Month: December 2025

2nd December 1878, the men of the 72nd “Duke of Albany’s Own “Highlanders found themselves in the darkness of night scaling the rocky heights of mountains in Afghanistan. They were about to play a decisive role in the Battle of Peiwar Kotal.

Part of the Kurrum Valley Field Force, the 72nd had been deployed to Afghanistan to help impose a British mission in Kabul in an attempt to counter the spreading influence of the Russian Empire in Central Asia. Sandwiched between the Russian Empire and British Raj, (Modern Day India and Pakistan), Afghanistan was a victim of the Great Game, as geopolitics were played out in the great seats of power in London and Moscow.

The concerns of their political masters were far from the minds of the Highlanders of the 72nd however, they had far more pressing thoughts. Chiefly how to overcome the Afghan position in front of them.

The expedition under Major General Frederick Roberts had barely arrived in Afghanistan and was already presented with a challenge. Afghan forces had taken a strong defensive position on the heights of Peiwar Kotal blocking the road to Kabul. A frontal attack would be suicide.

Thus, while Roberts and the main force held the attention of the Afghans, during the night the 72nd alongside the 5th Gurkhas scaled the surrounding mountains to outflank the enemy position. They made it to higher slopes that allowed them to take the Afghans from the side just as the sun began to rise. The stirring Afghans were taken utterly by surprise, as the Highlanders and Gurkhas fired a close-range volley and slammed home with the bayonet.

The Afghans were chased and driven from ridge to ridge along the range. Their flank broken, the main Afghan army pulled out and withdrew, opening the way to Kabul. Mission complete, the Highlanders and their Gurkha comrades settled down to bivouac upon the heights.

For gallantry and heroism performed during the battle, 6 Highlanders of the 72nd would subsequently be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.