The Kurram Valley Field Force[1] was a British military formation during the first phase of the Second Afghan War, 1878–79.
Kurram Valley Field Force engaging Afghan forces near Khost, Afghanistan in late 1878–January 1879. British cavalry are in the foreground with infantry firing upon the enemy in the distance
It was one of three military columns created by the British in November 1878 at the start of the Second Afghan War, each of which invaded Afghanistan by a different route. Commanded by Major General Frederick Roberts, the Kurram Valley Field Force was the smallest of the three columns, with an initial strength of 6,665 officers and men of the British and Indian armies and 18 guns.[2] Roberts' force crossed into Afghanistan from India on 21 November 1878 and advanced up the Kurram Valley in the direction of Kabul.[3] After defeating Afghan regular forces, reinforced by local tribesman, at the battle of Peiwar Kotal on 2 December 1878, there followed a number of minor engagements, after which Roberts' force occupied the whole of the Kurram Valley. Here the Kurram Field Force was reinforced by a further 3,500 men, many of whom were placed along the line of communication back to India.[4]
The Afghan government soon sued for peace, and the first phase of the Afghan War ended in May 1879 with the Treaty of Gandamak. However, on 3 September 1879 the British envoy in Kabul and his staff were murdered, and the second phase of the war commenced.[5] The Kurram Valley Field Force was then the only British formation in Afghanistan, and were speedily reinforced from India by new units and renamed the Kabul Field Force. Still commanded by General Roberts, this force was ordered to advance on Kabul with the objective of taking punitive action against the killers of the British envoy.[6] The remaining troops in the Kurram Valley then ceased to be a separate field force and acted as line of communications troops for the Kabul Force, with local command passing from Roberts to Brigadier General T. Gordon on 27 September 1879.[7]
Compositionedit
The following units were attached to the Kurram Valley Field Force when it crossed into Afghanistan on 21 November 1878. The force's then strength totalled 5,335 officers and men with 13 guns.[8]
Total Indian troops: 3,990 officers and men; 4 guns.
At the end of December 1878 the Kurram Field Force was reinforced with a further 2,685 infantry, 868 cavalry and 13 guns. Many of the new troops were used as line of communications troops.[4]
kurram, valley, field, force, british, military, formation, during, first, phase, second, afghan, 1878, engaging, afghan, forces, near, khost, afghanistan, late, 1878, january, 1879, british, cavalry, foreground, with, infantry, firing, upon, enemy, distance, . The Kurram Valley Field Force 1 was a British military formation during the first phase of the Second Afghan War 1878 79 Kurram Valley Field Force engaging Afghan forces near Khost Afghanistan in late 1878 January 1879 British cavalry are in the foreground with infantry firing upon the enemy in the distance It was one of three military columns created by the British in November 1878 at the start of the Second Afghan War each of which invaded Afghanistan by a different route Commanded by Major General Frederick Roberts the Kurram Valley Field Force was the smallest of the three columns with an initial strength of 6 665 officers and men of the British and Indian armies and 18 guns 2 Roberts force crossed into Afghanistan from India on 21 November 1878 and advanced up the Kurram Valley in the direction of Kabul 3 After defeating Afghan regular forces reinforced by local tribesman at the battle of Peiwar Kotal on 2 December 1878 there followed a number of minor engagements after which Roberts force occupied the whole of the Kurram Valley Here the Kurram Field Force was reinforced by a further 3 500 men many of whom were placed along the line of communication back to India 4 The Afghan government soon sued for peace and the first phase of the Afghan War ended in May 1879 with the Treaty of Gandamak However on 3 September 1879 the British envoy in Kabul and his staff were murdered and the second phase of the war commenced 5 The Kurram Valley Field Force was then the only British formation in Afghanistan and were speedily reinforced from India by new units and renamed the Kabul Field Force Still commanded by General Roberts this force was ordered to advance on Kabul with the objective of taking punitive action against the killers of the British envoy 6 The remaining troops in the Kurram Valley then ceased to be a separate field force and acted as line of communications troops for the Kabul Force with local command passing from Roberts to Brigadier General T Gordon on 27 September 1879 7 Composition editThe following units were attached to the Kurram Valley Field Force when it crossed into Afghanistan on 21 November 1878 The force s then strength totalled 5 335 officers and men with 13 guns 8 British Army Regiments edit F Battery A Brigade Royal Horse Artillery 6 guns G Battery 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery 3 guns One squadron 10th Hussars 2nd battalion 8th King s Regiment 72nd Highlanders half battalion Total British troops 1 345 officers and men 9 guns Indian Army Regiments edit No 1 Mountain Battery 4 guns 12th Bengal Cavalry 7th Company Bengal Sappers and Miners 2nd Punjab Infantry Punjab Frontier Force 5th Punjab Infantry Punjab Frontier Force 21st Punjab Infantry 23rd Bengal Native Infantry Punjab Pioneers 29th Bengal Native Infantry Punjabis 5th Gurkha Rifles Punjab Frontier Force Total Indian troops 3 990 officers and men 4 guns At the end of December 1878 the Kurram Field Force was reinforced with a further 2 685 infantry 868 cavalry and 13 guns Many of the new troops were used as line of communications troops 4 See also editBattle of Peiwar Kotal Kabul Field ForceReferences edit Often referred to at the time as the Kuram Field Force e g No 24681 The London Gazette 21 February 1879 p 866 Roberts 1897 p 346 Farwell 1973 p 203 a b Farwell 1973 p 204 Robson 2007 pp 138 160 Wilkinson Latham 1977 pp 15 16 Roberts 1897 p 394 Roberts 1897 p 553 Appendix III Sources edit Farwell Byron 1973 Queen Victoria s Little Wars London Allen Lane ISBN 0713904577 Roberts Sir Frederick 1897 Forty one Years in India London Macmillan amp Co Robson Brian 2007 The Road to Kabul The Second Afghan War 1878 1881 Stroud Spellmount ISBN 978 1 86227 416 7 Wilkinson Latham Robert 1977 North West Frontier 1837 1947 London Macmillan amp Co ISBN 0850452759 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kurram Valley Field Force amp oldid 1145807626, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
