NORTH-WEST FRONTIER.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Album of photographs taken from November 1926 to 15 September 1927. A photo album of one officer's tour of the frontier during a period of relative peace after Pink's War (March-May 1925). The photographs show him and his colleagues at camp, hunting, playing sports, and on the march. There are also many shots of the DH9A aircraft used heavily by 27 Squadron RAF to police the area.In the early 20th century Waziri and Mahsud armies carried out a series of raids against British garrisons, concerned at rumours that Waziristan would be ceded to Afghanistan. Following initial setbacks the tide was turned by RAF bombing raids in March and April 1925.In the following two years there was little fighting in the region, with the exception of a minor skirmish with the Mohmand tribe from May to June 1927. The photographs in this album were taken by an unknown officer, pictured in a group shot on the tenth leaf verso. The captions chart the movement of his unit from Bromolu to Shishi, Drosh, and eventually to Jhelum and Attock, but focus primarily on leisure activities. One shows the skull of the first markhor he hunted, another shows the unit at their Christmas fancy dress party, another shows the section taking part in a tug of war.

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