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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Walk Warily in Waziristan


J T Gray

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Thanks for pointing this out - interesting indeed - reminds me of one of Kipling's verses:

When you are wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains

And the women come out to cut up the remains,

roll on your rifle and blow out your brains

And go to your God like a soldier!

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Interesting indeed. My GF served there at the same period as the author. In the 2nd Bn The Queen's. I've got a file of photos of the campaign. One look at them convinces me that, to quote Frederick the Great, the whole country is "not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian Grenadier".

Chris C

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Later date, 1930's, but in John Masters' book Bugles and a Tiger, he describes actions on the frontier as being just as dangerous.

On one occasion, with a long serving Corporal from the British Army attached to his Ghurka unit, they came under fire and the Corporal, as a round ricochet'd off a nearby rock exclaimed, "Stone me Sir! Them bug*ers is using ball!"

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Chris

Do any of your photos show Army Nurses. The nurse I am Researching served there and as I doubt that there were many she may just have justified a pictur Peter

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The papers carried by air crew were known as 'Ghoolie Chits' as they specified that they should be returned with all bits still attached.

Some of the bombs may not have exploded becaise thay were time delayed. This was a deliberate policy intended for use on punitive attacks so that village houses or forts might be destroyed but the village inhabitants would be able to evacuate. A note was usually dropped telling them how long they had to get out, often a couple of hours. This was so that women and children would not be hurt. However this practice was discontinued after a time delayed bomb (possibly a 50lb) was disintered by tribesmen who put it in a sling carried by four men and carried it off to a bridge used by British forces and left it there to explode.

The tribesmen apparently regarded raiding as a sort of seasonal dangerous sport and considered attack from the air as definitely 'out of order'. One tribe it seems sent a message to the British powers that be saying that if the British didn't stop the bombing they (the tribe) would definitely refuse to participate in next year's raiding season.

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Chris

Do any of your photos show Army Nurses. The nurse I am Researching served there and as I doubt that there were many she may just have justified a pictur Peter

Regrettably not, Peter. Lots of dusty landscapes, some tribesmen, Gurkhas, forts, sangars etc.

Chris C

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Linked from today's BBC News front page

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7325117.stm

Not strictly GW, but within the CWGC qualification period. Hope it is of interest!

Adrian

Adrian,

Thanks for posting that.

As it happens I have got a signed copy of the book - its an interesting little read. He was a temporary R. E. officer and served late 1919 to Dec 1921.

Matthew

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  • 2 months later...

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