Mohmand Expedition of 1908 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids First Mohmand campaign
Date 1908 Location Peshawar border of the North West Frontier Result British Indian victory
Belligerents
Mohmands	British Empire  India

The Mohmand Expedition of 1908 was a military campaign by the British against the Mohmand people in what was then British India. It was a 'punitive expedition,' meaning it was meant to punish them for their actions. The Mohmands were a group of tribes living near the border of British India and Afghanistan. This conflict happened because the British were taking over land that the tribes considered their own.

Who Were the Mohmands?

The Mohmands were a powerful group of tribes in 1908. They were mainly divided into two groups. One group, the Independent Mohmands, lived across the official border. The other group lived closer to the city of Peshawar in British India. The Peshawar Mohmands were not involved in the fighting that year.

Mohmand Clans and Alliances

The Mohmands living across the border had eight main clans. Six of these were called "assured clans." They received payments from the British government. These payments were given because the British had taken over land that some of these clans used to get money from the rulers of Kabul (in Afghanistan).

Two other clans, the Baezai and Khwaizai, did not get British payments. They saw themselves as being under Afghan rule. They lived mostly on the Afghan side of the Durand Line. This line was the border between British India and Afghanistan. However, the exact border in Mohmand land was still being argued about.

Mohmand Fighting Power

The Mohmands were known for their fighting skills. In 1907, it was thought they had about 21,500 fighters. Many of them had modern rifles. More rifles were being smuggled into the area, making them even stronger. When they fought the British in April 1908, their fighting force, called a lashkar, grew very large. It included about 8,600 Mohmand fighters. Many other groups from Afghanistan also joined them, adding about 9,000 more fighters.

Mohmand Lands

The Mohmand territory was mostly wild and rugged. It was bounded by rivers and other tribal lands. The hills were often dry, except during the rainy seasons. People collected rainwater in special tanks. Even though it was dry, the soil was fertile. British soldiers saw large fields of wheat and barley during the expedition.

The main valley was called Bohai Dag. It stretched across the Mohmand country for about 40 miles. The upper part of the valley was wide and open. But closer to the Swat River, it became a narrow, rocky gorge. Other important valleys included the Yalch Dand Nala and the Pipal Nala. The Ambahar valley was very fertile and had plenty of water. The Gandao valley was also important, with many villages and good crops.

British Relations with Mohmands After 1897

After a harsh punishment in 1897, the Mohmands stayed quiet for several years. The British had little trouble with them until 1902.

In 1902, the British started giving payments to another group, the Musa Khel Baezai. This was part of an agreement about the Mitai valley. Before, the Musa Khel Baezai had received money from the Afghan ruler. Now, the British took over the area. The Musa Khel leaders, called maliks, asked the British for new payments. The British agreed to this fair request.

Religious Leaders Stir Up Trouble

Religious leaders, known as mullas, quickly used this event to cause problems. They were upset about the British influence. They called anyone who took British payments or dealt with the British "infidels." This made many Mohmands, including the Musa Khel, refuse to collect their new payments. Other clans also stopped accepting British money. Only the Halimzai and Tarakzai clans continued to do so.

Around this time, the British also planned to build a railway through Shilman. This made the Baezai and Khwaizai clans angry. They threatened villages that were friendly to the British and helped with the railway work.

In April 1903, some Afghan Mohmands crossed the river. They damaged wells and crops in British territory. The British government asked the Afghan ruler to mark the border clearly to stop these attacks. The ruler agreed to a Boundary Commission. However, he kept delaying the meeting. It became clear he did not want the border to be marked.

More Attacks and Agreements

In May 1905, another attack happened. Afghan officials tried to take wood from a British village. A small group of Mohmands attacked the village, firing at close range. The British protested to the Afghan ruler, but he refused to punish his officials. He even claimed the village was Afghan territory. The British again said the border needed to be marked, but nothing came of it.

Despite the unrest, the Tarakzai clan remained loyal to the British. They agreed to protect the Shilman railway in their area for an extra payment. The Halimzai clan also agreed to help.

However, unrest continued to grow. In 1906, raids started in the Peshawar district. The Koda Khel Baezai and Ambahar Utman Khel tribes were behind these attacks.

The first serious raid was on March 21, 1906. A group of Mohmands attacked Jogini village. Some Tarakzai were involved, but their leaders handed them over to the British. A more serious raid happened on April 9. Tangi village was attacked. Four British subjects were killed, and property worth a lot of money was stolen.

These successful raids caused panic among the local people. The British sent cavalry troops to the area. They found that the attacks were just normal border raids. The rumor of a large enemy gathering was false. The cavalry was later withdrawn, but small groups of regular troops were stationed in the forts. This helped reduce raids in 1906 and 1907.

However, the Mohmands still caused trouble in the Kabul river area. In January 1907, a British officer working on the railway was shot at. Later, in November, a survey team was fired upon near Smatzai. A small lashkar (fighting force) gathered and fired at British camps and villages. This force was supplied by the Hakim of Lalpura, who was against the British.

Mohmands During the Bazar Valley Expedition

In 1906 and 1907, another tribe, the Zakka Khel Afridis, made many raids. By early 1908, the situation was so bad that the British sent an expedition into the Bazar valley. This was the Zakka Khel's main winter home.

When British forces entered Bazar in February, some religious leaders tried to get help for the Zakka Khel. There were signs of unrest among tribes north of the Kabul river, especially the Mohmands. They were already unhappy about the Shilman railway.

Zakka Khel messengers came to Mohmand country. Many young Mohmands were eager to help. A small lashkar quickly formed under a religious leader called Gud Mulla. However, the Zakka Khel soon accepted British terms. So, the Mohmands had no reason to fight for them. Most of their lashkar went home after a small raid on Batagram village on March 3.

The British heard about the Mohmand uprising. They sent cavalry to the Mohmand border. The cavalry arrived on March 4, just before the lashkar broke up. Since the danger seemed to pass, the cavalry was soon withdrawn.

New Raids and British Response

But the trouble was not over. A few Mohmand fighters, disappointed they hadn't fought, stayed together. They were led by Mahasil, Mir Baz, and Hakim Khan. They saw the cavalry's departure as a chance to start new raids. They began plundering Hindu shops in villages near Shabkadar.

On March 24, they attacked Marozai village, killing two Hindus and stealing much property. The next day, Mirzadher village was attacked, and a shopkeeper was kidnapped. However, a friendly Mohmand leader, Ghulam Khan, attacked the raiders. He rescued the shopkeeper and captured one of the raiders. This did not stop the raids. On March 30, the gang robbed Hindu shops in Chikkar village.

These quick and successful raids caused panic among the Hindu population. The British strengthened their garrisons at Shabkadar and Abazai. By April 1, more troops were on the border. The police force was also increased. Lieutenant-Colonel Y. B. Fane was put in command of all forces.

When the tribesmen heard about the increased troops, they expected a British attack. The Koda Khel and Ambahar Utman Khel, who had led the raids, asked their neighbors for help. Mahasil, the Koda Khel leader, got little support. Mir Baz also struggled to raise a lashkar.

So, they appealed to Afghan religious leaders. This time, they succeeded immediately. Two famous mullas, the Sufi Sahib and the Hazrat Sahib, supported them. They called for a jihad (holy war) in Ningrahar. They also declared Ghulam Khan an infidel. Fighters quickly joined them from Afghan territory.

By April 17, the gathering was very large. More British troops were sent to the border. General Sir James Willcocks himself came to arrange the forces.

Meanwhile, the lashkar moved towards British territory. On April 19, they advanced in two groups. One group burned Ghulam Khan's village, Dag. Ghulam Khan and his family barely escaped to Abazai.

That evening, a British patrol was fired upon near Matta. Later, the post at Matta was also attacked. News came that an attack on Garhi Sadar was planned for the night. Since the garrisons were weak, troops from Garhi Sadar were ordered to move to Matta. On their way, they were attacked and suffered some casualties. After they reached Matta, the enemy withdrew.

Events in Late April 1908

The Mohmands' bold attacks showed they wanted a fight. The British troops on the frontier were not enough to stop such a large lashkar from raiding. General Willcocks decided to send more troops. Brigadier-General Anderson led a force of 2 guns and 1,300 infantry on April 20. The march was long and difficult under the hot sun.

More troops were ordered to Peshawar from Nowshera. Fortunately, the Mohmands were also waiting for more fighters, so they remained mostly quiet. On April 21, a small group of Mohmands fired at a cavalry patrol near Matta. General Willcocks ordered field guns to fire, which scattered the enemy.

General Anderson took command of all troops on the border. General Willcocks met with some Halimzai leaders. They said the Hazrat Sahib was gathering all Mohmand clans for a meeting. They asked permission to attend. General Willcocks told them to attend and inform the Hazrat Sahib that the British did not plan to invade Mohmand territory yet. But any attack on a British post would be met with immediate action.

The Halimzai leaders were stopped by the enemy lashkar. They reported that the Hazrat Sahib was considering terms for peace. These terms were impossible, like asking the British to leave Malakand.

General Willcocks received orders for a large force to be used against the Mohmands if needed. This force included three brigades of infantry and various other units.

That night, the enemy cut the telephone wire between Shabkadar and Matta. Small groups also fired at the posts, but without effect.

The next morning, the enemy was very active. They built defenses on the hills guarding the valleys. They also fired at Matta all day, wounding one soldier. A patrol was attacked on the road between Shabkadar and Matta. The British re-established the post at Garhi Sadar. That night, Matta and Garhi Sadar were attacked simultaneously. The enemy's main goal seemed to be collecting food, as their lashkar needed supplies.

The attack on Garhi Sadar was fierce. At Matta, the enemy was fewer. The noise caused a stampede among the cavalry horses and transport animals. Many horses were injured by barbed wire or shot by the enemy.

Other attacks happened at Shabkadar and a police post at Hajizai. The enemy was becoming bolder because the British had not acted. On April 23, they showed their flags on the hills. They continued to fire at patrols. Rumors spread that the Hazrat Sahib planned a big attack on April 24.

General Willcocks decided to attack first. He ordered a simultaneous attack by two columns at dawn on April 24.

Brigadier-General Anderson's column attacked the enemy's left flank near the Burjina Pass. Colonel Unwin's column from Shabkadar made a reconnaissance of the enemy's right flank near the Gandao valley.

During the night, the Mohmands were very active. They fired at British posts and raided villages.

The Battle of April 24

The two British columns moved out at dawn on April 24. Colonel Unwin's column advanced towards Shahbaz Kor. They found many enemy fighters. General Willcocks had ordered them not to advance into the hills. So, after checking the enemy's strength, Colonel Unwin ordered a retreat. This reconnaissance helped the other British column by keeping the enemy from sending reinforcements.

At the same time, General Anderson's column attacked the enemy in front of Matta. The enemy, about 4,000 strong, held a line of defenses. The British infantry, supported by guns, advanced. The Warwickshires captured a key hill, causing heavy losses to the enemy.

The capture of this hill allowed the British to push forward. The fighting was severe. The British captured more enemy defenses, often in close combat. The British inflicted heavy losses on the retreating enemy. By 10:20 a.m., most of the enemy had retreated to the higher hills. General Anderson decided to stop the action. The British withdrew steadily. The enemy tried to follow but were held off by cavalry.

The British had significant casualties for the size of their force. The Guides Infantry made a remarkable forced march of 35 miles in 16.5 hours to reach Shabkadar, but too late for the fighting.

After these two battles, the enemy seemed to have had enough. They retreated up the Gandao and Pandiali valleys. No attacks were made that night. The next day, British troops went out again, but saw almost no enemy fighters. On April 26, the Mohmand Field Force was officially formed, with General Sir James Willcocks in command.

Mohmand Field Force Operations

After the battle on April 24, there was a quiet period. The enemy had scattered from British territory. The British used this time to gather their forces. By the end of April, the three brigades were almost ready to advance.

Sufi Sahib's Attack on Khaibar

Suddenly, a new threat appeared in the Khaibar Pass. The Sufi Sahib, another religious leader, had gathered a large force in Afghanistan. This force, mostly Afghan subjects, moved towards the Khaibar valley and threatened Landi Kotal.

On May 1, the British political agent reported that the enemy had crossed the border in large numbers. The Sufi Sahib was trying to start a general uprising among other tribes. General Willcocks immediately ordered troops to move to the Khaibar.

By May 3, British troops had reached Landi Kotal and Ali Masjid. The enemy, estimated at 13,000 to 20,000 strong, attacked a stone fort at Michni Kandao. They even tried to use scaling ladders. But the Khaibar Rifles easily fought them off, causing losses to the enemy.

The next morning, May 4, British troops moved out to attack the enemy. However, most of the enemy had already fled. The British advanced, inflicting some losses on the few remaining enemy fighters. By 11 a.m., the British withdrew to their camp. The enemy did not follow much.

By May 7, no enemy were in the area. The British troops began to leave the Khaibar. However, on May 6, a group of Afridis raided British camels at Ali Masjid. A British officer, Major Coape-Smith, was killed in an ambush while pursuing the raiders.

The British troops returned to Peshawar over three days. Around this time, cholera spread in the Peshawar district. Many troops were affected and had to be quarantined.

Advance to Nahakki

On May 9, the British decided to advance into Mohmand country. First, they needed to gather their forces and secure their supply lines. Troops from the Khaibar were moved forward. On May 10, Major-General Barrett's brigade and Brigadier-General Ramsay's brigade moved to Naguman.

On May 12, the concentration was complete. The 2nd Brigade moved to Hafiz Kor on the border. The 3rd Brigade took over the supply posts. A cavalry reconnaissance found no enemy.

However, cholera became very serious. The 1st Northumberland Fusiliers were badly affected and had to be removed from the force. Other regiments also suffered.

On May 13, the advance began. The 1st Brigade marched to Dand. The Tarakzai tribe, whose land they passed through, remained friendly. So, there was no opposition. The road was difficult in places, especially near the Gandao stream.

News came that the enemy gathering near Khapak and Nahakki Passes had dispersed. This meant no organized resistance was expected.

The camp at Dand was too small and the water was not good. The next day, a fast-moving column under Brigadier-General Anderson went to Nahakki. General Willcocks went with them. They wanted to secure the water supply there. The road was very bad. They saw a small group of enemy on a hill, but they were scattered by shells. Another reconnaissance reported that the Khapak Pass was held by the enemy.

On May 15, more troops joined the column at Nahakki. Another reconnaissance of the Khapak Pass was carried out. The enemy opened fire, wounding several cavalrymen. The enemy force was estimated at 500 to 1,000 men.

Brigadier-General Anderson's force also carried out a reconnaissance to Lakai and Haidar Kalai. They burned about fourteen villages. The field telegraph line was extended to Nahakki. That evening, the enemy fired at the camp at Nahakki for several hours.

On May 16, the 2nd Brigade took over Nahakki. The 1st Brigade moved to Kasai.

Operations on May 16 and 17

On May 16, the British sent messages to all clans. They stated that the British did not plan to take over their country. They promised no changes in relations after the operations.

That day, the punishment of the Khwaizai tribe began. A column under Brigadier-General Anderson moved out to block the Khapak Pass. The 1st Brigade moved their supplies to a new camp at Kasai.

The cavalry pushed ahead to the Khapak Pass. The infantry moved along the Bohai Dag. The enemy held strong positions. The British had to fight to dislodge them. The 28th Punjabis stormed the heights, supported by guns. The 57th Rifles attacked the northern heights. The fighting was fierce, with hand-to-hand combat. The British captured five prisoners.

The 34th Pioneers quickly took the village of Zanawar China. However, a group of eight swordsmen, called ghazis, attacked them from a cave. The Pioneers lost 3 killed and 2 wounded before defeating the attackers.

British casualties in this action were 3 officers wounded, 3 native soldiers killed, 3 died of wounds, and 21 wounded. The enemy's losses were estimated at 60.

The enemy disappeared, and the British advanced to Khan Beg Kor. They attacked a ridge behind the village, which was quickly captured. The camp for the night was on an open plain. Firing continued throughout the night, but caused little damage.

The next day, May 19, the force advanced to Kung, a large Khwaizai village. The British quickly took the village. The Sappers and Pioneers began destroying the village defenses. General Barrett had planned to destroy the Koda Khel village as well, but delays meant this had to be abandoned. After destroying Kung, the force returned to camp. Firing into camp that night wounded two men.

On May 20, the baggage was sent back to Nahakki. The rest of the force marched to Mazrina. The British quickly took Mazrina and destroyed its defenses. The Mohmands fired at the British during their retreat, causing some casualties. The 1st Brigade then began a tour to deal with other tribes.

Operations of the 1st Brigade (May 20-26)

While the 2nd Brigade was fighting, General Willcocks and the 1st Brigade stayed at Nahakki. The camp was heavily fired upon on the nights of May 18 and 19. The enemy, believed to be Dawezai and Utmanzai, made a lot of noise with drums and shouting. Several British soldiers and animals were wounded.

On May 19, General Willcocks ordered the 1st Brigade to prepare for a five-day operation. On May 20, the 1st Brigade marched towards Lakai. They found small groups of enemy near the Darwazagai Pass, but easily drove them off.

A cavalry reconnaissance went towards Yakh Dand. They reported that about 200 enemy fighters were blocking their way near Umra Kalai. The British advanced, and the fighting became intense. The infantry pushed forward, causing heavy losses to the enemy. The British decided to camp at Umra Kalai for the night.

The enemy kept up heavy fire on the water tank, making it hard to water the mules. As darkness fell, troops prepared their defenses. The enemy followed closely as the British withdrew. There was close fighting, and two British officers were killed.

British casualties between May 20 and 21 were 2 British officers killed, 1 wounded; 1 native officer killed, 1 wounded; and 20 other native soldiers wounded.

During the night, a request was sent for a column to escort the wounded back to Nahakki. The next morning, the wounded were sent to Lakai. The 1st Brigade then joined up with reinforcements from Nahakki.

The force moved forward, destroying villages and towers. They arrived at Habibzai without enemy interference. That evening, leaders from the Safis and Mitai Musa Khel came to discuss peace terms. The Musa Khel accepted the terms. But no agreement was reached with the Safis. Firing into camp was heavy that night, but little damage was done.

The next morning, a column was sent to burn Bagh village, the home of the Gud Mulla. The rest of the force marched to Lakarai. The Safis initially resisted but then decided to accept British terms. A ceasefire was sounded, though other tribes continued to fire for a while. Many villages and towers were destroyed that day.

Despite the Safis' submission, heavy firing into camp started at night, causing casualties among men and animals. On May 23, the force marched to Turu. They destroyed more villages along the way. That night, the force was spread out in several villages, and there was heavy firing into camp.

On May 24, the force marched to Had in the Ambahar valley. The enemy followed and engaged the rearguard. The British advanced down the Pipal Nala. A cavalry reconnaissance found the enemy holding a strong position across the Pipal Valley.

A British column climbed the Sarlara range to attack the enemy's left flank. The main British force advanced. The enemy offered little resistance and mostly fled. The British cavalry pursued them, killing many. The British also attacked some buildings where enemy fighters were hiding. All five enemy fighters were killed or bayoneted.

The British continued to Had village and set up camp. The camp was fired into at night, but without much effect. British casualties on May 24 were slight.

On May 25, the force marched to the Kota Taraf Pass. The rearguard was followed by a few enemy fighters. A column was sent to destroy Gumbatai village. The force then moved into camp near Mulla Kalai. This was in Isa Khel territory. Since the Isa Khel and Burhan Khel had already surrendered, there was no opposition. For the first time, the camp was not fired into at night. The Isa Khel even helped by providing guards for the camp.

The next day, the brigade stayed at Mulla Kalai. A convoy arrived with supplies. That day, General Willcocks ordered further action against the Utmanzai and Dawezai, who had not yet agreed to terms. General Barrett's force was to move against Yakh Dand and, if needed, into Dawezai territory to ensure their submission. He would then go to Koda Khel and punish them if they did not surrender. The rest of the 1st Brigade would return to Matta, destroying villages along the way.

The next morning, General Barrett moved towards Yakh Dand. Part of the Utmanzai leaders met him and agreed to pay a fine. They suggested destroying the houses of those who refused to submit, which was done. The Dawezai leaders also arrived and agreed to the terms. Since there was no more need to fight, the force marched to Nahakki. A few shots were fired by some Utmanzai who still refused to submit, but without effect.

Destruction of Koda Khel and British Withdrawal

All the clans that had risen against the British had now either surrendered or been punished, except for the Koda Khel Baezai. This clan was boasting that the British did not dare to attack them. So, a second expedition was needed to punish them. This would allow the British force to leave the area without losing face.

On May 28, troops moved to Ata Jor. No opposition was met. On May 29, the force advanced to Koda Khel. The British quickly took the village and began destroying it. The enemy mostly stayed on the high ridges, firing at British posts. By 12:30 p.m., the villages were completely destroyed, and the force began to retreat. The enemy followed closely, causing some casualties. That night, there was heavy firing into camp.

The next day, May 30, the force returned to Ghalanai. The Guides and other troops were sent ahead to secure the Khapak Pass. The march was long but met little opposition. Lieutenant Young, who was wounded earlier, died that evening.

The goals of the expedition had been achieved. All that remained was to return to Shabkadar.

Brigadier-General Anderson's force had already reached Garhi Sadar after a three-day march down the Pandiali valley. They had carried out the punishment terms agreed upon with the Isa Khel and Burhan Khel.

On May 28, this force left Mulla Kalai and crossed the Garang Pass. The pass was steep but good for mule transport. They reached Lagham. The next day was spent improving the road over the Burjina Pass. Two demolition parties destroyed four villages.

On May 30, the final stage to Garhi Sadar was completed. The march was difficult, especially near the Burjina Kotal. The force then split up to avoid overcrowding the route. Over the next few days, both brigades dispersed, with units returning to their home bases.

What Happened Next?

The expedition was very successful. All the tribes that the British force passed through had surrendered and paid their fines. Only the Kandahari Safis and the Koda Khel had not fully submitted, but both had suffered greatly.

The leaders of the "assured clans" (Pandiali Mohmands, Gandao Halimzai, and Kamali Halimzai) and the Khwaizai promised to stop any Baezai raiding parties from passing through their land. This promise was written down and signed by their main leaders.

British casualties during the entire campaign were 52 killed (or died of wounds) and 205 wounded. The enemy's losses were estimated at 450 killed. The British also lost 185 horses killed and wounded, many of them hit during night firing by the enemy.