India General Service Medal 1895 to Pte J. Murray 1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders

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5642 Pte J Murray 1stGordon Highlanders A most attractive single IndiaGeneral Service Medal 1895-1902, two bars ‘ Punjab Frontier 1897-98’, ‘Tirah 1897-98’, awarded to 5642 Pte. James Murray, 1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders In August 1897 there was a general uprising of Afridi tribesmen against the British control of the region. The loss of the Khyber Pass on the 27th August was a great loss, and hordes of wild Afghans then swept into the Kohat and Kurram Valleys . A force of 34,500 British and Indian troops was assembled, under the command of Lieut-General Sir William Lockhart, to be known as the Tirah Field Force. Their ostensible target were the Afridi and Orakzai tribesmen who had moved South of the Khyber Pass. However, the real objective was to reassert British control in the area and to deter tribesmen from marauding further into Northern India . The Government had to be seen to take this issue seriously. One of the many well known figures to have taken part was Lieutenant W.L.S. Churchill, who wrote about it in his book ‘The Story of the Malakand Field Force’. The column required 20,000 non-combatants and 60,000 mules, donkeys, camels, bullocks and elephants, stretching for miles along the road leading into the heart of the country of the Afridis and Orakzais. The 1st Gordons and the KOSB had the benefit of being fit and acclimatised while other regiments, like the Dorsets and Northamptons had been stationed in lowland areas far to the south and some of their number had contracted cholera. The expedition was to invade Tirah from Kohat via the Sampagha and Arhanga passes whilst being supported by flanking columns from Peshawar and the Kurram. But, before the main column could make real progress, they needed to clear tribesmen from villages along an area of high ground overlooking the road, known as the Heights of Dargai. These Heights, rising to 6,500 ft, were occupied by Orakzais who were at the summit of a very difficult position to attack. The track leading to the top was a zig-zag path but before that there was a 200 yard 'saddle' of sloping open ground that had to be crossed. There was no cover on this part of the approach except for a rocky outcrop halfway across. The Field Force made two attacks on the Heights, on the 18th October and again on the 20th. The first attack, on the 18th, was made by the 2nd KOSB and the 1st/3rd Gurkhas. It was relatively easy and successful, but the victorious battalions had to vacate the Heights due to lack of water and because Lockhart thought that keeping a force in position there would reveal his intended line of advance. The withdrawal soon ran into difficulties because the Heights were rapidly re-occupied by a large force of Afridis and Orakzais. The Gordons were required to take up positions around the open space to provide covering fire, This developed into a fire fight that caused the death of Major Jennings-Bramley and the wounding of 16 men. They were hard pressed but remained calm. The final rearguard of one half-company commanded by Captain Kerr was rushed in a surprise attack. The enemy were only within a few yards of them when they managed to shoot the first six; the remaining tribesmen turned and fled. On the morning of 20th October 1897, with the risk of the passage of the entire force stalling, Major-General Yeatman-Biggs ordered the recapture of the Heights of Dargai. The 1st Dorsets supported by the 2nd Derbyshires were deployed to try and rush the ridge but each lost between 40 and 50 men with their attempt. They were also to be pinned alongside the 1st/2nd Gurkhas for some five hours in total. Although their attempts at reaching the other side of the open space were extremely brave they were unable to make progress. This attack went on for 4 hours before they admitted failure. Yeatman-Biggs then ordered the Gordons forward. As they approached to start point they had to pass wounded men being carried away. They must have wondered how much more they would be able to accomplish, but they stepped up determined to ... read more

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