This is the British perspective on the battle. References for the Battle of Maiwand: Bombay Army regiments: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. The survivors of the brigade struggled on towards Kandahar, until they were met by a small relieving force and the Afghan cavalry withdrew. The British and Indian forces were made up, predominantly, of native Indian regiments from the armies of the three British presidencies, Bengal, Bombay and Madras, with smaller regional forces, such as the Hyderabad contingent, and the newest, the powerful Punjab Frontier Force. The battery was formally thanked by the Viceroy on parade for its conduct. HM 66th Regiment 286 dead and 32 wounded Or seen what I seed that day! 3rd Queen’s Own (Bombay Cavalry) 27 dead and 18 wounded There was thirty dead an’ wounded on the ground we wouldn’t keep — Scinde Horse of the Bombay Army: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. But I wish I was dead ‘fore I done what I did, 18 déc. Yes, every little drummer ‘ad ‘is rights an’ wrongs to mind, Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. ), legendary 19th century Scottish dog After the Mutiny, the British developed the concept of ‘the Martial Races of India’. The Maiwand Lion, Forbury Gardens, Reading The regiment was deployed to Afghanistan in early 1880 and took part in the Battle of Maiwand in July 1880 where the British forces were routed and most of the regiment was caught up in the rout. The Afghans on foot were distracted by the resistance in Khig and by the Grenadiers and the opportunity to loot the British and Indian baggage. Colonel James Galbraith, Regimental Colour in hand, alongside Bobbie the regimental dog and some of the other "Last Eleven" survivors of the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment, making their last stand in one of the walled gardens just South of Khig village, a few miles West of the Afghan town of Maiwand. Burrows rode about the field attempting to bring about a further cavalry attack, but without success. It got beyond all orders an’ it got beyond all ‘ope; Till I ‘eard a beggar squealin’ out for quarter as ‘e ran, The 5 villages in Berkshire that everyone is desperate to move to. The guns advanced considerably further than Burrows intended, the rest of his force hurrying up in support; the infantry in a line, with the 66th on the right, Jacob’s Rifles in the centre and the 1st Grenadiers on the left. ‘Bobbie’ received the Afghan Medal from Queen Victoria in 1881; he died the year after, run down by a horse cab! We was rotten ‘fore we started — we was never disciplined; “ Saving the Guns” by RC Woodville 1882 depicts a famous incident during the battle of Maiwand when, with the infantry broken and a horde of fanatical Afghan tribesmen charging down on the 9 pounder guns of E/B Battery RHA, the gunners succeeded in extricating all but two of them, gallantly fighting the enemy off “with handspikes and sponge-rods “. We was sick o’ bein’ punished, an’ we let ’em know it, too; ‘The Eleven’, the last stand of the 66th Regiment with Bobbie the dog at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. The system was not yet universally applied, so that some regiments in Afghanistan were short service and others still manned by long service soldiers. Primrose appointed Brigadier General Burrows commander of the field brigade, with Brigadier General Nuttall commanding the cavalry. 30th Bombay Native Infantry (Jacob’s Rifles) The Battle of Maiwand on 27 July 1880 was one of the principal battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. As regulation uniforms were unsatisfactory for field conditions in Afghanistan, the officers in most regiments improvised more serviceable forms of clothing. Survivor of slaughter honoured on sculpture, Sign up to our newsletter for daily updates and breaking news. The final stand was made by eleven survivors of the 66th outside the village, 2 officers and 9 soldiers. The British guns fired from a position to the rear of the infantry and were then forced to withdraw across the main ravine, coming into action several times from positions further back. Colonel Galbraith and the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. Something went wrong, please try again later. An’ I thought I knew the voice an’ — it was me! In spite of the losses at Maiwand, the British and Indian garrison was sufficient to resist until the arrival of General Roberts with a force from Kabul and the final battle of the war. Survivors of the 66th at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Harry Payne. Donations can be sent to the Animals in War Memorial Fund, 72 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1DE. Roles and functions of dogs in World War I Dogs were employed in many different roles and were of value in the trenches on the western front as sentry and guard dogs, pack animals (machine guns and The Mutiny of 1857 had brought great change to the Indian Army. Saving the guns at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. The 66th, broken up by the collapse of the two Indian regiments, fell back in small fighting groups. The British commanders had not realized that a hidden second ravine ran beside the force’s other flank, joining the main ravine in their right rear. Maiwand illustrated the knife-edged nature of the battles in Afghanistan: heavily outnumbered British and Indian forces winning against much larger forces of Afghans, provided they were experienced troops led by competent commanders. The British guns crossed the ravine and continued forward to a position where the Afghans were in range and opened fire. The RHA guns positioned in the centre of the line fired a last salvo and withdrew in haste, the Afghans reaching within yards of the retreating guns and overwhelming the left section. The technique for dying uniforms varied widely, producing a range of shades of khaki, from bottle green to a light brown drab. Ayub Khan advanced from Herat with a force of 25,000. As the British/Indian brigade approached Maiwand, Ayub’s army could be seen marching across its front, in the swirling dust storms that swept the semi-desert area. Date of the Battle of Maiwand: 27th July 1880. The Road to Kabul; the Second Afghan War 1878 to 1881 by Brian Robson. A survivor of the battle was a mongrel dog named 'Bobbie'. A special edition coin has been minted to commemorate the completion of the Animals in War Memorial and readers donating £50 or more to the building of the memorial will receive a 24ct gold-plated coin. The Battle of Maiwand – Lengthy article describing the battle and the forces that took part in it; Saving the Guns at the Battle of Maiwand – Painting by Richard Caton Woodville, and the chance to buy a print; Books. Generals at the Battle of Maiwand: Brigadier General Burrows against Ayub Khan. The Battle of Maiwand caused a sensation in Britain and Europe. High quality War Dogs gifts and merchandise. Center Parcs reoepning: Can you book a Center Parcs holiday and when does it reopen? The Maiwand Lion is a sculpture and war memorial in Forbury Gardens, in Reading. An’ some one shouted “‘Ook it!” an’ it come to sove-ki-poo, In a pre-emptive move, Burrows ordered the 1st Grenadiers to attack, but then cancelled the order even though the advance was making progress, fearing that the Grenadiers were suffering excessive casualties from the Afghan gunfire. All the horse, field and siege batteries were, from 1859, found by the British Royal Artillery. Universal Credit: When does the £20 uplift end? An’ the major cursed ‘is Maker ’cause ‘e lived to see that day, The 66th and the Grenadiers, pursued by large numbers of Afghans, crossed the ravine into Khig, where around a hundred officers and men made a stand in a garden on the edge of the village. The cavalry was armed with sword, lance and carbine, Martini-Henry for the British troopers, Snider for the Indian sowars. Bobbie, who was based at Brock Barracks with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, went to Afghanistan with the regiment and was present at the famous battle in 1880. ‘The Eleven’, the last stand of the 66th Regiment with Bobbie the dog at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. Visit our dedicated Podcast page or visit Podbean below. Saturday, September 5, 2020 Burrows sent Nuttall an order to charge the Afghans with his cavalry, in an attempt to restore the situation. The infantry fell back in two separate directions, the left wing retreating towards Mundabad, the right, comprising the 66th, the Sappers and Miners and most of the Grenadiers pushed towards the village of Khig. The only Indian artillery units allowed to exist after the Mutiny were the mountain batteries. But, Christ! Back in England, wearing a smart scarlet coat trimmed with fake pearls, the canine hero was presented to Queen Victoria, who apparently listened to his story with rapt attention, begged to see his back where he had been wounded and pinned the Afghan Medal on his collar. Soldiers of the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War. Footnote: On the afternoon of the 26th July information was received that the Afghan force was making for the Maiwand Pass a few miles away Burrows decided to move early the following day to break-up the Afghan advance guard. In the late 1870s, the British faced a Russian incursion into Afghanistan, which posed a threat to the Northwest Frontier of India. He permitted his force to advance into an exposed position and failed to press home the attack that might have retrieved the situation. There was no operational training for staff officers. The action appealed to the mood of nationalism which was prevalent in Victorian England at the time and inspired a poem to be written. At Ahmed Khel, General Stewart came close to disaster at the hands of an Afghan army with no guns. This was an insufficient number for units in which all tactical decisions of significance were taken by the British and was particularly inadequate for less experienced units. Burrows force passed the village of Mundabad and found it had reached a substantial ravine twenty-five feet deep, running along its front. 66th Regiment and E/B Battery Royal Horse Artillery at the beginning of the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Richard Caton Woodville. The two cavalry regiments, 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry and 3rd Scinde Horse marched out of Kandahar on 4th July 1880, followed by the infantry and guns the next day. Account of the Battle of Maiwand:  Every Indian regiment was commanded by British officers, in a proportion of some 7 officers to 650 soldiers, in the infantry. At the end of the Battle of Maiwand in 1880, Bobbie was the sole survivor amongst the British. An’ the colonel broke ‘is sword acrost, an’ cried. One of the Medals recipient was a dog named Bobbie. The Afghans cut down numbers of the Grenadiers, the Indian soldiers apparently too exhausted and demoralized to resist. The battery commander of the smooth bore battery, Captain Slade of the Royal Horse Artillery, received the CB for his conduct in the battle. Royal Horse Artillery on exercise in England: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Orlando Norie, British and Indian Regiments at the Battle of Maiwand:  Bobbie came to a sad end when he was run over and killed by a hansom cab in Gosport, Hampshire; the news of his death apparently reduced Queen Victoria to tears. ABOUT THE BOBBIE FIGURE The story goes that after being honoured by royalty, Bobbie apparently became a bit above himself and refused to fraternise with local dogs. Those donating £150 or more will receive a limited edition, solid sterling silver coin. Nor I don’t know where I went to, ’cause I didn’t ‘alt to see, Instead of taking up defensive positions along the ravine and in the village, Burrows ordered his force across the ravine into the open plain beyond. The escaping British and Indian troops and camp followers streamed up the road towards Kandahar, pursued by the Afghan cavalry. (the poem Kipling wrote to commemorate the experience of the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand). The Maiwand Lion, Forbury Gardens, Reading. Under the leadership of Ayub Khan, the Afghans defeated a much smaller force consisting of two brigades of British and Indian troops under Brigadier-General George Burrows; albeit at a high price: between 2,050 and 2,750 Afghan Pashtun warriors were killed, and probably about 1,500 wounded. The universal view seems to have been that the short service regiments were weaker both in fighting effectiveness and disease resistance than the long service. Certain Indian races were more suitable to serve as soldiers, went the argument, and those were, coincidentally, the races that had saved India for Britain. Prior to the Mutiny, the old regiments of the presidencies were recruited from the higher caste Brahmins, Hindus and Muslims of the provinces of central and eastern India, principally Oudh. He very kindly consented to an interview to explain the background to the project, his research, and the process. It were just a bloomin’ knock-out — an’ our fault! The British infantry carried the single shot, breech loading, .45 Martini-Henry rifle. "However, it is a superb opportunity for people to say thank you to all the animals that died for us.". ... Bobbie the dog. Combatants at the Battle of Maiwand: British troops and Indian troops of the Bombay Army against Afghan regular troops and tribesmen. The Battle of Maiwand took place in the second Afghan war and pits the British and Indians against the tribal irregulars and Afghan forces. E Battery, B Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, earned 2 Victoria Crosses and 8 Distinguished Conduct Medals for its conduct during the battle and the retreat. Burrows failed to take into account the effect of the conditions. 2014 - A book about Maiwand. Above is a pic of Lt. Universal Credit: Everyone who is eligible for £500 working tax credits payment following budget announcement, A new one-off payment will replace the temporary increase in working tax credits, Pangbourne: The Berkshire village where Led Zeppelin was formed and everyone loves to live. • Greyfriars Bobby (1855–1??? Ayub’s army comprised regular Afghan regiments from Kabul and Herat, the Wali’s force which had deserted to him and Afghan tribesmen, making the force up to around 12,000 men, including 3,000 cavalry. 8 officers and 169 men were wounded. He was taken prisoner and later rejoined the remnants of the regiment in Kandahar. Another Baden–Powell anecdote of the battle was of the Roman Catholic chaplain of the 66. If you are too busy to read the site, why not download a podcast of an individual battle and listen on the move! An’ that was all we gained by doin’ so. A similar proportion of Bengal Cavalry regiments disappeared. At Maiwand the Afghans had an overwhelming advantage in gun numbers and quality and in Jacob’s Rifles, one third of his infantry strength, Burrows had a seriously inadequate unit, insufficiently officered and with many of the men almost untrained recruits. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. After Ayub Khan’s defeat, the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment returned to England via Karachi and Bombay, ... A century ago, the battle of Maiwand was fresh in … The pieces or counters are found on the card inserted in this magazine and must be cut apart. The amazing story of Bobbie, the bravest dog of war, as told in a British soldier's diary of a bloody battle in Afghanistan 130 years ago. Now there ain’t no chorus ‘ere to give, The two companies of Jacob’s Rifles on the left fled, leaving the flank of the 1st Grenadiers wholly exposed. Size of the armies at the Battle of Maiwand: 2,500 British and Indian troops with 6 RHA guns and 6 smooth bore guns against 3,000 Afghan cavalry and 9,000 infantry with 6 batteries of artillery (36 guns). The Afghan artillery’s effectiveness significantly influenced the battle, constantly pushing forward to the line of British infantry. The Battle of Maiwand was the first major engagement of the war fought by the Bombay Army. Would you relocate to one of these areas? The papers ‘id it ‘andsome, but you know the Army knows; The advance across the open plain exposed the British/Indian left flank; the threat from the enveloping Afghan cavalry causing Burrows to move two companies of Jacob’s Rifles to this flank and bolstering them with two of the smooth bore guns on their left, between Jacob’s Rifles and the troops of the baggage guard. 3rd Queen’s Own (Bombay Cavalry) At the battle of Maiwand, on the 27th, he was one of the three officers present with the colours who came out unhurt. Overwhelmed, the survivors withdrew through Khig, with a second stand in a walled garden. ‘Ole companies was lookin’ for the nearest road to slope; No, there wasn’t more than twenty when the front begun to go; Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. According to local sources, this was also supposed to be her wedding day and as one flag bearer fell wounded, Malalai raised the flag during the battle. Uniforms, arms and equipment at the Battle of Maiwand: Or seen what I seed that day! 1st Grenadiers (Bombay Army) We made it out a favour if an order was obeyed; An’ they gave us each a medal for subduin’ England’s foes, bronze statues of two heavily-laden pack mules, a horse and a dog. Hi, In my last blog entry I talked a little about the scenic item/diorama of the Battle of Maiwand I was working on and why (you can read about it HERE).Well, since then I've finished a unit of 8 Afghans byWargames Foundry and 11 Brits including an NCO and Officer from Artizan Designs.The fist pics to go with the diorama will be the Afghans. The Indian regiments that invaded Afghanistan in 1878, although mostly from the Bengal Army, were predominantly recruited from the martial races; Jats, Sikhs, Muslim and Hindu Punjabis, Pathans, Baluchis and Gurkhas. Many of the soldiers had nothing to eat that day and the supply of water failed early in the battle. Anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Maiwand: Queen Victoria presenting campaign medals to soldiers of the 66th and to ‘Bobbie the Dog’: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War, Royal Horse Artillery in England: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Orlando Norie, Sergeant Mullane of E/B Battery Royal Horse Artillery winning the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Harry Payne, Lion in Forbury Gardens, Reading, commemorating the dead of the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 and in Southern Afghanistan in the Second Afghan War, ‘Bugle Pub’ in Central Reading commemorates the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 and in Southern Afghanistan in the Second Afghan War, Scene of the last stand of the 66th Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Henry John Nuthall, Bengal Staff Corps 1880. The British Army overcame the mutineers with the assistance of the few loyal regiments of the Bengal Army and the regiments of the Bombay and Madras Presidencies, which, on the whole, did not mutiny. ‘Last request’: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Harry Payne. Bobbie actually joined in the battles, fearlessly attacking any enemy soldier. the battle of Maiwand. Saving the wounded at the Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by Lady Butler. Bombay Grenadiers: Battle of Maiwand on 26th July 1880 in the Second Afghan War: picture by A.C. Lovett. You can unsubscribe at any time. But Bobbie survived the … In the early afternoon, the guns ceased firing and a mass of Afghan tribesman charged the British/Indian infantry line. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. The infiltration of the Afghan cavalry between the fighting line and the baggage prevented the supply of food, water and ammunition and the rescue of casualties. Above is a photo of Ayub Khan - the Aghan tribal leader who defeated the British and the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment at the Battle of Maiwand in 1880. An’ I wish I was dead ‘fore I done what I did, We was lyin’ up like rabbits all about the countryside; Battle of Maiwand is played using the mapboard in the center of this issue of WARGAMIING. The first phase of the battle comprised an artillery duel; the Afghans out-shooting the British, having a greater number of more modern and heavier guns, including six state-of-the-art Armstrong guns.