A Story of War

Still snowing. Razani postponed until Friday for some reason. I pay Attam Khan today, and when it is all settled he takes a look at it and asks what he is going to get next month. I tell him the same, and then he breaks out about the Major sahib giving him 35/- and 10/- …

I got orders to rejoin Razani yesterday. That’s a bit of a blow, as I had intended visiting the 5/13 on March 3rd. However, it snowed a foot or so in the night so I am snowbound up here today.

Continuous snow on and off, for the whole week practically now. The mountain tops look rather grim when you see them outlined in a gap in the smokey grey mist which swirls about their base. They seem to sort of loom out of the mist, especially with the sun behind them. I met a sikh,…

There has been no mail for two days, but it has stopped snowing today, and they are snow clearing, so it ought to get up today. My sea boots are a godsend. There’s absolutely nothing to do up here. Saw Wallace Berry (?) in “The Bad Man of Brimstone” the other night, which I missed…

I see the back intelligence reports today. Datta Khel seems to have been beseiged for about a week. The gun that blew up was a 2.75″ of local make, firing explosive shells. Mirali also seems to have been sniped pretty frequently, and all that upper Tochi area seems to be in a turmoil. Ipi is…

About 14 inches of snow. They say that that gun was tried out on Datta Khel again, a few days ago, and blew up, taking three dushmen with it. Had a talk with Major Allan. Razcol last year had 32 killed and 97 wounded, on what were ‘Peace’ columns. The Green Howards were asked why…

This morning dawns with six inches of snow, and it is continually a steady downpour. I have had two teeth stopped and go today for a final polish of stoppings. I hear the 1st Brigade went out yesterday, down the Khaisora to join the 2nd Brigade I suppose. The Brigadier came in yesterday, after presenting…

A strange incident last night. At about 11.45pm there is a noise of someone letting off his rifle continuously, pretty close, and gradually getting further away, as though he were running off down the road. At first I thought it was in the compound, and eventually I dismissed it as some lad letting off fireworks…

I am up and walking about for two days now. Captain Fowler comes up, and says he is treating a Khassadar who got shot in the Razani shooting the other day. On the second attempt he got a bullet out of the Khassadar’s foot, also some gravel and small stones, so reckons it must have…

I am pronounced bile free and advised to get up, as I’ll soon be discharged. This is the 13th day in hospital and I’m about fed up. It was a nice rest at first, between sheets after four weeks in Razani, but a fat-free diet is very monotomous – soup and jelly predominant.  The only…