Chitral Campaign

Chitral Campaign
January-April 1895
Chronological list of Wars and Campaigns
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Location: Chitral, NWF
Combatants:
British & Indians	Chitrali tribesmen
Result: Submission of tribes
Medals: India General Service Medal (1895-1902) Clasps: Defence of Chitral 1895, Relief of Chitral 1895
Links:
Category: North West Frontier Campaigns

	See our interactive map of Chitral Campaign locations and routes on Google Maps

Summary

The British sent political agent Surgeon Major George Robertson to Gilgit to report on a dispute between rival claimants to the throne of Chitral. Sher Afzal attacked the force in Chitral Fort which was then besieged. Colonel James Kelly made an arduous journey through the snowy passes from Gilgit fighting two actions on the way. He arrived at Chitral to find that the Chitralis have discontinued the siege. Maj-Gen Sir Robert Low's larger force from Nowshera stormed the Malakand Pass and broke the Chitrali resistance. The region remained tranquil until further unrest led to the Malakand Field Expedition.

Campaign Actions

See Category Page Chitral Campaign

Chitral Relief Force

15,249 troops under the command of Brig-Gen Sir Robert Low

First Brigade
Brig Gen A.A.Kinloch CB

• 1st Batt Bedfordshire Regt
• 1st Batt King's Royal Rifles
• 15th Sikhs
• 37th Dogras
• No 1 British Field Hospital
• No 14 Native Field Hospital

Second Brigade
Brig Gen H.G.Waterfield

• 1st Batt King's Own Scottish Borderers
• 1st Batt Gordon Highlanders
• 4th Sikhs
• Guides Infantry
• No 2 British Field Hospital
• No 35 Native Field Hospital

Third Brigade
Brig Gen W.F.Gatacre DSO

• 1st Batt East Kent Regt
• 2nd Batt Seaforth Highlanders
• 25th Punjab Infantry
• 2nd Batt 4th Gurkha Rifles
  
• No 8 British Field Hospital
• No 19 Native Field Hospital

Divisional Troops

• 11th Bengal Lancers
• Guides Cavalry
• 13th Bengal Infantry
• 23rd Punjab Pioneers
• 15th Field Battery Royal Artillery
• 3rd Mountain Battery Royal Artillery
• 8th Mountain Battery Royal Artillery
• No 2 Dejarat Mountain Battery
• 3 Companies Sappers & Miners
• Engineer Field Park from Roorkee
• No 4 British Field Hospital
• No 17 & 18 Native Field Hospitals
• No 1 Veterinary Field Hospital
• Maxim Gun Detachment 1st Batt Devonshire Regt

External Links

North West Frontier Military History Wikipedia
NWF Expeditions www.antiquesatoz.com
Chitral Campaign Google Books
Chitral Expedition Wikipedia
Forts of the Chitral Campaign www.khyber.org
British military personnel Wikipedia
Chitral Relief Expedition www.archive.org

Historical Books on-line

• Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India Vol I - Chitral archive.org
  
• The Relief of Chitral by Captain G.J. Younghusband and Captain Frank E. Younghusband 1897 (originally published October 1895) Archive.org
• With Kelly to Chitral by Lt W G L Beynon 1896 (archive.org)

Recommended Reading

• Beynon, William George Lawrence, With Kelly to Chitral Arnold, 1896, BiblioBazaar 2007 ISBN 0554203073 ISBN 978-0554203072 Available on Gutenberg
• Harris, John, Much Sounding of Bugles: The Siege of Chitral, 1895. Reprint Hutchinson, 1975 ISBN 0091245907
• Henty, George Alfred, Through Three Campaigns: A Story of Chitral, Tirah and Ashanti. BiblioBazaar 2007 ISBN 0554069385 ISBN 978-0554069388 Available on Gutenberg.
• Robertson, Sir George, Chitral: Story of a Minor Siege, Methuen & Co. 1898. Reprint: Oxford University Press, 1978, ISBN 0195772482, ISBN 978-0195772487
• Thompson, H. C., The Chitral Campaign: A Narrative Of Events In Chitral, Swat, And Bajour. Naval and Military Press 2004. ISBN 1843426676 ISBN 978-1843426677
• Younghusband, G.J., The Story of the Guides: The Exploits of the Soldiers of the Famous Indian Army Regiment from the Northwest Frontier 1847-1900 Leonaur Ltd 2006 Available to read online Gutenbergor for purchase at The FIBIS Shop
• Capt H.L.Nevill DSO Campaigns on the North-West Frontier1912 (archive.org) Reprinted by The Naval & Military Press Ltd 2005 ISBN 1-845741-87-0