Tirah campaign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tirah campaign |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom British India |
.svg){kind=small} Afridis Orakzais Chamkanis |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Lockhart Pratap Singh |
Gul Badshah |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 34,882 20,000 camp followers |
40,000-50,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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1150 British casualties Unknown British Indians casualties |
Unknown casualties | ||||||
The Tirah campaign was a military operation in British India that lasted from September 1897 to April 1898. It took place in the Tirah Valley, a mountainous area in what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. This campaign was part of a series of conflicts on the Indian frontier.
Why the Tirah Campaign Happened
For 16 years, the Afridi tribe was paid by the British Indian government to protect the important Khyber Pass. The British even had a local regiment made up entirely of Afridi tribesmen to help with this.
Suddenly, the Afridi tribesmen rebelled. They captured all the posts in the Khyber Pass that were held by their own people. They also attacked forts on the Samana Range near the city of Peshawar. A famous battle called the Battle of Saragarhi happened during this time.
It was thought that the Afridi and Orakzai tribes could gather between 40,000 and 50,000 fighters if they worked together. The British needed some time to get ready for a large military operation. Before dealing with the Tirah rebellion, they first handled another uprising called the Mohmand rising to the northwest of the Khyber Pass.
British Military Advance
Starting the Campaign in October
The main commander for the British forces was General Sir William Lockhart. He led the Punjab Army Corps, which included 34,882 soldiers (both British and Indian) and about 20,000 camp followers.
The town of Kohat was chosen as the main base for the campaign. The plan was to advance along a single path into the mountains. Operations began on October 18, and fighting started right away.
Battles for Dargai Heights
The Dargai Heights were important because they overlooked the path the British needed to take. The British captured these heights easily at first. However, they had to leave them because there wasn't enough water.
On October 20, the British attacked the Dargai Heights again. This time, they fought hard to take them, losing 199 soldiers who were either killed or wounded. The British continued to move forward on a tough mountain path. They faced strong resistance on October 29 at the Sampagha Pass, which led to the Mastura valley. More fighting happened on October 31 at the Arhanga Pass, which led from the Mastura valley to the Tirah valley.
November Operations
British forces, divided into different groups, moved through the Tirah district. They destroyed the fortified villages of the Afridi tribes. About 20,000 soldiers were involved in this task.
Attacks on Saran Sar
A force of about 3,200 men, led by Brigadier-General Richard Westmacott, first attacked Saran Sar. They captured it easily. But during their retreat, the troops were heavily attacked and had 64 casualties.
On November 11, Saran Sar was attacked again by a group led by Brigadier-General Alfred Gaselee. This time, the British were better prepared, and they only had three casualties.
Exploring and Fighting in the Valleys
The British continued to move through the valleys. On November 13, another group, led by Brigadier General Francis James Kempster, visited the Waran valley. They faced little trouble moving forward and destroyed several villages. However, on November 16, during their return march, the soldiers guarding the rear were attacked all day. Fresh troops had to come and help them the next morning. The British had 72 casualties.
The Afridis were smart and avoided large battles. Instead, they used guerrilla warfare, attacking small groups of British soldiers who were looking for supplies or surveying the land. On November 21, a group led by Brigadier-General Westmacott went to the Rajgul valley. The path was very difficult, and they faced constant opposition. They achieved their goals but had 23 casualties just during their retreat.
Punishing Other Tribes
The last task was to punish the Chamkannis, Mamuzais, and Massozais tribes. Brigadier-General Gaselee carried out this mission. The Mamuzais and Massozais surrendered quickly. However, the Chamkannis fought back on December 1 and 2, causing about 30 British casualties.
December Retreat and Hardship
After these operations, the British forces prepared to leave Tirah. General Lockhart sent his two main divisions by different routes. The first division, led by Major-General W. Penn Symons, returned through the Mastura valley, destroying forts along the way. They planned to meet at Bara, close to Peshawar. The second division, led by Major General Yeatman Biggs, traveled with Lockhart along the Bara valley. The main base was moved from Kohat to Peshawar.
The return march began on December 9. It was extremely cold, with temperatures dropping very low before they left Tirah. The first division's journey was tough but mostly unopposed. However, the second division had to cover 40 miles and faced constant fighting.
The Difficult Bara Valley March
The march down the Bara valley (34 miles) started on December 10. This part of the campaign involved four days of the hardest fighting and marching. The path crossed the icy stream many times, and snow, sleet, and rain fell constantly. On December 10, about 20 soldiers were injured. On December 11, about 50 or 60 soldiers were injured, and many camp followers died from the cold or were killed. A lot of supplies were also lost.
On December 12, the column stopped to rest. On December 13, the march continued with better weather, but it was still very cold. The soldiers guarding the rear were heavily attacked, and about 60 casualties occurred. On December 14, after more fighting, the second division finally met up with the Peshawar column. The first division, with help from the Peshawar column, then took control of the Khyber forts without any resistance.
End of the Campaign
After the fighting, peace talks began with the Afridi tribes. The British threatened another expedition into Tirah in the spring if they didn't cooperate. Finally, the Afridis agreed to pay fines and give up the weapons the British demanded. The military force was officially disbanded on April 4, 1898.
A special part of this campaign was that Indian soldiers from the Imperial Service fought alongside the British. Also, several well-known Indian princes served on General Lockhart's staff, helping him with his duties.
See also
