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Auction: 21002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 76

A fascinating Second Afghan War campaign pair awarded to Mr. H. Hensman of The Pioneer, one of only two War Correspondents to take part in the Kabul to Kandahar march

Afghanistan 1878-80, 3 clasps, Charasia, Kabul, Kandahar (Mr Howard Hensman.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (Mr Howard Hensman), good very fine (2)

Howard Hensman was born in Manchester and was best known for his work as a Correspondent for The Pioneer newspaper. Over the course of his long career he became known to many in high office as a Confidante and Adviser. He was a close friend of Sir Ian Hamilton and worked with Kipling during his journalistic career. His book entitled The Afghan War of 1879-80 was much respected by those who fought in the conflict including General Roberts who noted in 1881:

'Allow me to congratulate you most cordially on the admirable manner in which you have placed before the public the account of the march from Cabul, and the operations of 31 August and 1 September around Candahar. Nothing could be more graphic. I thought your description of the fight at Charasia was one that any soldier might have been proud of writing; but your recent letters are, if possible, even better.'

After the death of the British Envoy, Sir Louis Cavagnari, and the massacre at the Kabul Residency perpetrated by rebellious Afghan troops, General Roberts assembled an army at Shutargarden named the 'Kabul Field Force'. With this Army was Correspondent Howard Hensman of The Pioneer and the London Daily News. This force moved through the Shutargarden pass by 1 October 1879 and met with the Emir Mohammad Yaqub Khan who had fled Kabul to escape his mutinous troops.

Five days later on 6 October 1879, the opposing armies clashed at Charasia with the Afghan forces being led by Nek Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kabul and uncle to the Emir. The British won the battle, forcing the Governor's army out of their path and opening the way to Kabul. Hensman offered his services to General Roberts and served under his command for the duration of the engagement. He notes in his book that after the battle concerns over the loyalty of Yaqub Khan began to surface:

"The attitude of the Amir is not altogether satisfactory (…) He assured us that we should not meet with any resistance at Charasia, and yet it is now believed that Nek Mahomed visited him in our camp, told him of the force ready to fight, and appealed to him to desert the British and head a national rising."

(The Afghan War of 1879-80 refers)

On the 8 October an explosion was heard from the camp of the Afghan army at Sherpur which, as it transpired was their magazine. Hensman reports that this was intentionally done as the army was withdrawing and wished to deny their ammunition stores to the British. The British advanced into Sherpur, the way being led by a force of around 700 horse under General Massy which Hensman accompanied. Unfortunately their attempts to prevent the escape of the remaining rebel troops were stymied by the terrain and the onset of night and the Afghan forces dispersed along with their leadership, leaving Kabul to the British.

Despite their early success the British had underestimated the resilience of Afghan resistance and by the 11 December an army under Mohammad Jan had gathered in the hills above Kabul. Believing it to be a small force General Roberts sent a cavalry detachment to clear them out, numbering 220 men in total (the 9th Queens Royal Lancers and the 14th Bengal Lancers) with four guns of the Royal Horse Artillery in support. This force engaged the Afghan army only to belatedly discover that it numbered around 10,000 men. The Afghans soon threatened to overrun and capture the guns and the cavalry made a brave charge in an effort to save them, pitching three squadrons of horse into the enemy army. Perhaps unsurprisingly this failed to save all the guns which were overrun. However, when the enemy army turned away to face the 72nd Highlanders a scratch force of Lancers, Gunners and baggage guards led by Colonel Macgregor and Captain Dean were able to retake them.

"He gave the order to the Infantry to advance in skirmishing order, and I can tell you it did not take very long to retake the guns. The remainder of the enemy had made off for the city, but were checked by the 72nd Highlanders and some Native Infantry and what was left of our Squadron."

('The Life of a Trumpeter' by C. E. Duly refers)

After a mixed day of fighting the British had repulsed Mohammad Jan's army but not defeated them.

During this action Chaplain James Adams was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in rescuing several troopers of the 9th Lancers who had been trapped before the enemy advance. By 15 December the Afghan numbers had risen to as many as 40,000 and the British Army was effectively besieged in its camp at Sherpur. However after eight days of siege news arrived that a British relief column was advancing and Mohammad Jan decided to attack the camp on 23 December and take it by storm. This was thrown back with 'ridiculous ease' (The Afghan War of 1879-80, refers) which combined with the proximity of British reinforcements caused the Afghan army to collapse.

After this victory the British settled down to the consolidation of Afghanistan and the decision was taken for them to remove Emir Yaqub Khan, whose trustworthiness was in doubt and whose power was now reliant on the British. He was to be replaced with Abdur Rahman Khan who was formally acknowledged as the Emir of Kabul on 22 July 1880. A good many former rebel leaders placed their backing behind the new Emir. However a new army raised by Ayub Khan - Yaqub Khan's younger brother - defeated a British Brigade under Burrows at Maiwand, a battle which elicited a famous last stand, the 'Last Eleven at Maiwand', and two Victoria Crosses. The surviving British troops withdrew to Kandahar where Ayub Khan placed them under siege.

The news caused consternation in Kabul where Hensman was still reporting from the Army of General Roberts. The British had been hoping to start a withdrawal from Afghanistan, their primary objectives having been met, so the rise of a new hostile claimant to the throne was a disaster. Indeed it was doubly a disaster for the terrible losses which had been suffered by Burrows' Brigade.

It was resolved that a column under General Roberts would advance to relieve Kandahar and confront Ayub Khan while General Stewart would see to the withdrawal to India of the remaining troops. Hensman was one of only two war correspondents to accompany the column as it moved towards Kandahar with the other being Luther Vaughan of the The Times.

The time constraints and logistical challenges of this journey were immense and it was decided that only the light mountain guns could be brought with the army - a decision which caused some concern as it had been Ayub Khan's superiority in artillery which had seen him achieve victory at Maiwand. Nevertheless the march was an astonishing success, as Hensmen himself relates:

"From Ghazni we have covered 136 miles in eight days, giving an average of 17 miles per day (…) taking Beni Hissar as our starting point, we have done 286 miles in fifteen days, or on an average 15.7 miles per day. For a regiment alone to do this would not be extraordinary, but for a force numbering 18,000 souls, with between 8,000 and 9,000 baggage animals, to cover this distance without a day's halt, is a feat in marching which is perhaps unrivalled."

(The Afghan War of 1879-80 refers)

They arrived at Kandahar on the evening of the 31 August 1888. At the time General Roberts was too ill to walk and was being carried in a litter. However he felt that to enter the city in this manner would be beneath the dignity of his rank and summoned the strength to mount his horse and ride the last few miles in.

Ayub Khan had broken the siege and withdrawn to the hills outside the city upon receiving word of the relief column's presence and General Roberts decided to engage him as soon as possible. After a forceful probe to reconnoitre the Afghan positions, a full-scale attack was planned for the 1 September. This was carried off very successfully with the 92nd Highlanders and the 2nd Ghurkhas proving particularly effective in clearing the village of Gundi Mulla Sahibdad at bayonet point. During this action Hensman again offered his services to General Roberts.

The battle marked the end of Ayub Khan's army which fell apart as it withdrew. Hensman remained with the army while the war was concluded.

He had marched with the army for the most onerous portion of the war, sharing in its hardships and enjoying the confidence of men and officers alike. His in-depth and well-informed descriptions of it still have the power to excite and inform today. The secret to his success is best described by Sir Frederick Sykes in his 1942 autobiography 'From Many Angles':

"A newspaperman who had immense knowledge of affairs in India and was a most delightful companion was H. Hensman, the correspondent of the 'The Pioneer'. Hensman knew many secrets and was absolutely trusted. Needless to say, this confidence was never abused, and 'The Pioneer' at that time deservedly enjoyed a reputation in India like that of 'The Times' in England."

Howard Hensman continued to work as a correspondent in India for some time. He died in June 1916; sold together with copied research including medal roll conformation for the Afghanistan Medal and an original copy of The Afghan War of 1879-80.

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Sold for
£3,800

Starting price
£1800