  |
|
|
|
Page 3
At the command conference on 3rd September, the Chief Engineers gave their opinion that most of the town bastions still required considerable softening up before a further assault could be launched. The advice was accepted and the Sixth and final Bombardment began on 5th September. It was to last until the decisive actions of 9th September, and effectively was an almost unbroken continuation of the Fifth. The final butcher's bill in the British batteries for the period from 17th August was 248; the Naval Brigade share was 13 killed (including 1 officer) and 75 wounded (including 6 officers).
"The Commander of the Forces notices the patience and courage with which side by side the soldiers of the Army and the sailors have endured the dangers and hardships of nearly a year's duties in the trenches. "It is only in justice to the officers and men comprising the Naval brigade to state that throughout the entire period of their being employed with the Army, the greatest good feeling and cordiality has existed between the two services. "They were always most active and zealous; idleness never appeared to form part of their character; and when their batteries were not engaged, they freely and voluntarily gave a helping hand with pick-axes and shovels, and always appeared anxious to make themselves useful." Slightly more impassioned than Simpson's notoriously limpid prose, though showing characteristic errors of detail, was Times Correspondent Russell's comment: "The Sailors brigade suffered very severely; although they only worked about thirty-five guns in the various batteries, they lost more men than all our siege-train, working and covering parties put together." The Naval Brigade had lived an episode of inter-service cooperation unique in the history of British warfare. Its participation had been a resounding success in a campaign during which there was little enough to celebrate. Sources: Gen Sir Evelyn Wood (1896) The Crimea in 1854 & 1894 Chapman & Hall, London E H Nolan (1857) The History of the War against Russia James S Virtue London Lieut Colonel J R J Jocelyn (1911) The History of the Royal Artillery - Crimean Period John Murray London C E Vulliamy (1939) Crimea Jonathan Cape London
The copyright of the article The Naval Brigade - Part 5 - Page 3 in Crimean War is owned by John Barham. Permission to republish The Naval Brigade - Part 5 - Page 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
