‘Burning of the Government Buildings at Kertch. 9th June 1855’ (colour litho)

‘Burning of the Government Buildings at Kertch. 9th June 1855’. Coloured tinted lithograph by E Walker, 1855. One of 41 lithographs from 'The Seat of War in the East - Second Series', after William Simpson. Published by Paul and Dominic Colnaghi, 28 August 1855. Printed by Day and Son. The port of Kerch guarded access to the Sea of Azov, an important supply route for Sebastopol. Much to the disgust of the British, a previous Anglo-French expedition to capture Kerch had been abandoned in sight of its objective when the French force was suddenly recalled. However, on 22 May 1855 a second expedition was launched which was successful, opening up the way into the Sea of Azov and destroying the Russian naval squadron there.