The Battle of Maiwand 1880 | 2nd Anglo-Afghan War

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The Battle of Maiwand was a major British defeat in Afghanistan, back in 1880.

Fought on the 27th of July 1880, the Battle of Maiwand was one of the greatest defeats ever suffered by one of Queen Victoria’s armies - over 900 men were wiped out by an Afghan army that outnumbered it by 10:1.

It was fought during the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War. During the previous war, back in the 1840s, the British had also suffered a significant defeat when their column retreating from Kabul was massacred and the 44th Regiment of Foot made a famous last stand at Gandamak.

Commanded by Brigadier-General George Burrows the British army consisted of some 1,500 infantry and 350 cavalry.
It was a mixed force drawn from the Indian army and the regular British Army, the latter comprising the 66th Regiment of Foot. The 66th would later become the Royal Berkshire Regiment and after further amalgamations are now part of The Rifles.

The Indian contingent was drawn from the Bombay Army. The infantry comprised the 1st Bombay Grenadiers and the 30th Bombay Native Infantry (Jacob’s Rifles). The Grenadiers had been formed way back in 1778 and were one of the oldest regiments in the Indian army. It was the Bombay Army that also contributed to the cavalry force under Brigadier-General Nuttall. They were the 3rd Queen’s Own cavalry and the 3rd Scinde Horse.

Also accompanying the force were B and E batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery and a half company of Bombay engineers and sappers. The Afghans used their superiority in numbers and guns to overwhelm the British force. The British lost 943 men killed and 175 wounded.

For the Afghans, it was a famous victory. However, it had also been a costly victory. Accounts vary as to their losses but estimates suggest 2,000 killed. The victorious Afghans went on to besiege the British garrison in Kandahar until defeated by General Frederick Roberts.

An impressive memorial, surmounted by a lion was erected in Reading, the hometown of the 66th Regiment to honor the 274 men and 12 officers from the regiment who were killed in the battle. The Lion of Maiwand has become a symbol for the town of Reading and features on the emblem of Reading F.C.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro
1:07 2nd Anglo-Afghan War
3:17 The British Army
5:37 The Afghan Army
7:05 Battle of Maiwand
9:40 British Collapse
10:46 Saving the Guns
11:43 Last Stand Of The 66th.
12:35 Victoria Crosses
13:52 Casualty Figures
16:42 Bobbie The Dog
18:31 History Chap Membership