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THE ARTILLERY AT DARGAI. 
On the 18th inst. part of the 2nd division troops, under Sir Power 
Palmer, attacked and carried the Dargai ridge with only 13 casualties. 
On this occasion No. 8 Mountain Battery R.A. was with a flanking 
force on our left and did not come into action, No. 5 (Bombay) 
Mountain Battery was with the main attack, and No. 9 Mountain R.A. 
supported it from the Samana Sukh, that battery being camped on 
the Samana ridge, near Gulistan Fort. 
Towards the end of the day General Palmer decided to withdraw 
from the ridge back to Sliinawari, and about this time a large Afridi 
lashkar which had been in the Khanki valley, came up attracted by the 
firing to help the Orakzais. A heavy fire was opened on our troops, 
and several casualties occurred. Major Jenniugs Bramley of the 
Gordons was killed, and a party of the enemy tried to rush the Gordons* 
rear-guard, who were carrying off his body. This rush, however, was 
observed by No. 5 (Bombay) Mountain Battery, who were coveriug 
the withdrawal, and half-a-dozen shrapnel where discharged right into 
their midst effectually checking them. This prompt action probably 
saved us more casualties, which finally reached 63 in number. 
No. 9 Mountain Battery R.A. retired to Fort Gulistan and No. 5 to 
Shinawari. This was the action of the 18th. 
The action of the 20th was the commencement of the actual advance 
to Tirali. The 2nd division, under Major-General Yeatman-Biggs, 
was to cross the Samana by the Chagru Kotal, some 5,500 feet, and 
reach Karrappa in the Khanki valley some 13 miles fr^m Shinawari, 
where the 1st division would join it—(See Sketch I). Now the Dargai 
ridge, held in force by the enemy, flanked at a range of some 1,800 
yards, the pass over the Kotal and a descent from the ridge to the 
pass was an easy matter. Accordingly, it was necessary to again 
carry the ridge and occupy it. A start was made early in the morning. 
Brigadier-General Kempster’s brigade, consisting of the Gordon 
Highlanders, l/2nd Goorkhas, Dorsetshire Regiment, supported by 
the Derbyshire Regiment, were to attack Dargai. No. 9 Mountain 
Battery (Major Powell) was to come to its old position on the Samana 
Sukh; No. 8 Mountain Battery (Major Shirres, D.S.O.) and No. 5 
Bombay (Captain de Butts) moved with General Yeatman-Biggs to the 
Chagru Kotal, where they were joined by No. 1 Kohat (Captain St. 
John) which had been pushed forward very early in the morning from 
the 1st division, camped a march behind Shinawari. Colonel Purdy, 
R.A., commanded this force of artillery. 
The fight commenced by the batteries shelling the enemy’s fortified 
positions. A glance at the accompanying sketches will explain the 
positions far better than words, suffice it to say that Dargai was only 
approachable in front by a narrow neck without cover commanded by 
heights 300 to 400 feet above it at a range of some 500 yards. After 
crossing the neck the party scrambled up to the top with only room for 
men in single file. 
The out-line of the infantry attack is as follows 
The 3rd brigade, under General Kempster, attacked, the l/2nd 
