THE ARTILLERY IN CHITRAL. 
IBS 
CAPTAIN G. F. HERBERT, R.A. 
Tue following is an account of the part played by the artillery in the 
Chitral Relief Expedition. The batteries which were actually engaged 
during the campaign were :— 
No. 3 Mountain Battery .. ... ...  ... Major J. D. Cunningham. 
5 8 i oe lah i mee ae ee , J. C. Shirres. 
»» 2 (Derajat) Mountain Battery ... ... Captain J. L. Parker. 
The 15th Field Battery also formed part of the expedition. Un- 
fortunately it was not sent up from Campellpore till some time after 
the rest of the troops had started, consequently it was not in time to 
take part in the fight at the Malakand Pass, and beyond this point it 
did not go. I believe the battery was delayed while experiments were 
being made with a view of the guns, &c. being carried over the passes 
by elephants, but it seems a great pity that it was not sent up at once 
to march as far into the country as it could.) It could certainly have 
been brought into action at the Malakand and would probably have 
been most useful as, at the first two positions occupied, the range was 
too long for the 2°5” gun to have very much effect. 
It is much to be regretted that the opportunity was missed as the 
12-pr. B.L. has never, I believe, been firedagainst a real enemy and much 
valuable information might have been gained even if it had taken part in 
one action only. Moreover it is now more than ten years since our 
horse or field artillery has fired a round on service while every single 
mountain battery, British and Native, has been through at least one 
campaign during that time. 
In the Chitral campaign the mountain batteries were again to the 
fore. Mach of the three was engaged in more than one action and on 
every occasion played a very prominent part. 
I do not propose to write a regular narrative of the campaign, but 
only to record as much as is necessary to describe the movements of 
the batteries. 
I was fortunate enough to obtain leave to accompany the expedition 
as a newspaper correspondent. Lieutenant Pack-Beresford, R.H.A., 
went up in the same capacity. We travelled together and had a most 
interesting trip, returning to India from Gilgit vid Chilas. We left 
1 This was done in the case of cavalry with excellent result, as, contrary to expectation, they 
found country where they could act and were of the greatest possible service in at least two of the 
actions. Beyond the Janbatai Pass the country was quite impracticable and they were not sent on, 
10. VoL. XXII, 68 
