The soldiers oppressed,
By both nature and tribesmen.
Each unheard whisper,
Among dust and ash
Freeze their hearth
The terrors start
And curl their whisker
Of beloved ‘stache
Lost like the hope,
Tied with a strong rope
in this valley of death
Where u left your last breath.
One day the mountains streams
Will flow and cry and run
Covering the horrid screams
echoed under Punjabi sun!
Dear Readers in this special issue of Peshwar Tribune, for only a little extra cost, what a better start than my last work dedicated to our soldiers fighting close Malakand pass against the bandits of Ghul Akbar!
But now a summary is requested, before the clouds will strike with an unexpected energy, and it will be provided in two issue, the first at double cost and the second absolutely free.
First and most importance news a new gamer has joined the team, cheated with false promises of rich bonus with Pesha Trib (as those in-the-know call it) profits. Welcome to Rhingyll!
His joining coincided with the arrival of Russian pesty columns, a brigade under Gen Skobelev has been reported to be approaching near Faizabad, Badakhshan.
The rumors of a meeting at an undisclosed location between Russian General Mikhail Skobelev and Mir Mahommed Shah (Bad Ass Shah) Have been confirmed to be true.
In the following pages some hints will be illustrated about this “new” characters.
Close to Malakand Pass Ghul Akbar is ready for a big battle in Dargai.
Our new reporter Mr Crisp, just arrived from England, has provided a detailed story
about an ambush on a RHA coming to enforce our brigade and marching for our Dargai Cantonments.
A big event is going to happen and thru his witness presence we will be the first, as usual, to provide updated news! Maj-Gnl. Basil "Smokey" Whitsend (we didn’t dare asking him how he acquired that particular nickname during the Great Mutiny), accompanied by his Political Officer Captain Alexander "Teetotaler" Crane are ready to provide a good lessons to the Black Mountain bandits to write another glorious page on the benefit of civilization, at least for the few survivals
Pickets are cleaning the hills to protect the brigade, among them the 9th Gurkha are the most effective.
Not too far Brig. Gen. Ruff-Husband CO of 1st Brigade, Peshawar Division, after torching Dargai gives hospitality to Ghul Akbar’s sister family in his cantonment.
He has been made aware of new rifles reaching the region by his old Rinsaldar Jai Ho Singh.
Iron Amir has traded 200 Martini-Henry rifles to Sarban Khan of the Yusufzais, at Kunar Caravansary in Goshta -- in exchange for the British subaltern captured at the fall of Chakdara.
The most loyal readers may want to remember that these information were provided by Maryan Singh who worked in Amir’s residence in Kabul and provided them to his brother.
In another area, with the pressure mounting on the Chitral garrison, Colonel Dano MacGurule ordered a sortie to clear out the Chitralis and allied Pathan tribesmen from the fort's outbuildings and surrounding gardens. The tribesmen have been sniping the defenders from sangers they had built in the vicinity of the fort, as well as from the gardens walls, and from the fort’s outbuildings
Deadly accurate artillery fire killed and drove off several of the Pathan defenders. But the siege is still on…
Chitral Field Force Brigades wants pacify the boiling situation.
1st Brigade:
Political Officer 1st Lieutenant Reginal Lowell and his Gurkha escort has moved ahead of 1st Brigade to negotiate provisions and safe passage for his brigade. Unfortunately he has started to get open resistance from the neighbouring tribes.
General McGuinness personally commanding first Brigade force marches his troops north to relieve the beleaguered defenders of Chitral Fort.
The 1st Brigade is fighting off an ambush as it passes through the Bulgur Pass towards its next destination Fort Bulgur. Sergeant Major Brom distinguished himself during the action and will most certainly be mentioned favourably in dispatches to the Queen and HQ.
2nd Brigade:
Colonel R. Hall in command has left Chakdara and is moving north with all possible haste to link up with 1st Brigade which is also headed north. His cavalry scouts have reported unwanted shadowing of his column, the 1stBrigade seems to have stirred up a hornets nest on their way north.
Ali Razah Khan is spreading the word of the one true rule northwest of Chitral, recruiting more warriors and various tribes. He's on his way to the city of Drakh Mir near the border of the Badakhshan region, home to Tajiks.
Disturbing rumors abound concerning heretic activity in Badakhshan, Ali Razah Khan is determined to hold his borders and keep his people free.
Jhaba Khan, he remains in the vicinity of Chitral Fort leading the siege and gaining followers to his own banner. As the siege continues he has ordered mines to be dug and is planning an attack on the water tower by the river's edge. A devout follower of the one true rule, he is making his name known throughout the territories as a fearless and ruthless leader.
In Waziristan close to Jandola a deadly battle was won by Gen. John C.Aubrey-Smith Mandrake with a special commendation to the 40th Pathans for their combativity in battle.
Gen. Mandrake decided to return to Tank HQ, by now the situation in South Waziristan has been pacified,
Mulehead has suffered a very hard defeat and his leader El Quartah is on rout with very few faithful in tow;
with 5 of his 6 units massacred or en route the coward El Quartah could only leave the battlefield, he hoped for the arrival of Zarin or the Bunerwals who had promised to fight with the Waziris....
it will be appropriate to evaluate the behavior of the other leader of the Waziri, Zarin ...but the readers can find more details on this in the internal pages.
In Thal area 2 episodes very awful must be reported. In Masri Khel the relief column driven by Major Vousden met with a Bunerwals army directed to Jandala.
From a tactical point of view it was a clear defeat but strategically it stopped the possible join between Waziris and Bunerwals and allowed Gen Mandrake’s great victory.
Unfortunately this delayed the time for the sieged units in Thal.
Col. Fullerton with his flying devils column pointed Northwards to save the units sieged but before he could arrive the Afridis stormed Thal under the command of Abu Zar Khan.
Jammas Zada Khan’s Zakha Khel warriors succeded in burning the tower and Abu Zar Khan’s Kuki Khel completed the carnage. Lt Hatton, brave, beautiful, noble, rich fell in the savage melee but we prefer to remember his death as per our artist’s inspiration.
Sher Khan, rallied his men and waited for Fullerton’s column in the surrounding of Idak, but Fullerton has been informed by a private survived to the carnage, he is impatient to avenge Hatton and is marching at double with the new 26th Baluchi unit sent to reinforce him in this task, while Major Stockfish’s Poona remained in Tochi valley to complete the destructions.
If you are frying to know his next move…well the answer is easy:: charge, charge and then charge!
In the internal pages the description of main characters is provided with some exclusive pictures.
Tisi is the situation about Khans last reported location:
Much more in the internal pages about many “who” in the NWF….and all for only few annas more!!!
TO BE CONTINUED…