is on their determination to achieve their object and on their steadfastness that success depends. It is of war as seen from their viewpoint that this book tries to tell.
North-West Frontier Province
“On the outbreak of the Great War the Government of India had to decide upon the number of troops that could be spared for overseas theatres and those required for watch and ward on the North-West Frontier. The 2nd Rawalpindi Division, located at Rawalpindi, of which the 84th Punjabis formed part, was selected for the latter role. This, combined with the fact that the two battalions, the 62nd (1/1st) and the 66th (2/1st) Punjabis, with which the 84th was linked, were mobilized very early in the war, dashed any hopes the Battalion had of being sent overseas as a complete unit in the early days of the war. With the mobilization of its linked battalions, recruitment to the Battalion was made unlimited, and on December 31st, 1914, its strength stood at 16 Indian officers, 1,035 other ranks and 314 recruits. Excited by the entry of Turkey into the war, encouraged by the preaching to prepare for jihad (religious war) and egged on by the Turkish emissaries working incessantly amongst the tribes to foment a general rising, the tribal lashkars (concentrations) began to show signs of excitement, and in December, 1914, the Rawalpindi Division was moved at very short notice to Waziristan. The Battalion was in camp when it received orders to return to Rawalpindi. The twenty-eight mile march was done in a day, and the Battalion was in Bannu by December 4th, 1914.
“The 84th remained on the North-West Frontier until March 23rd, 1917, except for an interlude from May to August, 1915, at Rawalpindi. On the whole, the situation on the North-West Frontier remained remarkably quiet during the First World War. This was mainly because of the Government’s policy of avoiding any unnecessary complications with the tribes.
“It was against the Mahsuds only that operations on an important scale had to be undertaken. The area around Miramshah was the principal target of their activities. They interfered with road-making, raided convoys, sniped columns and surrounded militia posts. They were greatly encouraged in these activities by the inroads of lashkars from across the Afghanistan border.
“Throughout the six months after its arrival in Bannu, the 84th was continually engaged in operations against the Mahsuds and the invading tribesmen from across the Frontier. In December, 1914, it formed part of the road-making column and was complimented for its work by Major-General Townshend, the Brigade Commander, later Commander of the Garrison of Kut al Amara. In March, 1915, the Battalion formed part of a column under Brigadier-General Fane and successfully drove a lashkar of 10,000 Zadrans and other Khost tribes, who had crossed the frontier and advanced to surround the Miramshah post, across the Durand Line-the international frontier. When the 84th left for Rawalpindi on May 11th, Brigadier-General Fane said in a farewell message:
“The G.O.C., in bidding good-bye to the 84th Punjabis on leaving the Brigade, thanks Lieutenant-General W. R. Walker, all British and Indian officers, non-commissioned officers and men for the good work they have always done whilst in Bannu; work which has been tedious and hard, and has always been cheerfully performed. The G.O.C. wishes all ranks the best of luck and would be proud to have them under his command at any time.
“The second tour of duty on the Frontier was in the Mohmand territory, whither the Battalion was sent in August, 1915. Shortly before this move, a detachment of 200 rifles was sent to Oghi on the Black Mountain border. This detachment, under Major Lloyd, did not rejoin the Battalion until its arrival at Fort Sandeman on November 10th, 1915.
“The Mohmands had commenced raiding across the administrative border soon after the declaration of war. They suffered heavily in their encounters with the troops, and remained quiet for some time. But in August, 1915, they were again in an aggressive mood, their centre of activity being the area round Shabkadar and Hafiz Khor. The Mohmands made full use of the tribal ability to concentrate and disperse quickly, and gave the troops some anxious moments. Rumours of impending attacks were frequent and continuous and the Battalion moved from one threatened place to another, preparing and constructing camps and defences on the barren and rocky plains and hills in the scorching heat of summer. During September and October it occupied six camps in the Shabkadar area. During this period, the Battalion also participated in two offensive actions. It formed part of a column which, on September 5th, drove the tribesmen from a range of hills three miles from Shabkadar. It had one man wounded and one machine-gun mule killed. On October 7th, a fresh concentration of 5,000 tribesmen was reported in Hafiz Khor, and on the 8th the Brigade Column moved out once again. On this day, ‘C’ Company, commanded by Subedar Habib Shah, distinguished itself by withstanding many efforts of the tribesmen to snipe and rush the gun crews of the mountain artillery which it was protecting. The tribesmen dispersed by the afternoon and the column returned to Shabkadar.
“Towards the end of October, the 84th returned to Rawalpindi and then moved to Fort Sandeman in Baluchistan, where it arrived on November 9th, 1915, and remained until it left for Mesopotamia in March, 1917.
“Although the unit did not go overseas until late in the war, it sent reinforcements to many units already serving overseas, and these officers and men took part in many battles fought in the various theatres of war. From the outbreak of the war till March, 1917, the 84th furnished reinforcements of 10 British officers, 16 Indian officers, 1,187 rank and file and 25 followers. The largest number went to the linked battalion, the 62nd Punjabis (1/1st), because of the heavy casualties suffered by it in Mesopotamia in 1916. The strengths of the major drafts supplied to various units were: 2 British officers, 7 Indian officers and 326 other ranks to the 129th Baluchis; 26 other ranks to the 57th Rifles (F.F.); 1 British officer, 1 Indian officer and 100 men to the 22nd Punjabis; 2 British officers, 2 Indian officers and 462 other ranks to the 62nd Punjabis (1/1st); 2 Indian officers and 155 men to the 92nd Punjabis ; and 2 Indian officers and 25 men to the 57th Camel Corps.
“The 84th Punjabis thus well-deserved this compliment of the Commander-in-Chief:
“With a wide conception of the true situation, which necessarily entails sacrifices by individual units for the good of the whole army, this Battalion had readily given its best, notwithstanding the fact that by so doing it was possibly lessening for a period its own efficiency.
“The officers and men upheld the great traditions of the 84th, Major G. M. Morris served with the 129th Baluchis and in 1916 joined the 62nd Punjabis (1/1st), which he later commanded in front of Kutal Amara before being appointed to the command of a brigade. Captain F. F. Hodgson died of wounds received in France in 1915. Lieutenant-Colonel Harrington, who was transferred to command the 62nd Punjabis (1/1st) in 1916, and Lieutenant C. R. Prendergast, who joined the 28th Punjabis, were both killed in action. Captain E. L. D. Fordyce died in Assam in December, 1916, while serving with the Naga Hill Police Battalion. Captain P. T. Blanford, who went to the Malay States Guides, won the M.C. for his gallantry.
“Of the Indian officers sent to other units, Jemadar Karam Dad Khan was killed, while Subedars Shah Nawaz Khan, Ram Singh and Dasaunda Singh, and Jemadars Rahim Dad Khan, Sundar Ali, Dittu Khan, Abdul Khan and Munshi Singh were wounded, the last named subsequently dying of his wounds. Subedar Firoz Khan was awarded the I.D.S.M. for gallantry in Somaliland in 1915 while serving with the King’s African Rifles.
“Of the rank and file sent as reinforcements, 28 were killed, 248 wounded and 6 became prisoners of war.
“Towards the end of 1916, all reinforcements sent to other units in the field were transferred to the 62nd Punjabis (1/1st), except those with the 129th Baluchis in East Africa, who rejoined the Battalion at Rawalpindi.”
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