North-West Frontier Theatre of WWI

North-West Frontier Theatre of WWI
Part of World War I
A Mashud village burning
Date November 1914–July 1917 Location North-West Frontier Province Result Anglo–Indian victory
Belligerents
British Empire British India Supported by: Nepal (in operations againts Mahsuds) [1]	Khost tribesmen Bunerwals tribes Swatis tribes Mohmand Tribe Mahsud tribesmen Supported by:   Germany   Ottoman Empire Provisional Government of India
Commanders and leaders
Major-General Sir Vere Bonamy Fane Major-General Frederick Campbell Major-General William Benyon	Tribesmen leaders
Units involved
Bannu Brigade Local militia	Khost tribesmen Bunerwals tribes Swatis tribes Mohmand Tribe Mahsud tribesmen
Strength
Few thousand soldiers	7,000 tribesmen

The North‑West Frontier Theatre of World War I comprised a series of military campaigns waged between November 1914 and July 1917 along the North‑West Frontier Province of British India (now in Pakistan). As British India dispatched forces to European and Middle Eastern fronts, unrest intensified among local Pashtun tribes—including the Mohmands, Bunerwals, Swatis, Mahsuds, and others—who, often influenced by Ottoman and German agents, launched raids and uprisings. British‑Indian, Nepalese, and local militia forces responded with punitive expeditions, blockades, and raids, resulting in an eventual Anglo‑Indian victory. Major operations include the 1915 campaigns against the Mohmands, Bunerwals, and Swatis, the Mohmand blockade, and the 1917 Mahsud expedition. Though closely tied to World War I, the conflict remained localized and maintained stability on the frontier during the global war.

Background

In support of the British war effort, the Indian Army deployed expeditionary forces to the Western Front, East Africa, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Sinai and Palestine. India was thus vulnerable to hostile attention from Afghanistan. A Turco-German mission arrived in Kabul in October 1915 with obvious strategic purpose. However, Amir Habibulla abided by his treaty obligations and maintained Afghanistan's neutrality, in the face of internal opposition from factions keen to side with the Ottoman Sultan. Hostilities on the frontier remained local.

Many operations occurred in the North-West Frontier Province through the late 1800s and all the way up to Indian Independence in 1947. ^[2] Some of these occurred during WWI being carried out by tribes loyal to the Ottomans. ^[3] These forces fought on and off from the time of the Ottoman entry into the war all the way until the summer of 1917.

Operations

Operations in the Tochi

There were two raids conducted by Kochi tribesman, They were later both suppressed by a single British brigade In March 1915. ^[4]

Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis in 1915

Were a group of raids led by pro-ottoman tribesman, they was later suppressed in September 1915. ^[4]

Mohmand blockade

Was a blockade done on Mohmand tribesman following their declaration of Jihad. It was lifted following their suppression in 1917. ^[5]

Operations against the Mahsuds (1917)

A series of engagements in early 1917. A peace agreement was reached on 10 August 1917 with a Mahsud jirga. ^[5]

Central Powers involvement

The Provisional Government of India and Germany smuggled weapons through Afghanistan. The Ottomans also supported the rebellion by declaring jihad. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Aftermath

Following the ending of the North-West Frontier Campaign many more similar instances of rebellion continued until Indian independence.

See also

• 1914 Ottoman jihad proclamation
• List of uprisings against Entente powers during World War I
• Provisional Government of India
• Hindu–German Conspiracy

Sources

1. "London 25th Regt". www.25thlondon.com. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
2. "Paris, John, (2 May 1912–14 June 1985), Director, National Army Museum, 1967–69" , Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u167857 , retrieved 23 May 2024
3. Baha, Lal (February 1970). "The North-West frontier in the first World War" . Asian Affairs. 1 (1): 29–37. doi:10.1080/03068377008729519. ISSN   0306-8374.
4. Strachan, Hew (2003). The First World War. 1: To arms (1. publ. in paperback ed.). Oxford Berlin: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN   978-0-19-926191-8.
5. Macro, Paul (2019). Action at Badama Post: the Third Afghan War; 1919. Oxford Philadelphia: Casemate. ISBN   978-1-61200-760-1.