War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
General Sir Frederick Roberts then offered to march on Candahar, and
with 10,000 men and 8,000 camp followers set out on August 8th to
march over 300 miles through a mountainous and hostile country. His
army consisted of the 2nd 60th Rifles; 72nd and 92nd Highlanders; 9th
Lancers; three Batteries of Artillery; 2nd, 4th, and 5th Goorkas; 2nd
and 3rd Sikh Infantry; 15th Sikhs; 24th and 25th Punjab Infantry;
23rd Pioneers; 3rd Bengal and 3rd Punjab Cavalry, and Central India
Horse, formed into three brigades under Brigadiers Baker, Macgregor,
and Macpherson. Ghuznee was reached on August 15th; on the 23rd
Kelat-i-Ghilzie was relieved, and after a rest the force marched on
to Candahar, and by August 27th was in communication with General
Primrose. In face of the relieving force Ayoub Khan withdrew to the
hills, and General Roberts entered Candahar on the 31st.
=Battle of "Kandahar."=--Wasting no time, he made a reconnaissance, and
driving the enemy at the point of the bayonet from several of their
positions, proceeded next morning to give battle to Ayoub. The village
of Gundi was carried by the 92nd Highlanders and the 2nd Goorkas; the
3rd Sikhs and the 5th Goorkas, working round the end of the Pie Paimal,
carried several villages, and despite the tigerish fighting of the
Ghazis the village of Pie Paimal was taken at noon, and then the final
stand was made by the enemy; but they could not withstand the charge
of the 92nd Highlanders and Goorkas, and four hours after the battle
commenced the Afghans were in full flight, leaving behind them 31 guns
including the 2 Royal Horse Artillery 9-pounders taken at Maiwand.
In front of one of their tents lay the bleeding body of Lieutenant
Maclaine of the Royal Horse Artillery, who, taken prisoner at Maiwand,
had been reserved for the indignity of having his throat cut when his
foes were beaten and release seemed imminent. The 72nd Highlanders
suffered most severely in the battle of "Kandahar," losing among their
dead Colonel Brownlow. Two other officers were killed, and 11 wounded,
the loss in men being 46 killed and 200 wounded.
The following troops were engaged at "Kandahar" on September 1st,
1880: 7th, 60th, 66th, 72nd, and 92nd; three batteries artillery and
9th Lancers. Native regiments: 1st, 4th, 19th, 28th, and 29th Bombay
Infantry; 2nd and 3rd Sikhs; 2nd, 4th, and 5th Goorkas; 15th, 23rd,
24th, and 25th Bengal Infantry; 3rd Bengal, 3rd Bombay, and 3rd Punjab
Cavalry; 3rd Scinde Horse; Poona and Central India Horse.
[Illustration: CONSPICUOUS SERVICE CROSS.]
[Illustration: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.]
[Illustration: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS.]
A medal without bar was given to the following regiments: 12th, 14th,
15th, 17th, 25th, 31st, 53rd, 63rd; 6th Dragoon Guards; 8th and 15th
Hussars. A number of men of the 65th were engaged as signallers, and
took part in several of the actions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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