Tibet Expedition

Tibet Expedition
Dec 1903 – Sept 1904
Chronological list of Wars and Campaigns
File:Tibetimage.jpg
Location: Tibet
Combatants:
British Field Force	Tibetan Armed Forces
Result: Anglo-Tibetan Agreement of 1904
Medals: Tibet Medal
Links:
Category: Tibet Expedition

	See our interactive map of Tibet Expedition 1903-04 locations and routes on Google Maps

Summary

The expedition to Tibet in 1903-04, also known as the Anglo-Tibet War. At the beginning of the 20th century Britain and Russia were competing for influence in Central Asia. To counter the perceived threat, the British sent an expedition under Francis Younghusband to negotiate with the Tibetans. The first excursion with Claude White, the Political Officer for Sikkim, to Khamba Jong was rebuffed and a field force was dispatched through the Jelep Pass. The Tibetans were defeated at two major battles and the expedition reached Lhasa in August 1904. The Dalai Lama had fled but Younghusband forced a one-sided treaty on the regent which gave Britain trading rights in Tibet. This was later repudiated by the Tibetans.

Field Force

First Excursion

• 200 32nd Pioneers
• 300 support
  

Mission Escort

• Six Coys 8th Gurkhas
• Eight Coys 23rd Pioneers
• Half Coy 2nd Sappers
• Maxim gun detachment of Norfolk Regiment
• Two 7-pounder guns of 8th Gurkhas
• Two guns No 7 Mountain Battery
• Field Hospital
• Engineer Field Park
• Ammunition Column
• Telegraph, postal and survey detachments
  

Reinforcements

• One Wing Royal Fusiliers
• 40th Pathans
• 29th Punjabis

Chronology

First Excursion

19 June 1903	Mission left Darjeeling
21 June	Reached Gangtok
26 June	Arrived at Tangu
4 July	Claude White (Sikkim Political Officer] left Tangu
5 July	Mr White reached Diagong
7 July	Mr White reached Khamba Dzong
18 July	Younghusband reached Khamba Dzong
11 October	Younghusband left Khamba Dzong for Simla

Mission to Lhasa

5 December 1903	Mission left Darjeeling
12 December	Crossed the border at [Jelep Jelep La 4267m
14 December	Arrived at Yadong
20 December	Reached Pagri
7 January 1904	Crossed the Tang La 4,521 m
8 January	Made camp at Tuna
31 March	Battle at Guru
9 April	Action at Tsamdang Gorge
11 April	Reached Gyantse
5 May	Tibetan attack at Gyantse
7 May	Battle of Karo La
26 May	Battle of Palla
6 June	Action at Kangma
6 July	Gyantse Dzong stormed
14 July	Mission left Gyantse for Lhasa
19 July	Reached Nagartse
24 July	Crossed the Kampa La 4,794 m
31 July	Crossed the Bramaputra at Chaksam Ferry
4 August	Reached Lhasa

External links

• British Expedition to Tibet Wikipedia
• The Younghusband Expedition tibettalk.wordpress.com
• Francis Younghusband Wikipedia
• 50 Letters from Capt Mainprise blogspot.com

Historical books online

• List of Officers on the Lhasa Mission Google Books

• Chronology of the Expedition Google Books

• India and Tibet. A History of the Relations which have Subsisted between the Two Countries from the Time of Warren Hastings to 1910; with a Particular Account of the Mission to Lhasa of 1904. by Sir Francis Younghusband KCIE. Published by John Murray 1910. Reprinted by LLP 2002. ISBN 81-7536-278-2Archive.org. Another copy of this title is at India & Tibet by Francis Younghusband Google Books

• Sikhim And Bhutan, Twenty-one Years On The North-east Frontier 1887-1908. by J Claude White. Archive.org 1909 edition.