India General Service Medal 1895-1902, for Defence of Chitral 1895 Kashmir Rifls

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India General Service Medal 1895-1902, for Defence of Chitral 1895 Kashmir Rifls:
$4950.00

India General Service Medal 1895-1902, clasp Defence ofChitral 1895 to 4th Kashmir Rifles

Named in running script to: 298Sepoy Kahna 4th Kashmir Rifles

Very fine

The garrison in Chitral from 3rdMarch 1895 when the siege began comprised some 500 Sikh and Kashmiri troops.

On 3rd March 1895, Sher Afzaloccupied villages within two miles to the South of Chitral Town. CaptainCampbell, the senior British military officer, advanced to meet Sher Afzal with200 men of the 4th Kashmir Rifles (Dogras and Gurkhas). Lieutenant Gurdon inhis ‘Memories of Chitral’ described how he attempted to dissuade Campbell andhis second-in-command, Captain Baird, from attacking the Chitralis. Itwas clear to Gurdon that these two officers underestimated the fightingqualities of the substantial number of tribesmen who were opposing them, manyof whom were armed with breach loading rifles and were skilled mountainfighters and overestimated the competence of their own soldiers from theKashmir Rifles, who were not fully trained in the use of their firearms.

Gurdon described how members of theKashmir Rifles dropped rounds of ammunition during the fighting on 3rd March1895 and failed to recover them, Gurdon picking up some of them himself.Robertson commented on the Kashmiri soldiers firing too high.

Gurdon urged Baird not to attackwithout support from the unengaged party of Kashmir Rifles, particularly as theJandolis and Chitralis had infiltrated along the heights to their rear.Baird insisted on his rash assault, which led to his own fatal wounding and thedeath or incapacitation of most of his men.

In the fight on 3rd March 1895 theChitralis and Jandolis inflicted heavy casualties on the Kashmiris and CaptainBaird was gravely wounded in the stomach. Campbell received a severewound to the knee. Gurdon took over command and, after putting Baird inthe care of Lieutenant Whitchurch of the Indian Medical Service, conducted adifficult withdrawal through Chitral Town to the river bridge.

Lieutenant Harley provided coverfor the final retreat to the fort with 50 of the 14th Sikhs. The Sikh andKashmiri troops withdrew into Chitral Fort and the siege began on the eveningof 3rd March 1895.

In the action on 3rd March 1895,the Kashmiris suffered 25 dead and 30 wounded, out of 150 men engaged.

Robertson’s view was that the heavydefeat of the Kashmir Rifles on 3rd March 1895 made them largely ineffectiveduring the siege and ruled out aggressive action by the garrison.

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