Strelets-R M029 British Grenadiers in Winter Dress

The Crimean War, fought in 1853-1856, is an armed conflict between Russia and Turkey, and later also France and Great Britain. The main cause of the conflict was the desire of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia of the Romanov dynasty to acquire territorial acquisitions at the expense of Turkey - primarily the capture of the Black Sea Straits. Throughout the war, the British army recruited around 108,000 soldiers and officers, of which as many as 40,000 were wounded or killed or died as a result of diseases. At the beginning of this conflict, the British infantry operating in Crimea was formed into five divisions, each of which was divided into two brigades, which in turn were divided into three battalions of eight companies. On average, each of the divisions numbered around 4,500-4800 people, but during the conflict this number often fluctuated around 4,000 people. In the course of the Crimean War, Great Britain sent to Crimea some great regiments of grenadiers, including: The Grenadier Guards and The Coldstream Guards. The soldiers of these units took an intensive part in the conflict and - for example - the first of the above-mentioned battalions fought in the battle of Alma, Inkerman and took part in the siege of Sevastopol. As many as four of his soldiers were honored for this war with the highest British order - Victoria Cross. This may prove the considerable courage and professionalism of these soldiers. It is worth adding that the basic weapon of British grenadiers during the Crimean War was the great for those times Lee Enfield Pattern 1853 (wz.1853) rifle with a percussion lock, which definitely dominated the basic weapon of the Russian infantryman.