Interesting Trivia: Balaclava

Believe it or not, one of my nicknames at my fraternity was Cliff (yes, as in my old college idol, Cliff Clavin). I was a bit of a trivia buff and I still have my letters shirt with the name sewn on to prove it!

Today's little known fact involves a common article of clothing during the winter months:

Lexical Investigations: Balaclava

During the Battle of Balaclava in 1854, British troops were underprepared for the cold Ukrainian winter, and unlike their French counterparts, who were allowed to wear as many layers as required to stay warm, the British were expected to adhere to their uniforms. The poor conditions caused a scandal in Britain and motivated civilians to donate money and knit warm clothing for the troops using government-issued patterns and regulation yarn, including a wool cap to be worn under their helmets. The British referred to these caps as Balaclava helmets, and later just called them balaclavas