419 
THE DIARY OP THE 10th FIELD BATTERY, R.A., 
WITH THE MALAKAND FIELD FORCE, 
— BY — 
LIEUTENANT 0. N. B. BALLARD, R.A. 
ON the 29th July, 1897, the officer commanding the 10th Field 
Battery, who was on leave in the Gullies near Murree, received a wire 
from the D.A.A.G., R.A., Punjab command, that a recommendation 
had been sent by the Command, recommending that the Battery (then 
stationed at Rawal Pindi) should be sent to the Malakand, in conse¬ 
quence of the outbreak which had taken place in Lower Swat. In¬ 
formation was at once sent to the battery of the possibility of mobili¬ 
zation and steps taken so that it could be done with the least possible 
delay. 
On the 81st July a wire from Simla was received saying it was not 
considered necessary to send Field Artillery. 
On the 1st August, however, another wire came from Simla to the 
Punjab command at Murree ordering the Battery to mobilize as part 
of a Reserve Brigade, the British troops (two battalions) mobilizing 
at Pindi, and the native troops (also two battalions) mobilizing at 
Hoti Mardan. 
A private wire from the D.A.A.G., R.A. sent the major and one sub¬ 
altern who was on leave with him down to Pindi, but the official wire 
to mobilize did not reach the Battery till 11 a.m. on the 2nd August 
owing to the amount of messages being transmitted on the main line. 
The men at Rawal Pindi had been medically examined for fitness for 
active service. On the morning of the 2nd August the horses were 
inspected by the O.C., R.A. and the Veterinary Officer and the various 
mobilization measures put in train. No move was expected for three 
or four days, but about 3 p.m. orders were received for the battery to 
start that night. The afternoon and evening were fully occupied 
packing and storing kits, inspecting ammunition, etc. 
The right half battery left at midnight having entrained in just 
under the hour. The left half battery entrained immediately after 
but their train was delayed starting for the mail to go through. The 
first train reached Nowshera about 6 a.m. but the second did not arrive 
till midday. The guns were parked and the horses picketted in an 
open space in the British infantry barracks, the men bivouacking in 
the verandahs. The day was excessively warm. 
8* YOL. XXYo 
