from the Sikh Cybermuseum
The 1st attack on Malakand Camp: The 45th Sikhs holding the cutting on
the Buddhist Road
The Illustrated London News - "On July 16, the day on which Chaldara was first attacked,
the enemy were seen to be advanching on Malakand Camp. Lieut.-Colonel McRae, commanding
the 45th Sikhs at the time, went on at once with a party of twenty men to the cutting
on the Buddist road - about half a mile from camp - accompained by Major Taylor, who
was mortally wounded soon after reaching the cutting. This party opened such a hot fire
upon the Patans that they did not dare to come around the corner of the road, and were
thus held in check for twenty minutes. The Enemy, seeing that their attempts to force
the defile were useless, climbed up on to the high ground above the road, and there
they threw stones on to the party and so tried to dislodge them. After holding the
cutting for twenty minutes the rest of the regiment came up, and the whole took up a
postiion at the head of the Kotal, where they remained till the end of the numerous
attacks made by the Pathans, which lasted six days. Not a Pathan got through this
small party at the cutting."
The Indian Frontier Rising
The Illustrated London News 6/11/1897 - Occupation of a Hill, Shahai-Tangi, by
the 35th Sikhs "The low hill with the terranced fields was seized by the 35th
Sikhs, the Mamunds being driven off into the higher hills. A party of Ghazis
charged down on the Sepoys who were carrying off the dead body of Lieutenant Hughes,
and cut several of them down, and the body was for a time on the ground. The
Sikhs, under Colonel Bradshaw, fixing bayonets now charged up the hill, and
recovered the body of their officer in a gallent manner, which does the regiment
the greatest credit."
Got a spot for these little gems?
Tell me about it! ehpeaell@yahoo.com
Short Stories of the North West Frontier