"Never trust anyone on the Frontier" an ...epic NWF Campaign

[CPT Shanks]

Colonel Pyotr "Petya" Pomelov looked out across the saddle to the far rise.  In his months long campaign from Tashkent he had managed to avoid any British patrols. Now his luck had run out.  The winter crossing if the Hindu Kush had left his men bedraggled and nearly starved.  His plan had been to ccupy the village of Dusi to allow his men respite from the campaign. On the heights above Dusi, within view of the mighty Indus, he now squared off with a belligerent patrol of British.

Major Rory "Young Bob" Hill sat, disgruntled about his mission to garrison the fort at Gilgit while its force rode to glorious fame and the relief of Chitral.  Now as he sat with this Pundit trying to warn him of a sizeable Russian force riding with impunity through Her Majesty's territory, his ire rose to a point that he could no longer contain himself.
"This insult must be answered!"
"But sir your orders are to.."
"Orders be damned!" Major Hill interjected.  "Rawalpindi is too caught up in this Chitral affair to be concerned about Tzarist incursions at our back door.  I shall put a stop to this at once. Telegraph Abbottabad immediately and tell them I have received my orders and recognize my duty. Make no mention of the Russians, and I will deliver this upstart Tsarist to the Colonel myself. " With that, he stormed from the mud hut and gathered his commanders and briefed them on the updated mission.

Major Hill arrayed his force on the southern rise of the saddle. He could make out three units supported by a six pounder, "how in the hell did they get that gun up here" he'd muttered to himself. "No matter just one more prize for the General's collection after today. I guess I should be asking how in the hell I'm going to get it to Rawalpindi?"

He initiated his attack by sending his Lancers up either side of the draw in a classic pincer envelopment. Unbeknownst to him the Russians had deployed two units in the wadis coming off of the rise to protect his flanks. On the western slopes the Lancers met a hail of fire not only from the units on the high ground, but also the newly revealed troops in the wadi.  Weathering the storm of Lead they crashed I to the Russian line. Bayonet met Lance, and the Russians, after months on campaign against the steppe tribes, held their own against the lancers inflicting numerous casualties against man and horse.

The Russian units converged on the embattled Lancers and cut them down in short order with a strike into their flank.


From the wadi on the eastern slope a unit of Cossacks opened fire on the second unit of lancers. Undeterred the lancers charged home and closed with the cossacks. The fierce fighting was back and forth but at great cost to their  patrol, the lancers prevailed and drove the cossacks from the field.


During the close quarter suarre "Young Bob" closed on the eastern flank and took control of his units of Welshmen and attempting to force the Russians atop the hill.  The cannon fired on the red coated Kings Own, cutting a swath through the stalwarts, who pressed on undaunted.

Buoyed by the success of his lancers "Young Bob" leads a charge up the rise into the waiting rifles of formed Russian line infantry, and the business end of the 6 pounder.

"SEIZE THE GUN BOYS!"
The POW Fusiliers charged up the hill whilst the Kings Own fired into the Russian line.


The fierce fighting eventually broke the Russians and the reformed preparing to take the final prize. The gun, no longer blocked by their own men opened up with shot and point blank range erasing the Kings Own.

A second Russian unit crested the rise and fired a hail of lead into the fusiliers.
Enraged by the loss of their comrades the Whelshmen charged headlong into the gun and the Russian commander.
Lt Reginald "Reggie" Chapman spotted more Russian line advancing across the face of the saddle and diverted his attack according. "Let the infantrymen handle that gun, our fight is there!" With that he charged his lancers across the saddle and into the closing Russians.
Fired on by two companies Lt Reggie crashed into the lead unit, his impetus broken, and the Russians made short work of the once proud lancers.
On the crest of the rise the Russian gunners fought like bears against the fusiliers.
The remnants of a Russian line unit joined the fracas only to be driven back during fierce, bloody engagement but in the end the clearing smoke found the Russians triumphant.

With that Major Rory "Young Bob" Hill rode up to the Russian commander his sword drawn. "Sir, you have fought the better fight today, I salute you. I offer you my sword in exchange for my ability to recover my men from the field of battle." Colonel Pyotr Pomelov Eyed the young British officer. "Keep your sword you may need it in the near future. Collect your wounded and dead and return to Abbottabad.  These are my terms, clearly you are in no position deny them."
With that the defeated officer turned his horse south.

[Mad Guru]

Holy jackhole, my good man... I fear there will be an awful row back home about this.

[Otrebla]

I think that sher Kahn shold not divide his powerful army,postponing the march southward after storming Shewa

[giorgio]

Spinwam surroundings: the prologue
Slowly and lazily the long caravan is leaving Spinwam starting its long journey to North Chitral and from there to central Asia.
   
Men are nervous and worried by many voices and tales coming from North; a new enemy is coming and that means only one word: WAR!
But now more urgent and close dangers are overwhelming their minds. After Zangal Khel victory, Kuki Khel tribesmen are divided by following Abdul Haq, traditional leader and hero in many battles who was routed in the last one, and the emerging Kaalindi Khan, the winner of the last battle.
   
This internal feud has already provided its poisoned fruits: no men followed Wali Khan Northward and Allison could storm Shewa.
A lone merchant is joining the caravan.
   
“Bacha old kabuli” the bashi said “even the desert jackals refused to eat your flea covered meat”
“Awalmir always busy with your traffic with your lords, dog of the Anglez? Your cafila seems well defended and perhaps I could accept your pray to join it for safe returning to Spinwam”
“ah ah what news are you providing from the north, you as lier as all kabuli?”
   
“bad news brother, but they could be reversed, as per Ruler will, always blessed the holy name of Tsatf”
“Pay attention or only your head will return to Spinwam, here it is full of Waziri infidels, devoted to TMWWBK, cursed the name of Osprey” Awalmir replied spitting on the ground
     
“They are becoming more arrogant every day, especially now that I have heard of an important victory by their allies in the North”
“I cannot understand how could they ally with those goray-log!”
“Awalmir, they are enemies of Sahib Ferenghees and so waziri friends, and I cannot totally disagree with it”
“hmmm we all want one thing, that Ferenghees go home, shit of a seven legs pork must return over the mountains where they came from, Anglez are few, arrrogant and stupid. Dar Arid, soon they will be totally destroyed by Sher Khan.”
“Perhaps, if that is the Ruler’s will. But now they are powerfully entrenched in Shewa and Sher Khan has not yet decided how proceeding.
   
Last news told that Wali is pressing his father to be appointed in charge of the Afridis controlling Shewa surroundings, as he pretends that he was essential for capturing the hostages that will bring money and gold, and he could have reached a total victory if Narinder Khan’s Ghazi had overwhelmed the Ferenghees, But this has brought to a new alliance between Narinder and other Khans friends of him with Bajadur who seems blessed by Ruler’s favour. And Hasan Khan is chomping at the bit as he feels he is the best of those warriors and, if appointed leader, could sweep off the Ferenghees in few weeks.”
But paraphrasing Tito Livio  “dum Romae consulitur… Spinwam expugnatur”
   
“You see Terence, our quick move has provided the first fruits and now Spinwam, or what is remained, is returned under our control. Now we can move towards Shewa and encircle Sher’s bandits!”
“Sir Kuki Khel have disappeared, scared by our arrival.”
“Yes, now Kuki Khel will learn the hard lesson, they will follow our rules!”
   

[giorgio]

Towards Spinwam
Out of a little house in the surroundings of a miserable village two well known Kuki Khel Khans are discussing.

“Abdul Haq Khan, tribesmen are murmuring, your decision to retreat has been a disaster”
“Kaalindi how do you dare? Retreating was the only option to avoid to be pinned and destroyed by Ferenghees” Abdul Haq roared back

“Spinwam has been lost and burnt, now warriors claim to fight back and retake it!” Kaalindi Khan insisted
“Nicholson is an old lion, cunning and dangerous. His pardesi have defeated many Waziri tribes and now they want to repeat the same here”
“But we are not coward Waziri! We are Afridi, Kuki Khel Afridi”
“Kaalindi if we pull the lion’s tail, the Anglez will ring the revenge bell. Ferghisi are so many and joining Sher Khan reinforcements might be a medicine worse than the disease. Now we’ll march towards Spinwam and try to cut Anglez’s communication lines waiting to exploit any opportunity”


“We have to run because Anglez communicate very quickly with their strange mirrors and probably they already know about Shewa battle retreat! They will retreat and avoid our punishment”
“An old Pashtun proverb says that since I can't harm you so I will kill your father.

“We’ll wait that Pardesi, may the Ruler curse all of them, spread out into wider area and then our tulwars will be red of their blood. We prepare an ambush that will destroy all the Anglez and we’ll take back Spinwam without Sher Khan’s involvement. And this area will be ruled by Kuki Khel only!”
“Although there are many roads, for men there is only one and  the straightest is attack and kill them” Kaalindi proudly replied, strong of his rising popularity after his last battle brilliant performance.

Abdul Haq put his hand on the tulwar but stopped and said mellifluously:
“Kaalindi, you will have your revenge, true men are not Ruler, but are not without Ruler, may He bless our weapons. The clod does not miss the dock-eared dog and we’ll need all our warriors to stand against Sher Khan’s Qambar Afridi and Powinda’s Waziris after destroying the Anglez. So not rush straight forward but ambush them and kill with no loss.” And he thought: after next fight you will be no more a problem, dead man.

In the meantime, in Spinwam two English officers are discussing next move.
“Sir, there is no sign of Afridi, Colonel Nicholson” Capt Fowles said blatantly
“Yes Terence, but we must be cautious to avoid surprises, tomorrow morning we’ll move all together to patrol the area cleaning it by Afridi turbulence before deciding next move”

[Umra Khan]

HUNZA CAMPAIGN
On reaching the outpost of Chalt Capt. McKenzie was informed that strong groups of tribesmen were gathering around the stronghold of Nilt.

Captain  McKenzie after two days stop in Chalt start the march towards Nilt.
The small body of operations winds like a long snake in the narrow valley of the Hunza River.



In the lead a small contingent of Gurkha to act as explorer

then gradually all the other units, Zibbib, Flashy and his Pathans are close to the avant-garde together with the Bengal Sappers and Miners, ready to lead the way ... in Zibbib's head a single fixed thought... disengage from this stupid military mission, take Maa Din and escape to the mountains.
This idea is the main topic of conversations with Flashy...
Flashy we have to find an opportunity to unhook, take Maa Din and get away from these crazy ...

Pukka Sahib Zibbib, I believe that the right opportunity may present itself during the attack on the fortress of Nilt, in the confusion of the battle we take Maa Din and run away, I have already given instructions to our faithful Gurkha ...
And then off to the mysterious and legendary city of Sust...

A city mentioned by many but seen by a select few…lost in the valleys of the Pamir, with its houses perched on the mountains, its gardens, its printing works…among these also the printing house of El Osprey inside a gilded palace owned by Ibn Mersei a rich trafficker of the Pamir who deals with business of various kinds with the Rusky…

The Nilt Fort

To be continued…

[giorgio]

Spinwam surroundings battle prelude

Abdul Haq Khan stared Kaalindi Khan
“I have taken the decision: we’ll go southward to Spinwam and get the victory without Sher Khan’s help. “
Kaalindi didn’t answer looking in front of him, elusively.
“Go Kaalindi and inform the other Khans, we’ll leave in an hour”


After receiving the new command, Saddam khan seat long time thinking to next move consequences. They could destroy the Anglez getting glory for Abdul Haq, or at least revenging last brutal and ferocious actions by the Ferenghees, where Kaalindi Khan could gain more glory to be able to undermine Abdul Haq’s leadership, or it could be the time that the best warrior shows himself as the natural leader of all Kuki Khek Afridi.

One hour is passed and the sun is rising in the cold air erasing the mist

Two armies are marching on the same direction, unaware of the close presence of the enemy. Colonel Nicholson and Abdul Haq Khan: at sunset only one will be the winner!

[CPT Shanks]

Enough with the suspenseful build up. Now let us see the battle.

[Mad Guru]

As a great (& ugly) man named Tuco once said: “If you’re gonna shoot, shoot, don’t talk!”

[giorgio]

On Saturday Col Nicholson’s gallant troops and Abdul Haq’s tribal ruthless units will meet, unaware of their kismet.


The sword's fellowship is sweet, but east and west will meet out of Spinwam, or more probably in Genoa at Garibaldi’s club.


In the meantime Mulehead has many eyes and they are vigilant and he is ready to exploit any good opportunity should appear from the battle…

[CPT Shanks]

One does not simply walk into Spinwam without falling under the baleful eyes of the Mighty Mulehead, who, by his own hand and guile, will one day rise to Emir.

[giorgio]

My son, the day I will be the new Amir, if this will be Osprey will, all Pashtun will play only with TMWWBK and you'll inherit all Mad Guru's oppressed lands. But let us see what will happen next Saturday: the worst could be the best...Pashtunwali will lead the
path...

[Mad Guru]

Oh Evil Fakiri, Twisted Ruler of the Mule Hordes, to my eyes & ears and those of the LAFers hereabouts, your words of wisdom most resemble a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma.  Mayhaps I can get you to explain their intended meaning to my loyal retainers in the coming days… when they make their devout presence within your camp known in the most abrupt manner.

[giorgio]

The Battle of Spinwam surroundings

Nicholson looked at the poor miserable buildings in front of his troops, separated by only few acres of poor rough terrain. On the west a dry river bed signaled the borders for his advancing troops as an alert to not daring furtherly going on.

“Dawes and Percy, you will go to size and entrench those buildings”
“Entrench Sir? I supposed we were going up to Shewa to relieve our comrades as quick as possible.”
Nicholson interrupted sharply the captain “Terence you are supposed to suppose only what is allowed by your orders. And I decide your orders”
“Sir sure sir, I didn’t mean…”
“Stop it, it’s ok , now with your lancers patrol the west of the buildings and try to scout any trace of ruffians.”

Then changing the volume of his voice “And you Stephan, you and your Gourkha will remain ready to support passing through this broken area”
At this pont a lancers galloped back shouting here they are, hundreds of them, they are coming!”

Abdul Haq Khan stared Kaalindi Khan explaining his battle plan:
“I have taken the decision: Saddam will go to occupy the buildings, I will attack on our left and you will take the longer road, east of the river, to complete the encirclement and Ferenghees destruction.” 

Kaalindi didn’t answer looking as always in front of him, thinking
“So you want all the honors for the victory, but perhaps you are underestimating how quick my warriors can be, we’ll complete the encirclement and take the victory just before you can grab it”



Irregular troops are the first to enter in the buildings but the British fire, pinning the irregular warriors in the building.
In that moment an hawk is flying just over Abdul Haq Khan’s warriors going towards the broken ground and from the poor vegetation Abdul sees another one trying to attack him, but after few seconds he routs southwards.
“A sign, El Osprey sent this sign as a prophecy for our triumph!” And all his men charge like wolfes in a sheep herd and destroy the Pioneer, but losing 5 warriors. Only Lt Roland Percy with a surviving trooper find a safe repair behind the Gurkha unit.

But Gourkha were indifferent and cooly take the aim
“Fire” Capt Hall shouted
“Fire” Havildar Gurung replied pointing his kukri towards advancing Afridi,  and immediately a devasting fire killed other 9 warriors routing Abdul Haq and his bodyguard. A good start, a unit despatched but the second rout from battle in a row!




Enthusiastic for witnessing this success the Yorkshire boys continued to pin irregulars and Saddam Khan retreats to avoid a cavalry charge.
The fire on cavalry by Kim Khan and Kaalindi Khan is ineffective and in the houses the irregulars retreat under British fire.


Hit by Naag khan’s fire, Fowles charge the warriors hidden in the river bed and it is a butcher, Fowles run away and the lancers are not anymore an effective unit.
All the tribal unit charge the Yorkshire entrenched in the hose but they are all soundly defeated in their piece meal attacks.





Helped by Gourkha fire the British inflict heavy losses to Afridi, but at the end the irregulars’ fire obtains their retreat from the village.


Ghourka stands and save the day refusing the passage to the scattered Afridi units, shaken by the loss of two important veteran leaders: Saddam Khan and Naag Khan.



The loss of Saddam Khan will be regretted by all the surrounding villages, whose economy was well sustained by the important buying of opium significative quantities.
The Raj rally in Spinwam while Afridi return to the hills waiting for Sher Khan next move… For sure no reinforcements are arriving from South to Shewa entrenched troops.

The Gourkha units. This really is some story.
Who would have known here one day the crew
Would cry “Mother mine!”, burning with tears at your sorrow, …
Land of martyrs! Farewell! Farewell to glory!
This wretched today bows his head to you

And those Gurkhas steadfast fire
You can thank your Gods, even Kali
And shout 'Ayo Gurkhali! '
Death to Abdul Haq Khan!
Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gurkhali'

Poem by R.Winkie (later used in many Gurkha poems) from “Peshawar  barracks ballads”

[Mad Guru]

I have it on good account from the Peshawar Tribune correspondent in Genoa that the visually-splendid action described above did in fact result in.............

(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)------------------------------------(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)------------------------------------(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)------------------------------------(DRUM ROLL PLEASE)------------------------------------

.............A DRAW.