The Last Stand of the 44th Foot Regiment
Battle of Gandamak 1842
The Battle of Gandamaka 1842

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On the morning of the 13th January 1842, 20 officers and 45 Europeans (mainly from the 44th Foot Regiment) made their way to a rocky outcrop and made their last stand near Gandamak, Afghanistan.

They were all that remained of a column of 4,500 British and Indian soldiers, and 12,000 civilian refugees that had fled Kabul a week earlier trying to reach the safety of Peshawar, 280 miles to the east.

The last stand of the 44th foot regiment at the Battle of Gandamak (battle of Gandamaka / battle of Gundamak) was the calamitous end result of the first AngloAfghan war.

During the 19th century the british in India became obsessed that the Russians (who were expanding their own empire through central Asia) had designs on India itself.
Throughout the 19th century the two powers played a game of intrigue and espionage (backed up with military force) to control the states between their two empires it became known as the “Great Game”.

This provided the background for the First Anglo Afghan war.Intent on replacing the ruler of Afghanistan with one who was more proBritish, they invaded and swiftly occupied the capital, Kabul.

That was the easy bit. Afghans adopted a guerrilla war against the British and eventually in early January 1842, the British decided to withdraw back into India.

The retreat from Kabul was a shambles that became a calamity.
By the 13th January the retreating British column of 4,500 soldiers and 12,000 civilians had been reduced to the men of the 44th Foot regiment making their last stand at Gandamak.

9 British soldiers survived the Battle of Gandamak (also known as the Battle of Gandamaka).

In the history of last stands, it ranks right up there and was immortalised in the Victorian painting “The Last Stand at Gundamuck” by William Barnes Wollen.Interestingly, he only painted the painting in 1898, over 50 years after the battle.

#battleofgandamak #battleofgandamaka #firstangloafghanwar

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:42 British Invasion of Afghanistan 1839
2:57 Occupation Goes Wrong
4:19 General Elphinstone
6:20 British retreat
8:49 From Bad to Worse
11:00 Last Stand at Gandamak
12:26 Lone Survivor
14:18 History Repeats Itself


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My name is Chris Green ("The History Chap") and I am on a mission to share the amazing history of Britain so that we can appreciate where we have come from and why we are here.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.

My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"

Just for the record, I do have a history degree and continue to have a passion for the subject I studied.

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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.