Royal Mail 150th Anniversary of The Crimean War

ROYAL MAIL (UK) in 2004 released a collection of First Day Cover stamps depicting the  Sesquicentennial anniversary of  The Crimean War (1854 - 1856).

What led to the Crimean War? The Crimean War was the result of Russian demands to exercise protection over the Orthodox subjects of the Ottoman sultan. Another cause was a dispute between Russia and France over the privileges of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in Palestine.

The allied forces against the Russian Empire were 603,132 strong. However, the Russian Empire had a total of 889,000. Despite the larger force, the Russian's suffered greater casualties: Russian Empire. The Crimean War produced about 500,000 total casualties, with about half suffered by each side. A disproportionate number of deaths were caused by disease (16,000 to 18,000 deaths).

The victors of this war were Britain, France and Ottoman Empire (Turkey); the loser was Imperial Russia.

The Crimean War was the first major conflict to be photographed. Roger Fenton is often regarded as the first war photographer, and he travelled to the Crimea under the patronage of Prince Albert. Queen Victoria commissioned Robert Howlett and Joseph Cundall to photograph war veterans and most of the photographs were taken at Aldershot prior to a grand parade through London, and it is their pictures which have been used for the stamps. The stamps bring to life evocatively their personal stories. Reflecting Queen Victoria's concern for her troops, one outcome of the campaign was the introduction of the Victoria Cross.

Stamps included:

- Pte. McNamara, 5th Dragoon Guards, Heavy Brigade Charge, Battle of Balaklava (2nd)
- Piper Muir, 42nd Regt of Foot, Amphibious Assault on Kerch (1st)
- Sgt. Maj. Edwards, Scots Fusilier Guards, Gallant Action, Battle of Inkerman (40p)
- Sgt. Powell, 1st Regt of Foot Guards, Battles of Alma and Inkerman (57p)
- Sgt. Maj. Poole, Royal Sappers and Miners, Defensive Line, Battle of Inkerman (68p)
- Sgt. Glasgow, Royal Artillery, Gun Battery besieged Savastepol (£1.12)

In addition to a set of six mint stamps commemorating, this Presentation Pack features a synopsis of the Battles, evocative archive photographs and a report by war correspondent William Howard Russell. It also includes the poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Lord Alfred Tennyson.