During the early stages of the war the combined British and French fleets were co-operating in Kavarna Bay, and on April 5th anchored before Odessa, when the Russian commandant firing upon H.M.S. "Furious," which was carrying a flag of truce, the following ships were ordered to open fire on the batteries on April 22nd, 1854. H.M.S. "Furious," "Terrible," "Retribution," "Niger," "Arethusa," and 3 French vessels. The fort was blown up, and the shipping destroyed. Later the "Firebrand" and the "Fury" destroyed the Russian batteries at Sulina, and then with the rest of the fleet took part in the bombardment of Sebastopol. =Sebastopol.=--The following ships were engaged in the bombardment of Sebastopol on October 17th, 1854: "Albion," "Britannia," "London," "Agamemnon," "Queen," "Firebrand," "Niger," "Furious," "Trafalgar," "Retribution," "Vesuvius," "Rodney," "Bellerophon," "Highflyer," "Spitfire," "Arethusa," "Cyclops," "Triton," "Lynx," "Sphinx," "Tribune," "Terrible," "Sampson," and "Sanspareil." In the bombardment 44 were killed and 264 wounded on board the British ships, the "Albion" and the "Agamemnon" suffering most heavily. The French fleet lost about 200 killed and wounded. Prior to the bombardment a naval brigade of 1,050 seamen, under the command of Captain Lushington, landed with 50 heavy guns, and demonstrated their aptitude, and their right to the name of "handymen," by constructing their own batteries and being ready to take the defensive long before the artillerymen had their guns in position. The success of the attack on the Malakoff tower was in no small measure due to the assistance of the naval brigade with their heavy guns. In the assault on the Redan the naval brigade also played a conspicuous and daring part, as the casualty list showed, for out of 120 men 14 were killed and 46 wounded. =Azoff.=--The following ships were engaged in the expedition which, together with 3 French men-o'-war and 20 frigates, sailed on May 22nd, 1855, for the Sea of Azoff, blowing up _en route_ the works and magazines at Kertch, and destroying Yenikale: H.M.S. "Agamemnon," "Algiers," "Hannibal," "St. Jean d'Acre," "Princess Royal," "Royal Albert," and 27 frigates. The bar for AZOFF was awarded to the officers and crews of the following ships: "Vesuvius," "Stromboli," "Miranda," "Swallow," "Curlew," "Beagle," "Lynx," "Ardent," "Viper," "Snake," "Medina," "Recruit," "Arrow," "Clinker," "Boxer," "Grinder," "Fancy," "Sulina," "Weser," "Jasper," and "Cracker"; also the first and second launches of the "Agamemnon," "Hannibal," "Algiers," "St. Jean d'Acre," "Princess Royal," and the "Royal Albert." During these operations Lieutenant (afterwards Admiral Sir) E. Commerell of the "Weser" gained the Victoria Cross for his intrepid conduct while engaged in destroying stores on the shore of the Sivash.