1895 battle between a British expeditionary force and Chitrali tribesmen
The Battle of Malakand pass took place in the Malakand Pass between a British expeditionary force commanded by Robert Low, a General of the British Indian Army against tribal Chitralis during the Chitral Expedition.[2][3][4][5]
Background
Following the siege on Chitral Fort by Chitrali forces led by Umra Khan, British authorities in India organised a military relief force, numbering at around 16,000 British and Indian soldiers, to push back the rebel tribesman laying siege to the fort. In order for the relief force to reach the fort, they had to cross over the Malakand Pass to reach into the Swat and Jandol areas. The British had limited geographical information on the area and had to travel over mountain paths to reach their destination, encountering hostile tribesmen along the way.[6]
The Battle
British forces had encamped below the Malakand pass by early April. Initially, the pass was defended by only a few rebel tribesmen. However, once the British intention became clear, considerable numbers of additional tribesmen made their way to the mountain pass, numbering in the thousands.[6]
The battle took place over the course of five hours on 3 April 1895, when British and Indian forces began to fight their way up the mountain pass, with artillery supporting their movements from nearby mountain tops. By this time, an estimated 12,000 tribesmen, half of which were armed with firearms, were defending the pass. Over the course of five hours, 11 British soldiers and over 500 tribesmen were killed.[6]
Aftermath
Following the battle, the tribal forces retreated to the Swat valley and were pursued by the British Bedford regiment and the British-Indian 37th Dogras regiment as far as Khar, Bajaur.[6]
References
