Guard of Honour of the Chitral Scouts, 1919 (b/w photo)

Arrival at the top of the Lowari Pass. Guard of Honour of the Chitral Scouts, 1919. Photograph, North West Frontier, India, 1919. The Chitral Scouts were an armed frontier police under the command of the Assistant Political Agent of Chitral. On the outbreak of the 3rd Afghan War (1919) Emir Amanullah of Afghanistan called on the Chitralis to expel the British and sent his forces into the state. However, the Mehtar of Chitral, Shuja-al-Mulk, remained loyal to the British and put his state forces at their disposal. Alongside the Chitral Scouts and regular Indian Army units they helped repel the Afghan incursion into Chitral. The scouts saw action against the Afghans on the Arandu-Birkot front. They occupied Birkot and captured a large cache of arms and ammunition including two Russian field guns. From an album compiled by Lieutenant-Colonel G J Davis, India, North West Frontier.