In previous chapters we have given the honours accorded to each regiment, but it may be well to point out that some regiments possess honours which do not figure on their colours. Also, we may add, some battalions fly colours with honours not really won by them. This happens where two regiments have been amalgamated. In such cases, the unit which becomes the second battalion gives its distinctions to the first battalion and _vice versâ_. It is thus clear that regiments which are composed of two old regiments may have their honour rolls considerably lengthened by the process of amalgamation. For this reason, it is not always a fair test to judge the glory of a regiment by the number of distinctions which it owns. On this and other accounts, we have carefully refrained from giving a list of the various Army units ranged in order as indicated by their honours. All that we shall say on this matter is that the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, were we to compile such a list, would take first place and, unfortunately, it has no colours on which to display its fine prowess. =Abu Klea.=—Battle fought on January 17th, 1885, by a small British army during the unsuccessful endeavour to reach Gordon in Khartoum. Colonel Burnaby was killed and the British square broken but reformed and the Mahdi’s tribesmen were beaten off. =Abyssinia.=—This expedition was directed against Theodore, the Negus of Abyssinia, who seized the British subjects resident in his territory, because the English had refused to share in his quarrels with the Egyptians. =Aden.=—Captured from the Arabians in 1839 by the British. =Affghanistan, 1839.=—An expedition to place the ex-king Shah-Soojah, on the Afghan throne; led by Sir John Keane. =Afghanistan, 1878–80.=—To avenge the murder of Sir L. Cavagnari, and to secure the passes overlooking the valley of the Punjab from being perpetually harassed, Lord Roberts, V.C., advanced on Cabul and fought a number of successful engagements. =Ahmad Khel.=—During Sir D. Stewart’s march from Kandahar to Ghuznee and then on to join Lord Roberts, he encountered a force of Ghazis at Ahmad Khel and secured a victory over them. =Albuhera.=—Probably the hardest fought battle of the Peninsular War. Marshal Beresford attempted to prevent Soult from advancing to the relief of besieged Badajoz. The Middlesex Regiment here earned its name of the “Diehards” and a desperate charge of the Royal Fusiliers turned the day, and “fifteen hundred unwounded men, the remnant of six thousand unconquerable British soldiers, stood triumphant on the fatal field.” (Napier). =Ali Masjid.=—A fort attacked by a column under General Sir S. Browne, at the opening of the Afghan War, 1878. =Aliwal.=—One of the battles of the first Sikh War. =Ally Ghur.=—The first engagement in the Mahratta War. (September 4th, 1803).