3rd Afghan War 1919

[Vigilant]

I have read that Handley Page V/1500's were used to bomb Kabul into submission in a spot of North West Frontier trouble in 1919. But that is almost all I know about the 3rd Afghan War. Can somebody provide some more details for me? Causes - Participants - Fighting - Outcome. Thanks.

I realise we are in a completely different ball game now, but I'd be interested to know what happened 'last time'. Had any of the 1919 pilots seen sevice in the Independent Force, RAF?

Vig.

[mike_baram]

Check this page:
http://www.magweb.com/sample/smwa/safgh.htm


In reality, the Afghan regular army was not ready for war. As in past years, the upper levels of the officer corps was riddled with political intrigue. General Molesworth gives the following evaluation of the Emir's army:

"Afghan regular units ... were ill-trained, illpaid, and probably under strength. The cavalry was little better than indifferent infantry mounted on equally indifferent ponies. Rifles varied between modern German, Turkish and British types, to obsolete Martinis and Snyders. Few infantry units had bayonets. Artillery was ponydrawn, or pack, and included modern 10cm Krupp howitzers, 75mm Krupp mountain guns and ancient 7 pounder weapons. There were a few, very old, four-barrel Gardiner machine guns. Ammunition was in short supply and distribution must have been very difficult. For the artillery much black powder was used, both as a propellent and bursting charge for shells. The Kabul arsenal workshops were elementary and mainly staffed by Sikh artificers with much ingenuity but little real skill. There was no organised transport and arrangements for supply were rudimentary."

>Had any of the 1919 pilots seen sevice in the
> Independent Force, RAF?

I couldnt find the source sorry, but I recall reading that in 1919, No.1 Squadron AFC was in the processing of demobilising and getting ready to go back to Australia when they had wind of being sent to Afghanistan with their Bristol Fighters. I cant recall if it was the Australia Government or the AIF which said no, but No.1 Squadron handed their Bristols over to an RAF Sqdn (111?) and ended up going back to Aus. Dont know if 111 Sqn RAF took part or not.

Incidentally too G.C. Matthews in his plan to fly to Australia for the London-Sydney race, was routed to fly through Russia and Afghanistan.



cam

The following may be useful:

BROWN, Kenneth Hugh, F/O - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; Afghanistan, with No.114 Squadron and Royal Field Artillery.

CARBERY, Douglas Hugh Moffatt, F/L, MC, DFC - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; services in Afghanistan.

COTTLE, Jack, F/O, DFC - Member, Order of the British Empire - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; services in Afghanastan with No.48 Squadron.

COX, Albert John, Observer Officer - Member, Order of the British Empire - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; services in Afghanastan with No.31 Squadron.

HALLEY, Robert, F/L, DFC, AFC - Second Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; services in Afghanistan.

JAYNES, Adam Leslie, Air Mechanic 2nd Class (407606) - Meritorious Service Medal - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 April 1920 for services in Afghanistan with No.114 Squadron.

MacDONALD, Frederick Maurice, Sergeant (7800) - Meritorious Service Medal - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 April 1920 for services in Afghanistan, No.31 Squadron.

ODDIE, Gerard Stephen, F/O - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; operations in Afghanistan with No.31 Squadron.

POPE, Ralph Patrick Philip, F/O, DFC - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane of 21 July 1920; No.63 Squadron, Afghanistan; with effect from 31 March 1920.

UPHAM, Arthur Collwell, Lieutenant - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; operations in Afghanistan with No.114 Squadron.

VINCENT, Claude McClean, F/O - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 12 July 1920; reported in Aeroplane, 21 July 1920; operations in Afghanistan with No.31 Squadron.

WISEMAN, Thomas Leonard, Sergeant (78925) - Meritorious Service Medal - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 April 1920 for services in Afghanistan, No.31 Squadron.

David E. Omissi, AIR POWER AND COLONIAL CONTROL: THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, 1919-1939 (Manchester University Press, 1990, ISBN 0-7190-2960-0) devotes three pages to this campaign - more than I would care to transcribe here. Suffice to say that he confirms RAF participation (chiefly in support of British and Indian troops) but including raids on Dakka and Jalalabad. A Handley-Page 0/400 intended to bomb Kabul was wrecked by a storm, but in due course a V/1500 arrived and on 24 May 1919 raided Kabul, dropping four 112-pound and sixteen 20-pound bombs. There is apparently a great deal more in the Public Record Office (AIR 5/1321) as Omissi's endnotes indicate.

See also http://www.magweb.com/sample/smwa/safgh.htm

>A Handley-Page 0/400 intended to bomb Kabul was
>wrecked by a storm

I wonder if this was one of the two 0/400's that were in the Palestinian theatre in late 1918. One was with 1 Sqn AFC, the other remained in Cairo I think. The latter was the one Ross Smith flew to India in 1919 after the war.


cam

Cam, regretably, Omissi's book does not identify the O/400's source, serial number or even any of the crew, describing it only as having been overturned in a fierce dust storm the very day it arrived at Risalpur. The documents he cites in the PRO might be more specific and detailed on these points.

[Vigilant]

Hugh,

Thanks very much for the info. That book is now on my Christmas list!

I'm not familiar with any of the squadrons mentioned in the Gazette apart from 48 of course - the first to have Brisfits and presumably still flying them in 1919.

I saw on the MoD website the other day that 39 Squadron (PRU Canberras) are currently operating over Afghanistan, which is fitting as they were heavily involved on the Northwest Frontier in the 1920s and 1930s. Leefe-Robinson was also a member when he shot down his Zeppelin in 1916.

Vig.

The V/1500 pilot is now identified - F/L R. Halley (in PER ARDUA: THE RISE OF BRITISH AIR POWER, 1911-1939 by Hiliary St.George Saunders, Oxford University Press, 1944).