by Kiran Nirvan
To this day, on 12 September every year, this memorial hosts a religious congregation in the morning followed by a reunion of ex-servicemen in the evening.
The memorial gurudwara in Firozpur
Along with the gurdwaras in Amritsar and Firozpur, a cairn was built at the site of Saragarhi.
An old photograph of the cairn built by the British Indian government at the site of the Battle of Saragarhi
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Even in the entire gamut of operations being carried out under the Tirah Campaign, when newspapers and editorials were flooded with dispatches from their battlefield correspondents, the noteworthy pens could not keep from writing the mentions about the epic Battle of Saragarhi that had awed the British Empire in India.
1Singh, Harinder, (Retd) Vice Admiral, Sikh Soldier Volume 5.
2Bedi, Harchand Singh, ‘Saragarhi will live forever in the golden pages of Sikh history’, www.panthic.org.
3The Times, 17 April 1902.
4Slim, John Douglas, ‘Second Annual “Portraits of Courage” Lecture’ hosted by the Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Trust, London: The Imperial War Museum.
5Yate, Major A.C., The Life of Lieutenant-Colonel John Haughton, London: John Murray, 1900.
6Yate, Major A.C., The Life of Lieutenant-Colonel John Haughton, London: John Murray, 1900.
7London Gazette, Issue 26937, pp. 863–864, Fort William: 11 February 1898.
12
The Tirah Expedition
‘When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.’
– The Young British Soldier, Rudyard Kipling
In the nineteenth century, the North West Frontier Province was notoriously unstable, particularly in the year 1897. The attack on the Samana Forts and the fall of the Saragarhi post served as the last straw for the British Indian government, who had long been dealing with skirmishes with the tribes that lived in the unforgiving mountains surrounding Tirah. Before long, the tables in Generals’ offices were covered with maps and blow-ups; rifles were cleaned and distributed with on-weapon ammunition; and the lamps burnt longer than usual in the chambers of unit and sub-unit commanders as exhaustive planning for the Tirah Campaign began. The campaign was aimed to exact reparation from the Afridis and the Orakzais for their unprovoked aggression on the Peshawar-Kohat border, and for their attacks on British frontier posts. The British deployed fighting columns to the North West Frontier as a part of the campaign and when they had won their pitched battles, they forced Afghan guerrilla fighters to enter into open warfare by destroying houses and crops. After the tribes had been punished enough, they were forced to enter an agreement of peace. However, the Tirah campaign, considered as the biggest deployment after the revolt of 1857, proved to be one of the most difficult battles fought by the British Indian Army.
The G.O.C.C. dated 8 October 1897 depicts the intent with which the government wished to launch an expedition in the Tirah Valley1:
The Government of India have lived at peace with the Afridi tribe and made an agreement with them, under which the British forts in the Khyber were entrusted to their care. Allowances were paid to the tribe, and arms were issued so that they might be strong in their alliance and friendship with the Government of India, and have the means of forcing turbulent persons to keep the peace. Without any provocation the Afridis, in conjunction with other tribes, have broken their alliance with the British Government, and have attacked and destroyed the forts which their tribe had engaged to guard. Further, they have waged war against our garrisons on the Samana and elsewhere, killing some of the soldiers in the British service, and causing great loss of property. The British Government, confident in its power, cannot sit down quietly under such defiance and outrages, and has been forced by the wanton acts of the Afridis themselves to inflict punishment on them in their own country, and to send a force into Tirah to exact reparation for what has lately taken place. The Afridi soldiers in the service of the Government have given proofs of their loyalty, devotion, and courage on many a hard-fought field, and the value of their services has been fully appreciated by the Government of India. After the most careful consideration of the circumstances connected with the Tirah expedition, the Government of India have decided to show consideration to those Afridi soldiers who wish to keep their engagements, and to excuse them from service in the campaign which the Government have been forced to wage against their fellow-tribesmen. On these grounds alone it has been determined that Afridi soldiers who are serving in the regiments detailed for service on the Peshawar – Kohat border, are not to be employed near the Tirah frontier at the present time, but their services will be utilised elsewhere. The necessary orders to this effect will at once issue. As far as possible care will be taken that the property of those who have not taken part in the raids on British territory is neither confiscated nor destroyed during the time that our troops are engaged in the Orakzai or Afridi territory. This order is to be read and carefully explained to all Afridi soldiers belonging to regiments detailed for service on the Peshawar-Kohat border.
Hence, battle lines had been drawn, signalling the start of a series of hard-fought battles.
A map of the Tirah Campaign
The Battle of Dargai
By October 1897, after enduring several unprovoked attacks by Afghan tribesmen, the British finally decided to retaliate. The tribesmen had been able to forecast the intended route of the British transport columns since a road up to Chagru Kotal was constantly being improved upon by the British. As a consequence, they had occupied the village of Dargai and the Narik spur along the western boundary of the Chagru Valley, and skilfully dominated the road to Chagru. It became obvious to the British that they would have to launch an attack against the tribesmen to dislodge them from this vantage point as a preliminary measure. The attack began on 18 October as batteries2 sprang into action against the ridge at Dargai, where the enemy was clustered. This artillery fire, however, had little effect on the tribesmen who took advantage of the excellent cover provided by the rocks. The British troops3 then hustled up the steep ascent to reach the tribesmen with the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles leading, and the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and the Northamptons coming up behind them.
The 1st Battalion of the 3rd Gurkhas
Finally, at midday, the troops made a final rush across the open country and charged at the tribesmen. The brave Gurkhas were gallantly led by Major Rose, Captain Bateman-Champain, and Lieutenant Beynon, as they dashed up the steep slopes as fast as their legs could carry them across the steep slopes. With the Scottish Borderers following close behind, and soon, the enemy withdrew and retreated down the slopes. Thirteen Gurkha soldiers and six men of the Scottish Borderers were wounded in this operation and, surprisingly, only two died.
The Mountain Battery in action in Tirah
After the success of this operation, the commander felt it prudent to withdraw these forces as they were isolated and it was difficult for the rear columns to supply them with administrative support, with water rations being a critical issue in particular. General Lockhart felt that the presence of the British forces at Dargai would reveal their intended transport route. As a result, the troops vacated the Dargai heights. On 20 October, when the British columns began to move, the tribesmen decided to attempt a reoccupation of the heights and that, too, with considerable numbers. Amidst the excellent gunning by batteries, the Gordons, two companies of the Borderers and the 15th Sikhs covered the withdrawal of the British troops from Chagru Kotal, but the tribesmen were determined and pressed their attack in spite of severe loss inflicted on them. The fight went on till late in the night and after the tribesmen suffered heavy losses, they finally let the forces retreat without any more incidents. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded for the action, but it also resulted in the death of 4 officers and 34 enlisted men, with 14 officers and 147 enlisted men wounded.
The defences at Dargai were destroyed before the troops retired, and the village was burned. The enemy finally accepted defeat and evacuated the Dargai Heights. Among the British Indian troops, the dead were buried with honours at Shinauri and the wounded received treatment at the base hospitals.
The Attack on Sampagha Pass
Now that the Dargai Heights were safely under British control, the Tirah Expeditionary Force could advance with comparatively less resistance. The 2nd Division, that is, the Northamptons, the 36th Sikhs and the No. 9 Mountain Battery, began their advance towards the Khanki valley on the 21 October. The forces camped at an extensive plateau on the north bank of the Khanki River, opposite the village of Khangarbur. Here, necessary space was available to set up large camps and its distance from the nearest tribal lands offered its own security against the prowling raids of Pathans. Since Khangarbur village was inhabited by Afridis, they opened fire on the British columns but the same was checked well by the Mountain Battery. The real difficulty for the forces, however, lay in the march from Shinauri to this campsite which was almost 20 kilometres away. As time went by, the 1st and 2nd Divisions finally assembled in Khanki valley after immense difficulty. They had planned an attack on the Sampagha Pass that was supposed to commence on 29 October, but the Orakzais and Afridis had assembled a force of no less than 12,000 men on the Sampagha Pass and held it in their grip. The storming of Sampagha Pass was not going to be easy for the British.
The whistling of bullets flying over the camp from the guns of the hidden tribesmen kept the British awake and anxious throughout the night of 25 October. The numbers of casualties were adding up. An officer was dreadfully hit by a Snider bullet that shattered the bones in his left arm and had to be amputated. Others barely escaped injury as bullets shot by them or simply made holes in their tents. Peace fell over the valley only when the 3rd Gurkhas and Nabha Infantry, in a voluntary mission, went to occupy the hills from where the fire was being directed at British in the night.
A camp of the 36th Sikhs
The much-awaited advance on Sampagha Pass began on 28 October. The 36th Sikhs and the Northampton Regiment commenced their march as the advance party at 5 a.m., followed by the Yorks, half-battalion 4th Gurkhas and half-battalion 3rd Sikhs, and by 9 a.m. the force was in full march up the valley with the First Division on the left of the line and the Second Division on the right. The main body of the First Division was headed by Sir William Lockhart himself. The tribesmen offered negligible resistance barring a few small attacks on the flanks and the British force halted on a ground close to the Sampagha Pass to pass the night and devise a final plan of attack for the next day. The 2nd Brigade was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the main attack at 5 a.m., with the 4th Brigade meant to support the 2nd on its right flank, and the 3rd Brigade to follow the 2nd as a reserve. The protection of the batteries was the responsibility of the 1st Brigade. By 7 a.m., the attack had been launched, with all forces in their various positions. In this battle – that ended in a win for the British – the Queen’s lost one man, the Gurkhas two, the 36th Sikhs two and no. 5 Mountain Battery lost their Commanding Officer and few others were wounded. The tribesmen were entirely expelled from the pass by 11.15 a.m. when the firing completely ceased. Now that the Sampagha Pass had been captured by the British, the Mastura valley lay ahead with the Arghana Pass – which lay in Tirah proper and was inhabited by tribesmen – only eight kilometres away.
The Attack on the Arghana Pass
After the capture of the Sampagha Pass, the British set their sights on taking back the Arghana Pass from the Afghans. However, this was easier said than done, as it would be the first time the British would be scaling such heights. Hence, the entire day after the battle at Sampagha was spent pushing up supplies for troops and to reconnoitre the approaches to Arghana. Such was the difficulty offered by the terrain that Sir Lockhart himself said, ‘My great difficulty was the want of food, some corps having absolutely nothing in hand, and the steep and narrow track over the pass delaying the arrival of supplies. But by redistributing what there was, and making use of what could be collected from neighbouring villages, each man was eventually provided with two days’ rations.’4 Nevertheless, the Sappers, Miners and Pioneers toiled continuously to improve the road.
In the attack on Arghana, the 2nd Division got the opportunity to lead under the command of General Yeatman Biggs. The 4th Brigade, supported by the 3rd Gurkha Scouts and a company of Sappers, formed the advance guard, which was followed by the 3rd Brigade. Further in line were the 1st Division and 2nd Brigade with the task of turning the left flank of tribesmen. The attack commenced in the morning of 31 October with the infantry occupying one objective after another under the cover fire of 36 guns that kept raining bullets on the tribesmen. Soon, the Afghans were seen retreating and, by 11 a.m., the Arghana Pass was entirely captured by the British. In this attack, Captain Searle of the 36th Sikhs suffered a gunshot wound along with five other soldiers. Two days after this battle, the tribesmen retaliated and the troops suffered a few casualties. Later, peace was partially restored after which the tribesmen returned to guerrilla warfare, carrying out small and random attacks after every few days. An attack on the Sikh and Gurkha battalions on 9 November, an ambush on the Dorsets and the Sikhs, sneak attacks in the winter after fog and mist descended on the valley after 11 December onwards, kept the British busy but, finally, as the weather improved, even the Khyber Pass was captured. Sir Lockhart could now negotiate with the tribesmen from a position of strength; these negotiations went on till June of 1898 and ended in a pact where the tribesmen agreed to hand over 8,000 breech-loading rifles and pay an indemnity of Rs 50,000 in return of monthly allowances being paid to the tribal chiefs by the British.
A camp of the 36th Sikhs in Maidan, ahead of the Arghana Pass
This was the Campaign of Tirah in brief. It was a war that offered countless opportunities to many brave men, both native and English, to prove their mettle in the battlefield, though it wasn’t without significant losses of man and beast. Fighting in the North West Frontier Province was full of difficulties and the victory was not an easy one but, for the time being, the tribesmen had been vanquished. The British government knew that there would once again be unrest in future, but fighting in Tirah had taught them enough about guerrilla tactics and mountain warfare that they began to prepare to thwart such a possibility.
1Hutchinson, H.D., The Campaign in Tirah 1897-1898, London: Macmillan & Co, 1898.
2A sub-unit of artillery is a battery. A battery has six artillery guns.
3see Appendix.
4Hutchinson, H.D., The Campaign in Tirah 1897-1898, London: Macmillan & Co, 1898.
Afterword
THE LEGACY OF THE 36TH SIKHS
In a letter to the authors, Lt Gen S.K. Jha, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, Colonel of the Sikh Regiment was all praises for his illustrious battalion:
With my chest swollen with pride, as Colonel of the most decorated Regiment of the Indian Army, I take the opportunity to pay our homage to gallant martyrs of the Regiment. History is replete with examples of unmatched gallantry of the Sikhs – descendants of the Guru – born and bred in the din and clatter of battles and living by the highest standards of moral code and ethics. They have always defended the honour of this nation and their valour knows no bounds making them the most feared adversary on the battlefield. I and the entire Regiment shall remain indebted for their selfless service and devotion to duty which has propelled the Regiment and Country to the pinnacles of glory.
The unprecedented and iconic Battle of Saragarhi is a testimony to the indomitable spirit of the Sikh soldier, an epitome of bravery and an unparalleled example of duty and sacrifice. The glorious achievement of handful of our warriors who faced thousands with undaunted courage, defying terrible odds and certain death is in keeping with the motto of our Regiment:
Deh shiva bar mohey ehai
Shubh karman te kabhun na taron,
Nah darun arison jab jaye
laroon
Nische kar apni jeet karoon.
[O God give me this boon that I never refrain from doing the righteous act. Therefore, I shall have no fear of the enemy when I go into battle and with determination I will be victorious.]
To commemorate the exemplary courage of these 21 mighty soldiers of the 36th Sikhs in the epic Battle of Saragarhi, our young man in uniform, Nirvan Singh, along with his co-author Professor Kirandeep Singh, has worked tirelessly to collect factual data and chronicled the events concerning the battle with outstanding support provided by 4 Sikh. They have brought out a book that glorifies the spirit of soldiering and sacrifice to the cause. The unique poetic style of writing, along with brief fictional episodes helps build connection with this non-fiction which is commendable.
I compliment them for this noble endeavour and wish them all the very best.
‘Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh!’
S.K. Jha
Lieutenant General
Colonel of the Sikh Regiment
~
Colonel S.K. (full name withheld for security reasons), the Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment had the following to say about his unit’s history:
The Battle of Saragarhi is one of the most important and unusual battles in the history of India and the world in which 21 gallant soldiers of the 36th Sikhs (now 4 Sikh) heroically stood against the massive onslaught of 10,000 Afghan tribesmen defending the post of Saragarhi till their last breath on the historic day of 12 September 1897. The battle and the 21 Khalsa soldiers who fought the battle are forever etched in the minds of all officers and men of the Indian Army and continue to be a guiding light for generations, teaching them the very underlying principle of upholding the ethos of the Regiment by defying odds no matter how terribly stacked against them and emerging victorious even at the peril of their lives.