HALF a league, half a league onward, into the valley of death rode the six hundred. Well, 664 if we're going to be precise - of which 362 became casualties or were taken prisoner in one of the worst military blunders in history.

History on television these days seems to consist of experts revealing previously-unknown evidence that sheds fresh light on famous incidents. This documentary was no exception in re-writing history as it investigated what caused the British light cavalry to charge heavy Russian guns head on, a suicide run if ever there was one.

Computer graphics, reconstructions and fresh interpretation were employed to show the event in a new light. The conclusion was that the combined vanity, incompetence and sheer stupidy of four men - dubbed here, the four horsemen of the catastrophe - were responsible for what happened.

Between them, Lords Raglan, Lucan and Cardigan, through a combination of courage and military stupidity, managed to send hundreds of men to their deaths during the Crimean War, on October 25, 1854. As well as these bickering aristocrats, there was Captain Nolan, who chose not to pass on the confusing and conflicting orders given by his superiors.

Ironically, Nolan, the man who caused the charge, was the first one to be killed. He was the only man who knew they were attacking the wrong target.

Ironically, despite the heavy casualties, the objective of the attack was achieved - more through bad judgement than good planning. Computer graphics were well used to show the effect of cannon balls against the British, and also exploding cannisters that showered the enemy in shrapnel.

It was not a pretty sight. It was also a neat, if unacknowledged, idea to have actor David Hemmings as narrator - he played Nolan in the film The Charge Of The Light Brigade.