On 28 March 1854, in support of the Ottoman Empire, the British and the Second French Empire declared war on the Russian Empire. Anglo-French forces landed at Gallipoli, to be in a position to defend Constantinople if needed. On 21 February 1854, FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan was appointed as the general officer commanding of the expeditionary force that was dubbed the or the . In mid-June, the British force advanced to Varna, on the Black Sea coast of Ottoman Bulgaria. At Varna, they were reorganised into divisions.