The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier WarChurchill, Winston
History
The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War
Churchill, Winston
Churchill, Winston, 1874-1965; North-west Frontier Province (Pakistan) -- History; Prime ministers -- Great Britain -- Biography
A great gathering of the enemy, some 3000 strong, now appeared in the
plain. For about half an hour before sunset they danced, shouted and
discharged their rifles. The mountain battery fired a few shells, but
the distance was too great to do much good, or shall I say harm? Then it
became dark. The whole brigade remained that night in the expectation
of an attack, but only a very half-hearted attempt was made. This was
easily repulsed, one man in the Queen's Regiment being killed among the
troops.
On the 20th, however, definite information was received from the Khan of
Nawagai, that a determined assault would be made on the camp that
night. The cavalry reconnaissance again came in touch with the enemy
at nightfall. The officers had dinner an hour earlier, and had just
finished, when, at about 8.30, firing began. The position of the camp
was commanded, though at long ranges, by the surrounding heights. From
these a searching rifle fire was now opened. All the tents were struck.
The officers and men not employed in the trenches were directed to
lie down. The majority of the bullets, clearing the parapets of the
entrenchment on one side, whizzed across without doing any harm to the
prostrate figures; but all walking about was perilous, and besides this
the plunging fire from the heights was galling to every one.
Determined and vigorous sword charges were now delivered on all sides
of the camp. The enemy, who numbered about 4000, displayed the greatest
valour. They rushed right up to the trenches and fell dead and dying,
under the very bayonets of the troops. The brunt of the attack fell upon
the British Infantry Regiment, the Queen's. This was fortunate, as many
who were in camp that night say, that such was the determination of the
enemy in their charges, that had they not been confronted with magazine
rifles, they might have got into the entrenchments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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