The Army in India and the Development of Frontier Warfare, 1849-1947 (Studies in Military and Strategic History)

This comprehensive study is the first scholarly account explaining how the British and Indian armies adapted to the peculiar demands of fighting an irregular tribal opponent in the mountainous no-man's-land between India and Afghanistan. It does so by discussing how a tactical doctrine of frontier fighting was developed and 'passed on' to succeeding generations of soldiers. As this book conclusively demonstrates this form of colonial warfare always exerted a powerful influence on the organisation, equipment, training and ethos of the Army in India. For generations of British and Indian officers and men, the North-West Frontier was the scene of repeated skirmishes and major campaigns against the trans-border Pathan tribes who inhabited the mountainous no-man's land between India and Afghanistan. This scholarly study explains how units of the army in India adapted to the particular requirements of this distinctive form of colonial warfare which represented an enduring military problem for these guardians of the Raj. Frontier fighting during the nineteenth century prompted the development of a unique doctrine for operations in mountainous terrain against an irregular tribal opponent. This book traces how these specialised principles and minor tactics were refined and passed on to later generations of soldiers between 1849 and 1947, in the form of a specialised written doctrine and system of training. It also shows how the insistent demands of 'small wars' in tribal territory exerted a powerful influence on the organisation, equipment, training and ethos of the army in India until Independence in August 1947 "For generations of British and Indian officers and men, the North-West Frontier was the scene of repeated skirmishes and major campaigns against the trans-border Pathan tribes who inhabited the mountainous no man's land between India and Afghanistan. This scholarly study explains how units of the army in India adapted to the particular requirements of this distinctive form of colonial warfare which represented an enduring military problem for these guardians of the Raj. This book traces how specialised principles and minor tactics were refined and passed on to later generations of soldiers between 1849 and 1947, in the form of a specialised written doctrine and system of training. It also shows how the insistent demands of 'small wars' in tribal territory exerted a powerful influence on the organisation, equipment, training and ethos of the army in India until Independence in August 1947"--Jacket

For generations of British and Indian Officers and men, the North-West Frontier was the scene of repeated skirmishes and major campaigns against the trans-border Pathan tribes who inhabited the mountainous no-man's land between India and Afghanistan. This scholarly study explains how units of the Army in India adapted to particular requirements of this distinctive form of colonial warfare which represented an enduring military problem for these guardians of the Raj. Frontier fighting during the nineteenth century prompted the development of a unique doctrine for operations in mountainous terrain against an irregular tribal opponent. This book traces how these specialized principles and minor tactics were refined and passed on to later generations of soldiers between 1849 and 1947 as a written doctrine and system of training.

Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii The Punjab Irregular Force and the Origins of Hill Warfare, 1849–78....Pages 1-34 The Army in India and Mountain Warfare, November 1878–April 1898....Pages 35-67 The Lessons of Tirah, May 1898–August 1914....Pages 68-98 The Lessons of Waziristan, August 1914–October 1925....Pages 99-137 The Modernization of Mountain Warfare, November 1925–August 1939....Pages 138-172 Conclusion Frontier Warfare in Retrospect and Prospect, September 1939–August 1947....Pages 173-186 Back Matter....Pages 187-258 Gregorian whose encouragement and friendship has been greatly appreciated. Moira Parry also deserves a special thank you for proof reading early versions of this book. My particular gratitude goes out to my friends and colleagues in the Department of War Studies for their help, comments and friendly criticism -