The Battle of Maiwand 1880 | 2nd Anglo Afghan War
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- The Battle of Maiwand was a major British defeat in Afghanistan, back in 1880.
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Fought on the 27th July 1880, the Battle of Maiwand was one of the greatest defeats ever suffered by one of Queen’s Victoria’s armies - over 900 men were wiped out by an Afghan army which outnumbered it by 10:1.
It was fought during the 2nd Anglo Afghan War.
During the previous war, back in the 1840's, the British had also suffered a significant defeat when their column retreating from Kabul was massacred and the 44th Regiment of Foot made a famous last stand at Gandamak
Watch that story by clicking the link below:
• The Last Stand of the ...
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Commanded by Brigadier-General George Burrows the British army consisted of some 1,500 infantry and 350 cavalry.
It was a mixed force drawn from the India army and the regular British Army, the latter comprising of the 66th regiment of Foot.
The 66th would later become the Royal Berkshire Regiment and after further amalgamations are now part of The Rifles.
The Indian contingent was drawn from the Bombay Army. The infantry comprised of the 1st Bombay Grenadiers and the 30th Bombay Native Infantry (Jacob’s Rifles).
The Grenadiers had been formed way back in 1778 and were one of the oldest regiments in the Indian army.
It was the Bombay Army that also contributed the cavalry force under Brigadier-General Nuttall.
They were the 3rd Queen’s Own cavalry and the 3rd Scinde Horse.
Also accompanying the force were B and E batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery and a half company of Bombay engineers and sappers.
The Afghans used their superiority in numbers and guns to overwhelm the British force.
The British lost 943 men killed and 175 wounded.
For the Afghans it was a famous victory.
However, it had also been a costly victory too.
Accounts vary as to their losses but estimates suggest 2,000 killed.
The victorious Afghans went on to besiege the British garrison in Kandahar until defeated be General Frederick Roberts.
An impressive memorial, surmounted by a lion was erected in reading, the home town of the 66th Regiment to honour the 274 men and 12 officers from the regiment who were killed in the battle.
The Lion of Maiwand has become a symbol for the town of Reading and features on the emblem of Reading F.C.
#battleofmaiwand #britishempire #britishempire
Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:07 2nd Anglo Afghan War
3:17 The British Army
5:37 The Afghan Army
7:05 Battle of Maiwand
9:40 British Collapse
10:46 saving The Guns
11:43 Last Stand Of The 66th.
12:35 Victoria Crosses
13:52 Casualty Figures
16:42 Bobbie The Dog
18:31 History Chap Membership
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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.
History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or UA-cam animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.
My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"
Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
While at dinner in the Army & Navy Club when Tony Blair announced that British troops would be deployed to Afghanistan, a rather famous author and soldier remarked “do these people never read history?”
My dad said something similar at the time..on the lines of the Yanks don't know what they are going into but we Blinking well should!
There was a cartoon in Soldier magazine with a squaddie in desert kit heading off to Afghanistan with ghosts of British soldiers looking on. The caption was 'Been there, done that. Hope you has better luck than we did'.
Thank you! It's another fantastic story (again) about the British military history! Thank you very much for everything & your storytelling talent!!!
My pleasure. Thanks for your support.
Thank you Sir for your narrative of the battle.
Thank you! Excellent video. I was stationed at Maiwand with the US Army in 2008-2009 and was on the battlefield many times. I knew very little about the battle then, but have been fascinated with it ever since. Wonderful storytelling of such a pivotal moment in British and Afghan history!
I n October 1963, when Harold Macmillan was handing over the premiership to Alec Douglas-Home, he is supposed to have called the younger man to his office and passed on some reassuring advice. “My dear boy,” he said, “as long as you don't invade Afghanistan you'll be absolutely fine.”
I wish our politicians had paid more attention to history in that area. I’m glad to have served, but nobody’s conquered Afghanistan going back to the Macedonians. I wish it was peaceful there as there is a lot of interesting history there. Just south of the Maiwand battlefield is a fortress built by Alexander the Great, blown up Russian tanks etc. I remember finding random .303 casings in the desert as well. Evidence of hundreds of years of fighting all in a small area, would be a dream for an archeologist!
@@SgtGenDanbo 1889
303 or . 303 British was adopted by Britain along with the Lee - Metford Rifle in 1889. This round, as originally adopted, consisted of a 215 grain, round nosed, cupro nickel jacketed bullet in front of 71.5 grains of RFG2 Blackpowder.
Yes, I found those quite a ways away from the Maiwand battlefield in a small village. I suspect it was later production MkVII ammo probably used during the Soviet-Afghan war or during fighting in the 90s. Almost anywhere you go over there you can find evidence of prior fighting. Not uncommon to see Lee-Enfields, Martini-Henry's, Sniders etc. as well. @@SunofYork
@@SgtGenDanbo All the powers want Afghanistan so they can threated its neighbors.. No oil.. just geographical position...Now that rockets and planes and drones can fly over and do the job, it may become less important to hold it....
Another fantastic history lesson. It is amazing how much destruction comes about when orders are not thought through and are still given. Also, not knowing the terrain and being fully prepared for battle always leads to disastrous results.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment
You, sir, are indeed the master of wonderful stories of English history. For the very first time in my 24-year marriage to my beautiful wife Debbie, she listened and watched this video. When it came time for the story of little Bobby the dog, she was deeply moved. Well done, my friend, as always. Superbly crafted, and we look forward to your next story. Until then, Cheers and be well.😊
That’s such a lovely comment, thank you. I’m glad your wife enjoyed it too.
Thanks for another great story, having served the UN in Pakistan during the 1980's I learned a lot about this period. Later at the Dutch Foreign Office as a securety advisor, I warned that sending NATO to Afghanistan on a "winning hearts and minds "mission would be a waste of time and lives! Read the history, I said. Nobody reacted. Keep up the great stories,Chris.
The moral of the story is not to invade Afghanistan. No one ever succeeds. Ask the Soviets in 1979.
@@philhawley1219 And yet this nation that stood up to the worlds biggest empires apparently couldnt stop a few illiterate taliban in old pickup trucks taking over the whole country in less than a month...
@@toekneekerching9543 I suppose the latter war was a civil war (if wars can be civil)....
@@philhawley1219the moral is that you pay the "good guys" to fight "the bad guys" then leave them to it.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.
Thanks very much. The regiment still marked Maiwand Day in the 1960s and I'm glad you included the story of Bobby.
Thank you for sharing
Another great recounting of Imperial history … well done Chris , your style and intonation make all these events so compelling to listen too !
That’s very kind of you. Thanks for watching.
A fascinating video Chris. It's a battle that up until today I'd never heard of before.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
Another fabulous video, many thanks. I recall rumours that in 2007, Afghan elders complained to a senior officer about bad behaviour from British soldiers. When investigated, it turned out the complaint dated to the 1870s. Long memories indeed. Taliban propaganda always invoked the folk memory of Maiwand as a rallying call for the tribes.
Fascinating story thank you so much for sharing
Brilliant
Fantastic documentary! I know the Lion monument very well as our family moved to Reading when I was 7 years old; Maiwand was a byword of British defeat at the time of the Empire; we were all taught about it at school - General Lord Roberts is also well known to my family as my Great Grandfather was on the Roberts March, he was a driver, using 4 or 6 horses to pull the limber and artillery piece he was ordered to drive. I still have his Army paybook, which has some fascinating details. Thank you for bringing Maiwand to everyone's attention. I know it would have made my Great Grandfather very proud that we remembered this terrible situation for the British in Afghanistan.
Fascinating to hear about your great grandfather. I’m sure he could’ve told the story even better than me!
@@TheHistoryChap I forgot to mention that the men who took part in the 320-mile march known as "Lord Roberts March" were awarded the Kabul Khandahar Star - my Great Grandfather was awarded this star; it was awarded to both British and Indian soldiers, Officers, NCO's and Enlisted men alike for this was no ordinary march.
I recently visited Reading and saw the monument. Your video has brought the battle to life in my mind, a battle I was previously not aware of. Great channel.
Thanks for watching. I always like to see how History relates to a modern day, even if it’s just understanding why statues and memorials exist.
I recognise the paiting of the battle but didn't really know much about it. Well done, Bobby! Thanks Chris.
Thanks for watching
Thank you Sir for your brilliant narrative of the Battle Of Maiwand. I was nearly at the edge of my seat. What a tale of bravery in the midst of chaos. Once again thank you and I await your next video lecture. 👍
I’m glad you enjoyed it it’s a story very few people know
What another great video! Thank you for doing a video on one of my favorite campaigns. The brave last stand by the 66th is so heroic and honorable, and one to be remembered. Hopefully one day I can see that memorial and pay my respects
Thank you for both watching and taking the time to comment
History Chap, I was reading about the Taiping Rebellion and came across our old friend Charles "Chinese" Gordon defending Shanghai and that got me wondering. Are you planning on making videos that will cover the colonial wars in China? It seems like fertile ground that is right up the alley of this channel.
In any case, I'm glad to see this channel grow over the last year and a half; it's still a gem, even if it isn't so much a "hidden gem" anymore. I still haven't come across a channel that has covered the Victorian Era Colonial Wars half so well.
Oh yes, the colonial wars in China are on the cards! Just need to do it sensitively
Yes! Another capital story brought to life, a story Ihad never heard before!
Thanks for watching
Riveting, as always. Thank you for yet another in a long line of captivating presentations.
Thank you for your support
Thanks so much as always Chris
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.
History Chap, you videos are a real treat.
That’s very kind of you. If you want even more exclusive videos, join my membership channel
Good morning, Chris, I managed to sit, watch and listen with my first cup of coffee of the day. I was truly amazed at the decisions of Brigadier Burrows. I know from my time in the military the Artillery gunner's still to this day wear the white lanyard because of the loss of their guns. I really enjoyed the telling as always; I have added another monument to see to my bucket list when we travel back to visit. Please keep the stories coming. Thank you.
Thank you for all of your support
Thanks again Chris, wonderfully explained!
Thank you for watching
Great story. Well told. Never heard about this battle before. Salute to all these brave men.
Thanks for watching
Ur accuracy, intensity, presentation skill, and thoroughness made a subscriber outta me.
I'm very partial to little Bobbie's part of this story. TY to whom ever preserved his part n history.
Thanks for your support
Thank you for the education. I know so little about the time period, many thanks for enlightening me.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Enjoyed that, thanks very much
Thanks for watching.
Please make sure you sign up to my channel if you haven’t already
Another fantastic video, have recently managed to get a copy of the book My God Maiwand so found this story fascinating. Look forward to watching your next video
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks another great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Yet another arousing and informative video; thanks again, Chris.
Glad you enjoyed it
An excellent vid. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Gosh, another fantastic history lesson! 👏 The punchline at the end with the little dog is a real kicker.
Thanks for watching
Riveting stuff as usual. Thank you, Chris.
My pleasure!
I was moved by the story of Bobby, the mongrel dog who fought at the Battle of Maiwand. What was so handsome about the cab that ran over him? It sounded like it was a tragic tale of overconfidence, and you were right, not paying attention to signs given to you. Another excellent triumph on the annals of history, bravo, amigo.
Hi Harry, it was actually a Hanson Cab (horse drawn cab). Poor Bobby met his end in the town of Gosport, near Portsmouth.
@@TheHistoryChap It's a "Hansom Cab" (designed, and patented, by Joseph Hansom in 1834).
You tell this sad story so well
Thanks
Very kind of you. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for another interesting and informative video.
Glad you enjoyed it. Please subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already
Another fantastic peace of history 👏 thanks for bring this one to us
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Another great story concerning the British Army! Thanks so much for your time and effort towards educating us!
Thanks for watching my video
TY so much. As always very interesting
Glad you enjoyed it
Splendid , well played sir.
Thank you kindly!
Another excellent brought story, thank you
My pleasure. Please make sure you subscribe to my channel, so you don’t miss future productions.
Hope all is well take care
Thanks for another wonderful video :-)
All good here. Thanks for watching.
Great video, you are an excellent story teller.
That’s very kind of you. Please subscribe to my channel.
Another fascinating video of with your usual ability to get an interesting side story too.
Chris, I follow your videos but sometimes get confused whether a battle is in the Boer War, Zulu War and these battles took place.
I know you give us dates etc but could you in one future video lay out in chronological order the various battles you have covered? Many thanks.
Thank you for your support Members Only channel to get exclusives.
Great story as always. And nice about the dog at the end. Love little details like that.
Glad you enjoyed it
As always, a great video! Thank you for covering this important, but, as you said, little known action.
Among the dead of the 66th was the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Galbraith, who was killed as the Regiment withdrew towards Khig. He fell holding the Queen's Colours.
I attended Reading University. The bus route from the station to the Uni passed by Forbury Gardens and the Maiwand Lion statue. Whenever I saw it, i would always remember the Battle of Maiwand and the last stand of the 66th.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.
LOVE your storytelling ❤
Thank you. Please subscribe to my channel.
Thanks for this interesting story.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you very much.
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching.
EXCELLENT, as always1
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it
I love the fact that you got the pronunciation of "Isandlwana"very nearly correct.Not easy to do. Kudos to you, from and old South African soldier
I’m glad you liked my pronunciation. One of my Achilles heels, so always nice to know when I’ve got it nearly right.
Excellent and Outstanding !!!!
Glad you like it!
Just delightful...thanks
Thank you
Excellent thanks 👏👏
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Great video! I'd love to see one about the true story behind Kipling's poem Ford o' Kabul River
I like that suggestion. Could be fun researching it.
I always enjoy your stories. 👏👏👏
Thank you for watching
112k subs already thats great! you will be reaching 200k in no time :)
Wouldn’t have believed it when I set out just three years ago. Thanks for your support.
I love to study and learn the story behind memorial statues. I LOVE history and I want to know why it was so important to honor and memorialize a person, battle, war or pigeon (Cher Ami). Fascinating piece of human history.
Thank you for taking the time to show your passion for History
Amazing story of Maiwand battle and a pain full defeat. But the lessons are still not leant . My whole family fought in both 1st and sect wars and many of them was not returned back bless their souls. Wars always bring miseries for ages to come. For soldiers ❤
Thank you for taking the time to share
In Shoreham-by-Sea, at the old church, is a big wall plaque commemorating the death of an officer in Afghanistan in 1875 (pretty sure that was the year). Always fascinated me as to what we were doing there. And why we bothered going back!
I think they’re going back is the big question
Wonderful video Chris, we Texans know about battling against long odds and your storytelling is gripping. Many Thanks1
Glad you found it entertaining and educational. Thanks for your support.
Start battling the flow of illegal aliens invading our country. Grip them and turn them back south.
@@mochiebellina8190 Start with those descending from the illegal immigrants, who came after 1492....
very good thank you!!
You are welcome!
I lived in the Helmand valley in 1965 with my parents. Dad was with USAID . We visited the battle site. The Afghans had Graves laid out but the British dead had a field opium puppy's growing over them with no markers.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Phenomenal detail of a largely unknown campaign and an unknown battle.
Full of energy vigour and daring do in the best tradition of the Victorian Army
Thanks for watching.
Splendid, splendid. Always drawn to accounts of British Military conflicts in Afghanistan, Burma, South Africa, France and North Africa since ancestors on both sides of my family were involved in battles in those areas.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
Excellent video.
Thank you
Hello from France... excellent ! Thank you.
Thank you for watching
Why , why , why would General Burrows sacrifice his army this way? The Battle of Maiwand was unknown to me, thanks Chris so much for your great , great work!
It’s my pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Brilliant!
Thank you very much
Nice Job!
Thank you! Cheers!
Being bold and hesitant at the wrong moments, what could possibly go wrong?
Absolutely!
Very good video and excellent story telling. As a retired museum educator I paused the video to look at your bookshelf, and was trying to see if there was any order to how the books were arranged. Can you share the method if any? Mine are all grouped by era.
Ha ha, mine are grouped by size!
Superb…as usual.
Thank you very much
What a story. Well done. Brave soldiers.
Thanks for watching
A great story 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks
Thanks for your support
Excellent story Chris. I was wondering about the dog in the painting of the battle. Now we know. Thanks for another great illustration of our military history.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love finding out the hidden stories. A bit like my recent (members) one about William Manle who was awarded the VC and the Iron Cross!
I spent 2 years attached to the DERRs, made up from the Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiments, and they celebrated this anniversary with a sports day.
Thanks for sharing your experiences
well told!
Thank you very much
Wow! You've done it again McGoo. I'd never heard of this battle. Great story well told. You never disappoint. Thanks.
I aim to please!😀
Good aimer. @@TheHistoryChap
Great coverage of British Involvement in Afghanistan! That land has mauled armies all the way back to Alexander the Greats,the British, the Russian, & the Americans. One U.S. soldier stated "the rocks shoot at you". Fascinating history! From across the pond Well done! 🇺🇸
Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching.
17:50 I heard Bobbie's regiment being renamed as the Royal Barkshires instead of Royal Berkshires and it gave me a laugh
You made me chuckle too!
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👌👌👌otro maravilloso video felicitaciones
Gracias
Great vid, Today was Arnhem day. Any chance of an analysis?:-)
As my dad was a para in the day. I will definitely be taking a look at Arnhem but probably after Christmas
I beleive that Maywand is as well known in Afghanistan amongst Afghans as Waterloo or Stalingrad are known amongst their respective nations. It is a big deal- and they know that they were the victors.
I can imagine it is. There is a folklore story about an Afghan woman rallying the Afghans by waving her headscarf like a battle standard. Doubt the Taliban would approve!
correct as a child i remember people telling me about it and reading about it in school
@@TheHistoryChapshe was called "Malalay of Maiwand" And we're proud of her 😊
Weren't these famous lines from Kipling's poem about the Battle of Maiwand:
"When you're wounded and left on the Afghan plain, / and the women come out to pluck out what's remain, / you roll on your rifle and blow out your brains."
So Kipling wasn't always romantic; he could also be brutally realistic.
A different poem ("The Young British Soldier") but about this same war.
''...And go to your God like a Soldier.''
Cited in the Sandhurst 'red book' (quotes and passages of interest and inspiration for young officers) as 'Afghanistan pre deployment briefing, all times'
Brilliant
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it.
I read My God, Maiwand" by Leigh Maxwell, and it gave the full story , including a forgotten last stand by Jacob's Rifles after the defeat
Thank you for sharing
Another great video sir. Maiwand was indeed a great disaster for british colors, honor to the fallen, thanks for sharing. And a big "hurrah" for Bobbie!
Thanks for watching
Great story Chris as usual. You said George said that any man who was awarded the cross should never have to give it up, so does that mean the King reinstated his cross and his title? I dont know if that word title is the correct word to use, but I do know that anyone bestowed the VC always has it added after the name.
As far as I understand, the command was not retrospective
Sounds like Burrows made a complete hash of it. Against such a superior force he should have used the lay of the land to have fought a defensive battle, the ravines could have negated the enemies greater numbers, it's a old ploy but often successful. Not even poor old Bobby made it!
Thanks for taking the time to watch and to comment
Aaaw. Bobby. Very good again
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.
Nice listen
Thanks.
Early in the video I thought it likely that one of Kipling's poems was about this battle. But I'm surprised that you said it is That Day. I was thinking of another.
Thanks for taking the time to show your thoughts
Taking a relatively small force onto an unreconnoitered plain, against an overwhelming force, has got to be one of the most genius of military tactics. Full of the righteous arrogance of the Victorian mind. Strange how it turned out. The Empire in decline is full of such yarns. The soldiers in these stories deserved better leaders than those that purchased their ruin.
Thank you for taking the time to comment
@@TheHistoryChap Nothing really, Your contribution to my knowledge of our mutual history has been immeasurable.
Please make a video on Battle of Ambela
Will add this to my ever growing list. thanks for watching my video
I came across a modern military historian - I think he might have been a current or ex-soldier and he claimed with great emphasis that the British Army had never lost a battle. I kinda knew that wasn't true and Mr History Chap is clearing that up for me. Thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I am surprised that a military historian came out with a comment like that. British history is littered with military defeats rather like most other nations.
@@TheHistoryChap " ... rather like most other nations." No kidding. Thanks for the reply and thank you for your great stories. Cheers!
Roads around TOOTING Broadway were named over that battle??? You honour there souls 🙏 history.
HIS- STORY 💪🇬🇧💯✌️
THANKS OL' CHAP👍🎬
I’m always keen to show house, streets, pubs, memorials, phrases that we use and pass by in modern life, tell a story from the past
Read "My God, Maiwand" by Leigh Maxwell, a fantastic read that also exposes some of the attempts by the British to blame Jacob's Rifles for Brigadier General Burrow's poor tactical decisions
Thanks for the recommendation. Another one to add to the never ending 'to read' list.
Thanks for sharing
I love it!
Aaah -the great bard McGonnagall!
"Oooooooooh - ’Twas at the disastrous battle of Maiwand, in Afghanistan,
Where the Berkshires were massacred to the last man;
On the morning of July the 27th, in the year eighteen eighty,
Which I’m sorry to relate was a pitiful sight to see."
His poetry is nearly as bad as mine!
I wouldn't have thought that 6 batteries of artillery would have so many guns Chris...My younger son did a tour in Afghanistan, US Army. many years ago...
Thanks for taking the time to comment