Karez Hill and Korkoran from the corner of Picket Hill, Kandahar, September 1880 (b/w photo)

Karez Hill and Korkoran from the corner of Picket Hill, Kandahar, September 1880. Photograph by Benjamin Simpson (1831-1923), 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880), 1880. Having marched 300 miles from Kabul to relieve Kandahar, General Roberts lost no time in bringing the Afghan army of Yakub Khan’s younger brother, Ayub Khan, to battle outside the city. This photograph, taken from the corner of the Piquet Hill, shows the start-line of Roberts’ trademark outflanking attack. Korez Hill is in the foreground to the right, with the larger Kokoran Heights to the left. Two miles in the distance on the right is the rocky pinnacle of the Baba Wali Kotal, behind which lay the British objective, Yakub Khan’s camp. Roberts’ victory cost the British 35 killed and 213 wounded. At least 600 Afghans were counted dead on the field. From an album of 34 photographs.