Expeditions Against the Tribes of the Northwest Frontier Province from 1847 to 1908

Compiled and Edited by Stephen Herold


Note: For campaigns for which a medal or clasp was issued the year is listed in bold type, and the majority of the early expeditions were awarded the IGS with clasp Northwest Frontier. The number of British troops employed is in many cases only an approximate figure.

Year Tribe Commander Number of troops Killed Wounded
1847 Baizais Lt. Col. Bradshaw, C.B. Mixed Brigade 1 13
1849 Baizais Lt. Col. Bradshaw, C.B. 2,300 7 40
1850 Afridis, Kohat Pass Brig. Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B. 3,200 19 74
1851 Miranzai Tribes Capt. J. Coke 2,050 inc. levies 2 3
1851-52 Mohmands Brig. Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B. 159 4 5
1852 Mohmands Brig. Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B. 600 2 8
1852 Ranizais Brig. Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B. 3,270 11 29
1852 Utman Khels Brig. Sir C. Campbell, K.C.B. 2,200 3 15
1852 Wazirs, Darwesh Khel & Umarzai Major J. Nicolson 1,500 24 7
1852-53 Hassanzais Lt. Col. Mackeson, C.B. 3,800 inc. levies 5 10
1853 Hindustani Fanatics Lt. Col. Mackeson, C.B. 2,000 0 0
1853 Shiranis & Kasranis Brig. Gen. J.S. Hodgson under 2,000 ? ?
1853 Afridis, Adam Khel Col. Boileau 1,740 8 29
1854 Mohmands Col. Cotton 1,782 1 16
1855 Afridis, Aka Khel Lt. Col. Craigie, C.B. 1,599 9 25
1855 Miranzai Tribes Brig. Chamberlain 3,766 0 14
1855 Orakzais, Rabia Khel Brig. Chamberlain 2,457 11 4
18561 Turis Brig. Chamberlain 4,896 inc. levies 5 3
1857 Yusafzais Major Vaughan 400 2 3
1857 Yusafzais Major Vaughan 990 5 21
1857 Yusafzais Major Vaughan 1,625 inc. levies 1 8
1858 Khudu Khels, Panjtar & Lower Sittana Maj. Gen. Sir S. Cotton, K.C.B. 4,877 6 29
1859-60 Wazirs, Darwesh Khel2 Brig. Gen. Chamberlain, C.B. 5,372, inc. levies 1 19
1860 Wazirs, Mahsuds Brig. Gen. Chamberlain, C.B. 6,796, inc. levies 100 261
1863 Ambela Expedition, Hindustani Fanatics Brig. Gen. Chamberlain, C.B., later Maj. Gen. Garvock 9,000 238 670
1864 Mohmands Col. Macdonell,C.B. 1,801 2 17
1868 Orakzais, Bizoti Major Jones 970, inc. levies 11 44
1868 Black Mountain Tribes Maj. Gen. Wilde, C.B., C.S.I. 12,544 55 29
1869 Orakzais, Bizoti Lt. Col. Keyes, C.B. 2,080 inc. levies 3 33
1872 Dawaris Brig. Gen. Keyes, C.B. 1,826 0 6
1877 Afridis, Jowaki Col. Mocatta 1,750 1 10
1877-78 Afridis, Jowaki Brig. Gens. Keyes & Ross 7,400 11 51
1878 Utman Khels Capt. Battye 280 0 8
1878 Ranizais Major Campbell 860 0 0
1878 Utman Khels Lt. Col.Jenkins 875 0 1
1878 Afridis, Zakha Khel Lt. Gen. Maude, V.C., C.B. 2,500 2 9
1879 Afridis, Zakha Khel Lt. Gen. Maude, V.C., C.B. 3,750 5 13
1879 Mohmands Capt. Creagh & Major Dyce 600 6 18
1879 Zaimukhts Brig. Gen. Tytler, V.C., C.B. 3,226 2 2
1880 Mohmands Brig. Gen. Doran, C.B. 2,300 2 3
1880 Batanis Lt. Col. Rynd 721 0 5
1880 Wazirs, Darwesh Khel Brig. Gen. Gordon, C.B. 800 0 0
1881 Wazirs, Mahsuds Brig. Gens. Gordon & Kennedy 8,531 8 24
1887 Bunnerwals Col. Broome 460 3 2
1888 Hazara Black Mountain Tribes Brig. Gen. J. McQueen, C.B., A.D.C. 9,416 25 57
1891 Hazara Black Mountain Tribes Maj. Gen. W.K. Elles, C.B. 7,289 9 39
1891 Orakzais Brig. Gen. Sir W. Lockhart, K.C.B. 4,600 0 0
1891 Orakzais Brig. Gen. Sir W. Lockhart, K.C.B. 8,000 28 73
1891 Hunza Lt. Col. A.G.A. Durand 2,086 ? ?
1894 Wazirs, Mahsuds & Darwesh Khel Brig. Gen. Turner & Lt. Gen. Sir W. Lockhart, K.C.B. 11,150 45 75
1895 Chitralis Maj. Gen. Sir R. Low, K.C.B. 15,249 21 101
1895 Chitralis Col. Kelly 1,4003 165 88
1897 Wazirs, Darwesh Khel Maj. Gen. Corrie-Bird, C.B. 8,000 29 61
1897 Akozais (Swat) Col. Meiklejohn, C.B., C.M.G. & Maj. Gen. Sir B. Blood, K.C.B. 12,650 97 386
1897 Mohmands Brig. Gen. E. Elles, C.B. 8,500 12 96
1897 Akozais & Tarkanris (Dir & Bajaur) Maj. Gen. Sir B. Blood, K.C.B. 12,200 61 218
1897 Utman Khels Col. A. Reid, C.B. 2,900 0 0
1897 Orakzais Maj. Gen. Yeatman-Biggs, C.B. 9,500 26 54
1897 Afridis Lt. Gen. Sir W. Lockhart, K.C.B. 34,500 287 853
1897 Chamkannis Brig. Gen. Gaselee, C.B. & Col. Hill, C.B. 9,700 46 35
1898 Bunerwals Maj. Gen. Sir B. Blood, K.C.B. 8,800 0 1
1899 Chamkannis Capt. Roos-Keppel 1,200, inc. levies 0 1
1900-01 Wazirsrs, Mahsud Brig. Gen. Dening Small Columns4 32 114
1901-02 Wazirs, Darwesh Khel Maj. Gen. Egerton, C.B. Small Columns4 4 15
1908 Afridis, Zakka Khel Maj Gen. Sir J. Wilcocks, K.C.M.G. 14,000 3 37
1908 Mohmands Maj. Gen. Sir J. Wilcocks, K.C.M.G. 12,000 38 184

1 Joslin, Litherland &Simkin in British Battles & Medals say this campaign was on 16-21 March 1857 and against the Bozdars. Barthorp in The Northwest Frontier agrees.
2 Joslin et al. says it was against the Kabul Khel Waziris.
3  Includes garrisons of Chitral Fort and Matsuj, and parties under Capt.Rossand Lt. Edwardes.
4  Four to six small columns were employed, their strength averaging 1,000 each.

Editors Notes:
The original list was complied by Colonel H.C. Wylly, C.B. as an appendix to his book From Black Mountain to Waziristan, London, 1912. Additional information and corrections have been added from works by Joslin, Litherland, Simpkin, Farwell, Barthorp and others. Difficulties arise from the scarcity of accurate records. Many small expeditions never made their way into the histories, and others are confusing when one list is by tribal name and another by location. Some campaigns also spanned two years and can be listed in one or the other by different authors. If any readers have corrections or additions to this list please contact the editor and this publication will be updated.

Some possible other campaigns for which sufficient information is lacking to do a full listing include:
1853, Bori clan of Jowaki Afridis; 1853, Shiranis; 1857, Hindustani Fanatics; 1878, Mohmands (only a "small column" against the Khan of Goshta); 1879, Suliman Khel Pawindahs and others; 1880, Marris; 1883, Shiranis; 1890, Malakand; 1890, Zhob Valley; 1891, Miranzai (Samana).

At a future date more detailed information will be available on selected individual campaigns listed here. A bibliography of the "Great game" and Indian Frontier Warfare will be available soon and grow as I have time.Editor, 22/3/97 (Alas, still no time 22/7/04)

Later Major Campaigns on the Northwest Frontier:

1915, Mohmands; 1917, Mahsuds; 1919, Afghanistan; 1919-20, Mahsuds; 1919-21, Waziristan; 1921-24, Waziristan; 1923, Mahsuds; 1925, Waziristan; 1927, Mohmands; 1930-31, Afridis; 1933, Mohmands; 1935, Mohmands; 1936-37, Waziristan; and 1937-39, Waziristan.

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