CHAPTER VIII
END OF THE GREAT WAR—THIRD AFGHAN WAR
During the siege large drafts for the Battalion had collected with the relieving force, including Lieut.-Colonel Rodney-Anderson, who had been appointed Commandant, Lieutenants R. D. E. Darell, E. J. D. McElwaine, A. H. Dobbs, T. M. Graves, 2nd-Lieutenants Lechler and Mahoney, Indian Army Reserve of Officers. The first-named died in hospital, and Lieutenants Dobbs and Graves were killed in action with the relieving force. The men were all attached to the 82nd Punjabis (now 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment) and the 92nd Punjabis throughout the operations of the relieving force.
On January 1st, 1917, the Depot of the Battalion received orders to expand to a battalion and reform the 76th, the drafts in Mesopotamia being returned to assist in the making up of numbers. Lieut.-Colonel W. L. Malcolm, from the 31st Punjabis, was appointed to command in March, and the Regiment moved to Chaman for garrison duty there. In November a nucleus was sent to join the new 2nd Battalion of the Regiment which was being raised at Nasirabad. This Battalion eventually did good service on the frontier in 1919-20 in the Waziristan and Mahsud Campaigns, being mentioned in despatches. Several officers of the 76th served in it and it was demobilized in September, 1922, some of the officers and men rejoining the 1st Battalion.
Lieut.-Colonel L. A. Watson, from the 74th Punjabis, took over command on February 1st, 1918, and in the same month the Battalion moved to Dera Ismail Khan and thence to Tank, leaving a depot at the former place. In June Major J. F. Woodham returned from service and took command.
The Regiment remained at Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, from time to time holding the outposts.
While at Tank two-thirds of the Regiment were at one time in hospital with Spanish influenza, of which sixty-four died. In December, 1918, and January, 1919, the released Kut prisoners of war rejoined and were at once sent off to their homes on furlough. The numbers that rejoined were 8 Indian officers, 183 non-commissioned officers and men, and 17 followers.
The following battle honours were granted to the Regiment for the Great War:—
“Suez Canal,” “Egypt, 1915,” “Shaiba,” “Kut-al-Amarah, 1915,” “Ctesiphon,” “Defence of Kut-al-Amarah,” “Mesopotamia, 1915-18,”
and the undermentioned decorations were granted to officers and men of the 76th:—
Commander of the Order of the British Empire 1 Distinguished Service Order 5 Order of the British Empire 2 Military Cross 1 Order of British India, 1st Class 1 Order of British India, 2nd Class 5 Indian Order of Merit, 2nd Class 14 Indian Distinguished Service Medal 53 Foreign Orders 4 Meritorious Service Medal 9 Mentions in Despatches 101
and four Indian officers were given Honorary King’s Commissions.
On war being declared on Afghanistan the Battalion was in Dera Ismail Khan with a company at Jandola, three platoons in other outposts, and one at Tank. A large draft was received from the 87th Punjabis. Various detachments were sent out to reinforce threatened points from time to time.
[Sidenote: Siege of Jandola.]
During May, as many of the Waziristan Militia deserted and the tribesmen had risen, it became imperative to evacuate many of the posts held by the Militia, and the result was that the company under Captain Anderson and Lieutenant Proctor in Jandola became isolated and surrounded by large numbers of hostile tribesmen.
Owing to the forethought and energy of the commander, the reserve water tanks in the fort had been filled, providing water for twelve days, and there were twenty-six days’ rations available. The water supply was cut off by the tribesmen on May 28th, on which day the siege of Jandola commenced.
On the 29th the enemy opened fire on the main fort and pushed in an attack on a detached tower held by a party under Havildar Bari Sher, by whom he was driven off. That night the fort was attacked, as also was the detached tower, no less than three times, but all attacks were repulsed. Communication was interrupted the next day except by means of friendly Bhittanis. Heavy attacks were again made during the night May 31st/June 1st. The men now suffered greatly from thirst, as water was strictly rationed to two water-bottles a day, and the heat was very great. Many attempts were made to obtain water, but the enemy had all sources of supply accurately covered by fire. Bhisti Gurditt Singh, with great gallantry and although wounded, several times succeeded in bringing in water under fire, for which he was later awarded the Indian Order of Merit.
Continual sniping took place day and night, and several further attacks took place, but were in each case driven off with loss. On June 9th the Movable Column arrived and raised the siege, and the garrison were relieved and rejoined the Battalion. The casualties were:—Indian other ranks, 1 died of wounds and 1 wounded, and 1 follower wounded.
Captain Anderson was awarded the Military Cross for the able manner in which he had defended the post. Two Indian Orders of Merit and two Indian Distinguished Service Medals were awarded to men of the Regiment, and seven officers and men were mentioned in despatches for services in the Afghan Campaign.
The complete Battalion concentrated in Tank in July, and remained there till the end of August, finding escorts for convoys, and dealing with raiders. In September it moved to Khirgi, where a month was spent working on defences and roads, attempting to round up Mahsud raiders, and day piqueting. Several men died of cholera.
By October 3rd the Battalion had concentrated at Darya Khan. The men left for their homes on furlough preparatory to proceeding to Palestine, and headquarters was despatched by rail to Dhond.
For its services on the frontier the Battalion was granted the battle honour “Afghanistan, 1919,” and General Service Medal, India, 1908, with clasps, “Afghanistan, North-West Frontier, 1919,” and “Waziristan, 1919-21.”