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During the latter half of the Nineteenth Century, the British Empire found itself in a constant state of perilous adventure on the Northern borders of India as it tried to protect the Jewel of the Empire from various external threats. One of these provinces bordering India, the was the independant fiefdom of Kalabar, ruled by the Khasi of Kalabar. While seemingly friendly to the British, the Khasi had for sometime been building up his troops with help from foreign advisors. German, French and Russian military advisors had been seen in the Kalabar capital of Jaxee. For several years the Khasi has been spending a small fortune on modernising his standing army, and though well dressed and equipped, their fighting prowess was questionable. His household guard even copied the British highland troops and wore kilts made from tablecloths to try and emmulate the 'Devils in Skirts'. Kalabar had been allowed to remain independant as it acted as a buffer to the warlike Burpa tribe to the north of the province and as it sat upon several vital trade routes it seemed unwise to plunge the area into chaos. For several years peace reign on this area of the frontier and British troop numbers dwindled. The Khasi of KalabarHowever the British began to grow concerned when Burpa fighters began raiding trade caravans heading for India. While those destined for Kalabar seemed unmolested on the whole, those enroute for India suffered heavy losses. The Khasi offered to settle the problem for the British and launched a major offensive with his troops against the Burpa in return for yet more guns and equipment. After several months of fighting, little was achieved and trade was still effected with many merchants reluctant to travel the routes. With the Khasi and his men unable to quell the Burpas, the British opted to send in a force with which to put down the Burpas once and for all. Bungdit Din - The fearsome Burpa leaderTo lead the expedition, the British selected the respected Sir Sidney Rough-Diamond, recently returned from putting down the Jade Dragon uprising in Tingtong. He, along with his aide Major Shorthouse and the local British commander Captain Keene, assembled a small but potent force on the border with Kalabar. After short negotiations, the Khasi allowed them passage to head for the Burpa tribal lands in tthe north of Kalabar. Sir Sidney Rough-Diamond quizzes Private Widdle while Major Shorthouse, Captain Keene and Sgt-Major MacNutt look onHowever, unknown to the British the Khasi was in fact in league with the Burpa chieftain, Bungdit Din, and were luring the British into a trap. They hoped to defeat a British force, massacre them and then rise up in revolt against the Empire and take India for themselves! The masterful plan would however go wrong almost from the start thanks to information from a local Missionary , Brother Belcher, who brought word of the treachery as Sir Sidney's force arrived on the outskirts of Jaxee. While the British tried to rally more troops in India, Sir Sidney was forced to fight a campaign with little help from India against overwhelming numbers. Only British pluck, and tiffin, would see them through the dark days ahead...From A History of the Campaign in Kalabar by Talbot Rothwell
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