Kabul to Kandahar Star

[Tony]

The Kabul to Kandahar Star was awarded to the men who took part in Lord Roberts march to Kandahar to relieve the remnants of the British soldiers who retreated from Maiwand on 27th July 1880.

This Star, awarded to Pte. James Neal of the 2nd battlion, 60th Foot Regiment KRRC is part of a broken group, I'm hoping the other medal will turn up one day. The 10,000 or so Stars issued were produced using the bronze from some of Ayub Khan's guns captured at Kandahar. I've read that Lord Robert's horse was awarded the Kabul to Kandahar Star too.

All I can make out from Pte. Neal's papers are that he came from London, volunteered at the age of 18 arriving at his recruit unit on 19th Aug. 1870 and left for India in November 1870, landing on 28th December where he proceeded to his unit in Peshawar.

During April, May and June 1873 he was in Changlas Gully. For the same period in 1875 he was in Kalabagh. I think both are now in Pakistan.

He was discharged in London on 14.8.1882, cause of discharge was 1st Period.

If anyone can explain the meaning of 1st period please let me know.

The other part of this broken group is the Afghan War Medal with clasps Ahmed Khel and Kandahar.

I can't narrow him down on the census records, there are several of that name in London and of the correct age. One of them may even be a distant relative of mine.

Tony

[Tony]

Lord Roberts order from 8th August 1880, Sherpur, Kabul

It has been decided by the Government of India that a force shall proceed with all possible despatch from Cabul towards Khelat-i-Ghilzai and Candahar for the relief of the British garrison in those places, now threatened by a large Afghan army under the leadership of Sirdar Mahomed Ayub Khan.

By mid 1880 the British army was ready to leave Afghanistan and return to Peshawar in what is now Pakistan with the cooperation of the new Afghan commander Aburrahman, but towards the end of July 1880 Ayub Khan (a nephew of Aburrahman Khan) fought and beat units of the British army in Maiwand causing around 1146 casualties, 969 of them being killed. Those still alive retreated to the British garrison in Kandahar.

The plan was for Lord Roberts to march with chosen regiments to Kandahar, British regiments being in the minority. General Phayre who was nearer to Kandahar was to march from Quetta and General Donald Stewart would take the remainder back to India.

It was necessary to reach Kandahar with speed, therefore Lord Roberts decided to move lightly and ordered the men take very little kit, no wagons and only light mountain batteries. These batteries may have been either the 1865 7 Pounder rifle muzzle loading guns or the ultra modern 2.5'' 1879 gun with a barrel that split in two making transport easier. But, knowing the British army, the 1879 guns were probably issued for field use until the Boer War.

The 10,000 strong army headed out of Sherpur, the 60/2 Foot had a contingent of 637 soldiers. The men didn't march along the direct route to Kandahar, instead they used a route whereby supplies could be gathered along the way although this meant some very hard climbs along narrow roads had to be made. The march carried on without any problems from Afghans. The conditions, marching early morning in darkness and cold, tempertures reaching around 40°C during the day, sand storms and sickness took there toll. Some soldiers commited suicide. The army was at times marching twice as far as they would during a war.

By the time Kandahar was reached, General Phayre's march had had several problems on the way, being attacked several times and the troops suffering much sickness, he was still a few days away from Kandahar.

On 31st September when Lord Roberts arrived in Kandahar, he himself was also quite sick with fever being carried in on a dhoolie or bed carried by natives. His fever didn't stop him finilising plans to attack the Afghan army the next day.

The British attack at Kandahar on 1st August 1880 was successful, afterwards they moved on to bury the dead at Maiwand. The troops who took part in the march were back in India within a few months and Lord Roberts went to England to recover from his illness.

Partiall timeline for the 2nd Anglo/Afghan War

14.12.1879 Attack on Asmai Heights and retreat into Sherpur

15-22.12.1879 Seige of Sherpur

23.12.1879 Lord Roberts defeats Afghans at Sherpur

1880

1.4.1880 General Donald Stewart leaves Kandahar for Kabul

19.4.1880 Battle at Ahmed Khel

23.4.1880 Battle at Arzu

26.4.1880 Battle at Charasiab

2.5.1880 General D Stewart reaches Kabul

15.6.1880 Ayub Khan leaves Herat for Kandahar

14.7.1880 mutiny among Wali Mohammad's troops

22.7.1880 Abdurrahman recognised as Amir

27.7.1880 Battle at Maiwand

6.8.1880 Ayub Khan besieges Kandahar

8.8.1880 Lord Roberts leaves Kabul to march to Kandahar

11.8.1880 Stewart leaves Kabul for India

16.8.1880 Sortie on Deh Khoja

31.8.1880 Roberts reaches Kandahar

1.9.1880 Battle of Kandahar

1881

22.4.1881 British evacuate Kandahar

In November of 1878 part of the 60/2 Foot was put on escort duty to the Artillery.

They reached Kandahar on January 8th 1879, one day after the surrender. From here they went to Kelat i Ghilzni, returning to Kandahar towards the end of March 1880.

April 19th 1880 saw the 60/2 Foot take part in the battle of Ahmed Khel before leaving for Kabul in July. After the battle of Kandahar in August 1880 they returned to India, fighting the Marri tribes and returning to Mirat on 24th November 1880.

Much of the above information was found on this interesting website http://www.garenewing.co.uk/angloafghanwar/index.php

Tony

[Brian Wolfe]

Very nice medal Tony and a great write up.

These are among my favorite medals od all time.

Thanks for posting it.

Regards

Brian

[Tony]

Thank you and you're most welcome Brian.

Would you know if these are found with original ribbons?

This one and all the others I've seen (I haven't really seen too many) have been on modern clean ribbons although they do appear to be silk as opposed to nylon.

Tony

Edited May 15, 2010 by Tony

[Brian Wolfe]

Thank you and you're most welcome Brian.

Would you know if these are found with original ribbons?

This one and all the others I've seen (I haven't really seen too many) have been on modern clean ribbons although they do appear to be silk as opposed to nylon.

Tony

I've seen them with very old ribbons at shows but can only assume they are original.

Regards

Brian

[Guest Darrell]

Tony, I wonder if this guy was Neal's Sergeant?

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40567

[Tony]

Tony, I wonder if this guy was Neal's Sergeant?

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40567

That's a definite possibility Darrell.

Your star has a very nice dark patina, the ribbon, just as mine, has that new look about it.

Tony

[Guest Darrell]

Tony almost all medals from this era have replaced ribbons. It's a rarity you find an original. Whether it was replaced last year, 50 years ago or 2 or three times in it's life. One thing about British Medals, the ribbon tends to be a "non" issue with value. Unlike other Nation/eras.