIGAN military, notably at the battle of Balaklava during the Crimea War

Crimean War. Sketch of Balaklava, 1856 Date: 1856

17th Lancers, Charge of the Light Brigade, Balaclava, Crimea
Into the Valley of Death - The 17th Lancers during the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava on 25th October 1854 during the Crimean War - by John Charlton. 1854

The Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaclava, 1854. Artist: Hayes
The Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaclava, 1854. From a private collection

2005 Spanish GP
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN - MAY 08: Fernando Alonsos helmet during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 08, 2005 in Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain

Captain Scott on Ski, c1910–1913, (1913). Artist: Herbert Ponting
Captain Scott on Ski, c1910– 1913, (1913). The final expedition of British Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) left London on 1 June 1910 bound for the South Pole

Robert Falcon Scott - at the Antarctic
Scott of the Antarctic. Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868 - 1912) - who lost his life in an ill-fated race to be the first person to reach the South Pole

A Group of the Shore Party at the Winter Quarters, c1908, (1909)
A Group of the Shore Party at the Winter Quarters. [Standing (from left): Joyce, Day, Wild, Adams, Brocklehurst, Shackleton, Marshall, David, Armitage, Marston

Captain L. E. G. Oates by the Stable Door, 30 August 1911, (1913). Artist: Herbert Ponting
Captain L. E. G. Oates by the Stable Door, 30 August 1911, (1913). Lawrence Titus Oates (1880-1912) suffering from gangrene and frostbite, walked from his tent into a blizzard

Crimean War

South Valley, Balaclava, site of 1854 battle, now vineyards, Crimea, Ukraine, Europe

Balaclava / Dupray
The Charge of the Light Brigade - into the Valley of Death !

The pocket-pistol - equipped for Balaclava. A soldier handing a pistol(?) to a mounted soldier as another soldier looks on. Date 1855

Sir Henry Maxse
Sir Henry Fitzhardinge Berkeley Maxse, who died in 1883 while in office as Governor of Newfoundland, having previously been Governor of Heligoland

Home made car
A young man got up in motoring kit including a balaclava and goggles, poses at the wheel of an evidently home made car with hand-scrawled number plate!

7th Earl of Cardigan
James Thomas Brudenell 7th earl of CARDIGAN military, notably at the battle of Balaklava during the Crimea War

1986 San Marino GP
IMOLA, ITALY - APRIL 27: Ayrton Senna during the San Marino GP at Imola on April 27, 1986 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

1987 Portuguese GP
CIRCUITO ESTORIL, PORTUGAL - SEPTEMBER 20: Ayrton Senna during the Portuguese GP at Circuito Estoril on September 20, 1987 in Circuito Estoril, Portugal. (Photo by Ercole Colombo / Studio Colombo)

F1, Formula 1, Formula One, Grand Prix, Gp, Uae, Portrait, Balaclava
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Friday 25 November 2016. Jenson Button, McLaren, puts on his helmet in the garage

2000 British Grand Prix. Silverstone, England. 21-23 April 2000. Jenson Button (Williams BMW) 5th position. World Copyright - LAT Photographic

1981 French GP
DIJON-PRENOIS, FRANCE - JULY 04: Siegfried Stohr during the French GP at Dijon-Prenois on July 04, 1981 in Dijon-Prenois, France. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

2010 British GP
SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 11: Bernie Ecclestone and Sebastian Vettel share a quick word on the grid before the start during the British GP at Silverstone on July 11, 2010 in Silverstone

2008 Monaco GP
MONTE CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: Nico Rosberg during the Monaco GP at Monte Carlo on May 25, 2008 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

2005 Japanese GP
SUZUKA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 09: Takuma Sato during the Japanese GP at Suzuka on October 09, 2005 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

Formula 1 2021: Bahrain March testing
BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, BAHRAIN - MARCH 11: Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR21 during the Bahrain March testing at Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday March 11, 2021 in Sakhir, Bahrain

Formula 1 2020: Sakhir GP
BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, BAHRAIN - DECEMBER 06: Valtteri Bottas during the Sakhir GP at Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday December 06, 2020 in Sakhir, Bahrain

1988 Detroit GP
DETROIT STREET CIRCUIT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - JUNE 19: Michele Alboreto during the Detroit GP at Detroit Street Circuit on June 19, 1988 in Detroit Street Circuit, United States of America

1979 Belgian GP
ZOLDER, BELGIUM - MAY 13: Jody Scheckter gets suited up to get into his Ferrari during the Belgian GP at Zolder on May 13, 1979 in Zolder, Belgium. (Photo by David Phipps / Sutton Images)

2019 Sanya E-prix
SANYA STREET CIRCUIT, CHINA - MARCH 23: Felipe Massa (BRA), Venturi Formula E during the Sanya E-prix at Sanya Street Circuit on March 23, 2019 in Sanya Street Circuit, China

1983 Brazilian GP
AUTODROMO INTERNACIONAL NELSON PIQUET, BRAZIL - MARCH 13: Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08C Ford, during a pitstop during the Brazilian GP at Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet on March 13

1992 Monaco GP
MONTE CARLO, MONACO - MAY 31: Ayrton Senna during the Monaco GP at Monte Carlo on May 31, 1992 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

1995 Spanish GP
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN - MAY 14: Jean Alesi gets ready on the grid during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 14, 1995 in Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain

Formula 1 2018: Japanese GP
SUZUKA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 07: Carlos Sainz on the grid during the Japanese GP at Suzuka on Sunday October 07, 2018 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Steven Tee / LAT Images)

2018 Santiago E-prix
PARQUE O'HIGGINS CIRCUIT, CHILE - JANUARY 26: Tom Dillmann (FRA), NIO Formula E Team in the garage during the Santiago E-prix at Parque O'Higgins Circuit on January 26

1991 Brazilian GP
AUToDROMO JOSe CARLOS PACE, BRAZIL - MARCH 24: Roberto Moreno during the Brazilian GP at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on March 24, 1991 in Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Brazil

2006 Spanish GP
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN - MAY 14: Fernando Alonso making final preparations before the start of the race during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 14

2003 Japanese GP
SUZUKA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 12: Kimi Raikkonen during the Japanese GP at Suzuka on October 12, 2003 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch)

Goodwood Revival 2021
GOODWOOD CIRCUIT, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 18: Jean-Eric Vergne during the Goodwood Revival at Goodwood Circuit on September 18, 2021 in Goodwood Circuit, United Kingdom

1983 Austrian GP
AUGUST 14: Nelson Piquet climbs into his Brabham BT52B BMW during the Austrian GP on Sunday August 14, 1983. (Photo by Studio Colombo)

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"Balaclava: A Historic Battle and a Versatile Headgear" The word "balaclava" evokes images of bravery, heroism, and the Crimean War, and is synonymous with the Battle of Balaclava, where the Charge of Light Brigade took place on October 25th, 1854. This infamous battle has been immortalized in Lord Alfred Tennyson's poem "Charge of the Light Brigade, " capturing both the courage and tragedy that unfolded. During this historic event, soldiers from the 11th Hussars at Balaclava charged into enemy lines with unwavering determination. The British Light Cavalry Brigade fearlessly faced overwhelming odds as they galloped towards their adversaries. Their iconic balaclavas protected their faces from harsh elements while symbolizing their unity and resilience. The Crimean War marked a turning point in military history, showcasing not only strategic blunders but also acts of valor by individuals like Captain Scott who ventured into uncharted territories on skis. The Heavy Brigade under Simpson's command played a crucial role in supporting their comrades during this conflict. Beyond its association with war, balaclavas have found utility beyond battlefields. In motorsports like Formula One racing, drivers such as Emerson Fittipaldi donned these head coverings for added protection against wind and debris during high-speed races like the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix or events like the San Marino GP in 1994. Today, balaclavas continue to serve various purposes—whether it be providing warmth during winter sports or concealing identities for those engaging in extreme activities. They remain an enduring symbol of resilience and adaptability throughout history—a reminder that even amidst adversity, humans find ways to protect themselves while pushing boundaries.