Battle of Kinburn (1855)

Battle of Kinburn
Part of the Crimean War
The French ironclad floating battery Lave, which destroyed Russian land batteries at the Battle of Kinburn.
Date 17 October 1855 Location tip of the Kinburn Peninsula Result Allied victory
Belligerents
French Empire United Kingdom	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
François Achille Bazaine	Unknown

The Battle of Kinburn (or Kil-Bouroun) was a naval engagement during the final stage of the Crimean War. It took place on the tip of the Kinburn Peninsula (on the south shore of the Dnieper River estuary in today's Ukraine) on 17 October 1855. During the battle, a combined British Royal Navy and French Navy force engaged Russian forts on shore.

The battle, although insignificant to the outcome of the war altogether, is notable as an early success of ironclad warships. Although frequently hit, the French ships destroyed the Russian forts within four hours, suffering minimal casualties in the process. This battle, as well as the Battle of Sinop, convinced contemporary navies to abandon wooden warships and focus on armor plating.

Gallery

Russian prisoner at Kinburn in 1855

Mound of ice at Kinburn after the thaw

Bombardment of Kinburn

Map of the battle

References

• "Armour Plates" 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica