THE ARTILLERY IN CHITRAL. 503 
Tn his absence the command fell to Major Cunningham whose place 
as Battery Commander was taken by Captain Grier. 
The three batteries advanced in line of battery columns along the 
east of the valley encountering a good deal of rough broken ground 
en route, but one must see a mountain battery on the war-path to know 
what marching really is, and it wasa great sight to see how they swung 
along taking everything as it came. 
The first shot was fired at 8.55 a.m. by the enemy at the Guides’ 
cavalry who were reconnoitringe towards the pass, but it was not till 
nearly 9°30 that No. 3 came into action on a ridge running across the 
valley with a narrow crest, very rocky and broken. The range from 
here to the enemy’s sungurs was about 4000 yards, rather excessive 
for the 2°5" gun, and I do not think much damage was done. No. 8 
came into action beside No. 3 a few minutes later and took up the fire. 
No. 2 (Derajat) also unlimbered but did not fire. 
I believe Major Cunningham did not select this very long range 
position but was ordered to take it up. Presumably the General did 
not wish to send troops too far forward up the valley until the flank 
attack being carried out by the Guides and 4th Sikhs on the high hills 
to the left was more developed. 
At 10 a.m. the guns limbered up and advanced to a range of about 
3000 yards, still too long for very great effect, though the practice was 
good and many shell appeared to tell. 
1 «This position they maintained for about an hour, shelling the 
village of Malakand (at the head of the pass), the adjacent sungurs 
and any groups of the enemy that came into sight. The effect was de- 
cidedly good as any attempt on their part to form a large gathering 
was at once frustrated and subsequent observation showed that their 
loss from shrapnel fire was very great, a good deal, no doubt, having 
been inflicted from this position. At 11.15 the artillery ceased firing, 
limbered up and advanced along the foot of the hills on the right of 
the valley, the main body of infantry also advancing along the centre, 
the whole moving up to within 1400 yards of the village where the 
batteries came into action ona prominent spur.. The batteries quickly 
got the range, and from-this time to.the final. assault of the position, 
they fired with deadly effect.” The top of the crest on which the 
batteries came into action was so narrow that one gun of No. 3 had to 
be kept in its place when fired by the gunners holding on to drag-ropes 
attached to the axles to prevent it recoiling down hill. 
Major Cunningham has kindly supplied me with the following notes : 
“At the third position I kept the fire of all three batteries on the 
lines of sungurs that successively opposed the advance of our infantry, 
firing with time shrapnel close over the heads of our infantry. As 
British infantry use cordite, they made no smoke, and their khaki 
clothes being the same colour as the hillside, the men were most diffi- 
cult to see. Consequently one had to keep a very sharp look-out indeed 
so that one did not continue fire too long after they had masked targets 
unnoticed. 
I quote from the Morning Post (Allahabad) for which paper I acted as correspondent, 
