Tribal Fighting in NWFP

[fatman17]

Tribal Fighting in NWFP by General Sir Andrew Skeen. KCB;KCLE;CMG.
Foreword by Field Marshal Sir Philip W. Chetwode,GCB;GCSI;KCMG;DSO

During the first half of the twentieth century, the mountainous North West Frontier represented one of the British Empire's most strategically important borders. For thousands of inexperienced British and Indian troops facing local resistence the methods and lessons of their predecssors were vital for their survival.

General Sir Andrew Skeen's unofficial but authoritative textbook was written with these junior officers in mind. His work provided them with pragmatic and practical information on hill warfare in an accessible fashion. Skeen's understanding of frontier fighting remains as valuable to modern troops fighting local insurgents today as it was to successive generation of imperial soldiers who faced tribal uprisings.

In May 1919, the new Emir of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan-convinced that the British Empire was on the brink of collapse-proclaimed a jihad against Britian in the hope he could sieze the old Afghan provinces west of the river Indus and humiliate his old enemy. The war began with the invasion of the tribal belt, in what is today Pakistan, where Amanullah expected to rouse all the tribes against the British. British-Indian forces retaliated by fighting their way across the mountains and back up the Khyber Pass. For the sake of a better peace, the Third Afghan War ended with Britian granting autonomy in foreign affairs to the Afghans in the Treaty of Rawalpindi. Whilst air power had played a significant in the British success, the Afghans had issued a stark reminder that they were formidable adversaries.

General Sir Andrew Skeen was one of Britian's most experienced frontier warfare officers and spent the years 1919-1920 fighting the Mahsuds and Waziris, the most notorious of all cross border groups. The majority of troops under his command were initially wholly inexperienced and barelt fit for frontier service. Lessons in Imperial Rule(first published in 1932 under the title Passing it On) was written with a view to imparting sound, practical advise on fighting in this region for future generations.

The lesson explained include the various aspects of work in establishing new camps, securing parameters, moving platoons, setting up watching posts, methods foraging and demolition, and the emergency occupation of villages. Despite the later introduction of armoured cars, light tanks and aircraft, it retains much of its value and it was recently reissued to the Pakistan Army.

Britian's return to Afghanistan in 2001 alongside Coalition forces and the Pakistan Army fighting in Waziristan, conjures inescapeable parallels with earlier conflicts, and the third Afghan war in particular. Remarkably many of the ideas and principles Skeen identified still hold true. Now as then, the arena of fighting was tough and unforgiving. The Afghans and Pashtuns have proved themselves incredibly resourceful, skilled and resolute, demanding the very best expertise, tactics and dedication from the Coalition troops. This book offers a evocative insight into the period and serves as a timely reminder of Britian's historic association with the North West Frontier and Afghanistan.

General Sir Andrew Skeen, KCb; KCIE; CMG (20 January 1873-18 Feburary 1935) served in the British Indian Army, rising to the position of Chief of General Staff (CGS). He also served in China during the Boxer rebellion in 1900 and in Gallipoli during the First World War.
Robert Johnson is the author of Spying for Empire and The Great Game in Central and Southern Asia

 

[Ratus Ratus]

Appears to be an interesting book also published this year.

So its only available in pakistan I gather?

And what does Rs 595.00 mean in US$?

 

[fatman17]

Appears to be an interesting book also published this year.

So its only available in pakistan I gather?

And what does Rs 595.00 mean in US$?

approx USD 8/-.

i have an earlier edition in my small library - it belonged to my late uncle Major Majeed Niazi who was a PA officer seconded to the Bajaur/Tochi Scouts (later known as the FC) in the late 50s.

mail your address and i will send you a copy!

 

[Ratus Ratus]

catch your email..

Cheers

 

[JK!]

This was a fascianting article I read about Waziristan from the bbc:

Why Britons walked warily in Waziristan

In 1919, a young British army officer, Francis Stockdale, was deployed to the Waziristan area of British India.

The title of his book, "Walk Warily in Waziristan" seems no less appropriate now than it did 90 years ago, because today the autonomous Pakistani tribal region of North and South Waziristan is the centre of militancy orchestrated by pro-Taleban and al-Qaeda militants.

It is also an area where many believe the al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, may be hiding after the September 2001 World Trade Centre attacks.

It wasn't until the 1980s that Capt Stockdale's family published a handful of copies of the book, only a few of which survive. But because or renewed interest in the region, the family in the English county of Norfolk are considering reprinting it.

'Wait, watch and pounce'

The book provides a fascinating account of what was regarded then - as it is today - as a thoroughly dangerous area.


One of the main towns close to Waziristan is Tank. Capt Stockdale describes it as being "the worst station in British India".

"It was known as 'Hell's door knocker' because in the summer the temperature would rise so high that a village nearby rejoiced in the highest temperature in the world - a modest 131 degrees in the shade.

"But it was also an area where hostile tribesman waited, watched and pounced," he wrote.

"My memories of Tank are characterised by sporadic outbreaks of rifle fire by night and spasmodic outbreaks of cholera during the day. The town fully deserved its poor reputation."

Capt Stockdale goes on to describe just how dangerous the "hostile tribesmen" were in the Wana, the main town of South Waziristan, when a sniper infiltrated a British camp.

"Like all tribesmen in this area, he was a marvellous shot," Capt Stockdale wrote, "and he killed the commanding officer with his first shot.

"He killed or wounded 11 other men before his hiding place was discovered."

'Passionate letters'

Ninety years ago, it seemed that British troops in Waziristan faced the same kind of dangers as Pakistani troops in the region do today.

"One one occasion, tribesmen rolled down boulders in front of a military convoy - effectively cutting them off. I could hear the firing in the distance and there were lots of casualties."

Getting captured, it seemed, was not an option: "It would result in death by torture, an activity which I was informed the tribal women folk used to luxuriate."

The shortage of female company in these remote outposts of the British empire played heavily on officers and men alike.

Capt Stockdale describes the lucky escape of one soldier who took to writing passionate letters to his wife and his mistress from a British encampment in the region that was surrounded by tribesmen.

"Waiting for a target, they got bored and fired a bullet at random into the camp. It removed the digit finger of the man's right hand as he was writing to the loves of his life.

"That incident kept me on the straight and narrow path for many months to come - not that there were many opportunities in Waziristan to be tempted or led astray!"

'Ransom papers'


A book packed with colourful reminiscences, Capt Stockdale describes many of his brother officers.

These included Whipples, who wore a monocle every time the bullets started flying and specialised in using camels to provide supplies of whisky and gin in remote areas.

"The tribesmen got Whipples in the end and I guarantee the monocle was in when the last bullet hit him," he wrote.

He also describes attempts by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to drop bombs on tribesmen encamped close to the border with Afghanistan.

"Their bombs did not always explode upon hitting the earth and the tribesmen soon adapted themselves to shooting at flying targets. The pilots carried ransom papers, so if they were captured and returned to safety, the reward would be large."

Some of the unexploded bombs dropped by the RFC were "collected by the tribesmen who used them to decorate their mud huts or houses".

Local fighters in the 1920s were as tough then as they are now.

"We often used to ask ourselves, how could they survive so long living in a rocky area, with a film of earth capable of growing only scrub trees?"

Capt Stockdale ended up serving two years in Waziristan and considered himself lucky to be returning home.

"Many of my friends were killed, but I lived 60 years since then," he wrote.

Capt Stockdale - who was later promoted to be a major - died in 1989 aged 93.

Source: BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Why Britons walked warily in Waziristan

 

[fatman17]

Key Points from the book "Tribal Fighting in the NWFP"

page 2/3:
"the people differ less than do the parts they live in. all are men to reckon with. I place Mahsud highest as a fighter along with Mamund (now Momand), a little folk but stark. The Afridi probably comes third - his blood fueds and sectional quarrels make him somewhat less ready to die. But all are apt in war, and taken all in all are probably the finest individual fighters in the east, really formidable enemies, to despise whom means sure trouble."

"They have a great reputation for cunning.....to make use of ground to hide their movements and to protect them when not moving, great patience, and intimate knowledge of the ground"

"These men are hard as nails; they live on little, carry nothing but a rifle (upgraded to RPG7 and the 12.7mm MG now-a-days) and a few cartriges, a knife and a bit of food and they are shod for quick and sure movement."

".....but you can redress it by the things in which you and your men should excel - discipline and firepower". use these to combine fire and movement, whether that movement be forward or backward, and handicaps of heavy boots and equipment and the enemy's freedom to select the point of attack fall into proper place. Indeed, this very mobility of theirs may often lead them too far and give you a better chance of killing, which is the only way to make the tribesman feel defeat"

this book brings out the stark reality of todays situation in comparison to a 100 years ago!

 

[ajpirzada]

decorating houses with bombs

ahhahahahaha

 

[JK!]

Bought a book called khyber by Charles Miller from a local book shop recounting the history of NWFP from the time the British first went in.

The introduction gives an amazing image of Peshawar market back then when Lord Elphinstone first journeyed there.

The Tirah campaign and the story of Piper Findlighter of the Gordons was quite a read as well.

My favourite was about my ancestor the Khan of Hangu who was regarded as untrustworthy for accepting British bribes then leading raids into the settles areas against them.

The irony that his decendent is living in the UK serving in the army reserves.

 

[fatman17]

Bought a book called khyber by Charles Miller from a local book shop recounting the history of NWFP from the time the British first went in.

The introduction gives an amazing image of Peshawar market back then when Lord Elphinstone first journeyed there.

The Tirah campaign and the story of Piper Findlighter of the Gordons was quite a read as well.

My favourite was about my ancestor the Khan of Hangu who was regarded as untrustworthy for accepting British bribes then leading raids into the settles areas against them.

The irony that his decendent is living in the UK serving in the army reserves.

small world isnt it!

 

[S-2]

One thing that I'm not as sold upon is the storied marksmanship of the tribal warrior. It's taken quite a hit these days. Our guys honestly find it laughable.

It may something to do with the absence of Lee-Enfields and Krag rifles in the region...

OTOH, the accuracy of their IEDs remains exceptional.

 

[Ratus Ratus]

My favourite was about my ancestor the Khan of Hangu who was regarded as untrustworthy for accepting British bribes then leading raids into the settles areas against them.

The irony that his decendent is living in the UK serving in the army reserves.

But how well is the decedent doing will with bribe taking and raiding local english villages?

 

[Ratus Ratus]

It may something to do with the absence of Lee-Enfields and Krag rifles in the region...

Current marksmanship would be now more related to the spray and pary method vs the aim, shoot and scoot process used with real weapons eg Lee-Enfields.