601 
THE MAIZAR AFFAIR. 
BY 
CAPTAIN L. C. GORDON, R.A. 
The frontier beyond Bannu was recently the scene of one of those 
sudden bursts of fanaticism and treachery, which are the main features 
of the Pathan character, and as the occasion served to bring out 
prominently, several acts of heroism on the part of officers and men 
of the Royal Artillery, which add yet another laurel to the glorious 
record of the Regiment, a brief description of the gallant conduct of 
all ranks of— 
“ Number 6 Bombay Mountain Battery,” 
which so distinguished itself on this trying day, and of which battery 
it was afterwards said in official despatches, “ the conduct of the 
battery was beyond all praise,” will, I feel sure, be of interest in the 
Proceedings of the R.A. Institution. 
The scene of the fight was at Maizar, situated in the Tochi valley, 
roughly 80 miles W. of Bannu and five miles from Dotoi, on the 
Afghan frontier, on the 10th June/ 1897. 
12 Sabres, 1st Panjab Cavalry ; 
2 Guns, No. 6 Bombay Mountain Battery, under Lieutenant H. 
A. Cruickshank; 
200 Rifles, 1st Sikh Infantry, under Lieut.-Colonel Bunny and 
Lieutenant Htgginson ; 
100 Rifles, 1st Panjab Infantry, under Lieutenant Seton Browne; 
Surgeon-Captain Cassidy, 1st Sikhs, and Captain J. F. Browne, 
Commandiug No. 6 Bombay Mountain Battery, who accompanied 
the force to obtain information for the Intelligence Department, formed 
an escort to the Political Officer, Tochi valley. He was proceeding to 
Maizar, which is 13 or 14 miles from the frontier camp of Datta Khel, 
to select the site for a new post and to settle the distribution of a fine 
which had been levied for a murder. 
Maizar was reached at 9.30 a.m. A place was shown by the Chief 
Malik (headman) where the troops could rest, the intention being to 
return in the cool of the evening to Datta Khel. This resting place 
was on a terrace under some trees and near to Drepilari. The Political 
Officer, together with Captain Browne, R. A., and Lieutenant Higginson, 
1st Sikhs, at once rode on with a few sowars to Dotoi and returned to 
Maizar at about 11.30 a.m., where all the officers had breakfast under 
79 
12 VOL. XXIV. 
