1854 - 1856 The Crimean War

Prints on this page reproduced by kind permission of Alix Baker FRSA PCAFAS

1854 - Alma, Inkerman
1855 - Sebastapol

"Of the 33rd Regiment or, as it is its delight and honour to be called The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, it can be fairly said that no regiment has more largely shared in the losses, sufferings and the hard work of the expedition from the first to the last." - The Times 26th June 1856

On 18th June 1853, the 38th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, it was announced that in future the 33rd would bear the name 33rd (or The Duke of Wellington's) Regiment. The following year war broke out between Russia and Turkey. The Russians quickly won a naval victory in the Black Sea, opening the route to the Mediterranean. This threat was sufficient to bring the British and French into the war as Turkey's allies. The plan was to capture the port of Sebastapol in the Crimea, denying its use to the Russians.

So the Allies landed about thirty miles north of Sebastapol and on 20th September 1854 came up with the Russians posted in the hills overlooking the river Alma. With a minimum regard to tactics a frontal assault was made against the heavily defended Russian positions. However, such was the courage and confidence of the troops that they drove the Russians off the heights and forced them to retreat to Sebastapol. The cost was heavy. The 33rd, in the centre of the leading brigade, had 268 casualties, more than any other regiment that took part in the battle, and more than at Waterloo, even though the engagement only lasted half as long. After the battle of Balaclava, in which the 33rd took no part, the Russians made an attack on the British position at Inkerman. Aided by dense fog they were into the British lines almost before either side realised it. The fog made any form of control impossible and as a result the Battle of Inkerman became known as 'the soldiers' battle'.

"Incident in Crimea - A party of ten men of the 33rd encounter a dozen Russians.
Both sides having expended all their ammunition, resort to throwing stones."

During the subsequent winter the troops suffered very severely through lack of warm clothing, no shelter beyond light tents, scanty food and hopelessly inadequate medical services. As a result often more men were sick than were fit for duty. In September 1855 the Allies captured Sebastapol, although six months were to elapse before peace was eventually signed. Little was gained by the war; but it did have far reaching effects on the army as action was taken to remedy many of the severe shortcomings in training and administration which had been thrown up during the campaign.