Full medal write up
Charles McKenzie Edwards, a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot on 22 January 1879. Promoted Lieutenant on 14 November 1879, he served with the 66th during the Second Afghan War. During the campaign of Lieutenant Edwards was with the main body of the 66th stationed at Kandahar in June 1880 but went the Regiment marched out of Kandahar as part of Burrows force on 5 July, Edwards was left in charge of around 25 men of the 66th were left at the fort for administration purposes or were sick.
When news broke of the defeat at Maiwand, Edwards commenced writing a diary, written between 27 July and 9 September 1880. Consisting the siege and battle of Kandahar, Edward’s daily diary entries are of a most interesting nature as they are written by an Officer of the 66th who three weeks previous (and no doubt to his own disappointment), had watched his fellow Officers and men march out of the cantonments but was now watching the remnants drag themselves back. His diary is published in the outstanding ‘Maiwand, The Last Stand of The 66th..’ by Richard J Stacpoole-Ryding. Some extracts from the diary follow:
“27th July: News arrived 1.30am ‘total defeat of General Burrows’ Brigade. The poor 66th Regiment cut to pieces. Ordered at once to quit cantonments and retire into the fort. The whole day remnants of the Brigade kept coming in. Was very seedy and knocked up. Could not get any transport to take away kits, so lost the lot. There need not have been such a hurry. I think it was all confusion”.
“July 28th: Our hopes for more arrivals was doomed to disappointment. On guard at 6pm………..
Condition VF, some contact wear. A fine medal to the only Officer of the 66th left at Kandahar during the battle of Maiwand. His diary of the aftermath, the siege and battle of Kandahar, being a rare narrative of these events by a junior Officer.