On September 7th, 1854, the Anglo-French army put to sea, its objective being the great naval station of Sebastopol in the Crimea. There were, in addition to the crews of the warships, about 27,000 British, including the Light Brigade of 1,000, with 60 guns, under Lord Raglan, who had served on Wellington's staff in the Peninsular; 28,000 French under Marshal St. Arnaud, and 7,000 Turks under Omar Pasha. The Sardinian contingent under General La Marmora did not reach the Crimea until May 1855. The troops were landed, between September 14th and 18th, on the beach at Kalamita Bay, about twenty-five miles from Sebastopol, and two days after the disembarkation had been effected they had to force the Alma, when they defeated the Russians under Prince Mentschikoff so effectively that the allies were allowed to march southwards unmolested, and to form bases within a few miles of Sebastopol. The British established themselves at the little port of Balaklava, eight miles to the south of Sebastopol, and the French at Kamiesch Bay, six miles north of the place. [Illustration: (Reverse.) DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL.] [Illustration: (First Type.) CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL.] [Illustration: (Obverse.) DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL.] =The Alma.=--The Russians had taken up a position commanding the road to Sebastopol, with a front of two miles, mainly on the range of hills varying in height from 120 ft. to 200 ft. on the left bank of the River Alma, and on the morning of September 20th the allies prepared to attack them. The French and Turks began the battle, Marshal St. Arnaud attacking the left of the Russian position, and the centre with the aid of one British division, and Lord Raglan the right. The French General Bosquet made a brilliant advance, and drove the enemy from some high ground, but the French centre did not support him, and he was isolated; Raglan therefore decided to order the second and light divisions to advance, and this they did under a murderous cannonade. "Opposed to the English were at least two-thirds of the Russians," but the young and untried soldiers of Britain once again demonstrated the splendid fighting material of which they were made. Through the entangling vineyards and into the rapid waters of the Alma they steadily marched; emerging, they were ordered "to fix bayonets, get up the bank, and advance to the attack." They quickly climbed the steep and rugged hill-sides, but received a check, and then some one calling "Cease fire and retire," they became somewhat confused; they soon rallied, and the light division stormed into the great redoubt with its 14 guns of heavy calibre, carried the Kourgane hill, defended by 17,000 men with two redoubts and 14 guns, and then, with their depleted and broken ranks swelled by the Guards and the Highlanders, the Black Watch to the fore, who had pressed into the fight and up the Kourgane hill, charged the heights and at the point of the bayonet drove the Russians off in confusion.