Crimea Medal (Balaclava Clasp)

Product History

Campaign: Crimea 1854-56

Branch of Service - British Army, Navy and Marines.

Description: (obverse) Wyon profile of Queen Victoria; (reverse) a Roman soldier, armed with circular shield and short sword, being crowned by a flying Victory.

The Crimean War (1853-6) was fought by Russia against Turkey, Britain, France and Piedmont. The initial cause for war was the dispute between France and Russia over the Palestinian holy places. War became inevitable after Russia occupied territories of the Ottoman Empire on July 1853. Turkey declared war and had its fleet destroyed by the Russian Navy at Sinope in the Black Sea. This forced the hand of Britain and France who in March 1854 declared war. The allied forces, ravaged by cholera, were able to defeat the Russians at the battle of the Alma River (20th September 1854) and then began bombarding the strongly armed fort of Sevastopol. Following the battle of Balaclava (25th October 1854) a long winter of siege warfare ensued aggravated by lack of fuel, clothing and supplies for the allied armies. In 1854 Florence Nightingale was able to persuade the British government to let her take a team of nurses to the Crimea to look after the wounded allied soldiers. Sevastopol fell on the 8th September 1855; by that time the Russians were already seeking peace. 

Product Information