A SCARCE AFGHANISTAN 1878 TO A PRIVATE OF THE 7TH FUSILIERS WHO DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED DURING THE DISASTROUS SORTIE TO DEH-KHOJA ON 16TH AUGUST 1880. JUST 367 FUSILIERS TOOK PART IN THE SORTIE, WITH NO LESS THAN ONE V.C. AND 8 D.C.M.’s BEING AWARDED TO THEM

AFGHANISTAN 1878, NO CLASP ‘896 PTE. F. SWAN. 2/7TH FOOT’

Francis D. Swan enlisted with the 49th Brigade on 6 November 1875 before joining the 1/7th Foot in November 1877 and from there to the 2/7th Foot in December. Posted to India in April 1879, he was still with the Battalion when they joined British troops in Quetta for service in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The battalion arrived at Kandahar, 26 April 1880. On the 28th July, on the news of the disaster sustained at Maiwand reaching Kandahar, 70 rifles of the 2/7th formed part of the force under Brigadier-General Brooke which set out to relieve the survivors of Brigadier-General Burrows ill-fated brigade. On 11th August, they and 4,500 other British and Native troops were besieged by 10,000 enemy tribesmen. On 16th August, five companies of the 2/7th (367 men), along with companies from the 19th and 28th Native Infantry, formed part of a force of 900 infantry and 300 cavalry, sent on a sortie to attack the nearby fortified village of Deh Khoja. The plan which had originally been intended to involve a much larger force was foolishly stripped down in size by Brigadier-General Brooke and he would lead the attack. After suffering heavy casualties, the force finally reached the village, which was made up of a warren of streets and houses, perfect for defence. In the fierce hand to hand fighting that followed and with enemy reinforcements streaming into the fight, retreat became the only option. Brooke himself was killed, as were many of his senior officers and;

‘The combat during the retreat was perhaps even more desperate than during our assault. These desperate Ghazis and bold mountaineers, ignorant of discipline or any regular art of war, and armed only with rude matchlocks, short swords, and axes of native manufacture, had by a sort of natural instinct discovered at once our weak points, and, by feints upon our centre, and furious assaults upon our flanks during the whole of our retreat across the plain, not only inflicted a tremendous loss upon us, but at one period seriously endangered our position.’

Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with the British losing 226 officers and men killed and wounded, including 4 Officers and 50 men of the Fusiliers. It was another major disaster for the British and just 3 weeks after Maiwand. Private Swan was severely wounded during the sortie but made it back to Kandahar, only to die of his wounds the next day.

Seven D.C.M.s and one VC were awarded to the 7th Fusiliers for the Second Afghan War 1878-80, all of which were for Deh-Khoja. Most of these recommendations appear to be for bringing wounded men in under fire or holding off the enemy during the retreat. Given the severe nature of his wounds, Private Swan more than likely was brought in with the help of others.

Condition GVF. A scarce Deh Khoja casualty medal. Sold together with a copied medal roll and handwritten research.