With wounded men literally camped outside his door, Primrose–despite having a 4,000-man garrison, lots of equipment, cannons, strong fortifications and plentiful supplies–foresaw impending disaster. He ordered all of Kandahar’s 15,000 citizens to leave, creating a large refugee problem and even more anti-British resentment. He also sent a series of desperate telegrams to India, outlining the Maiwand catastrophe and overplaying the danger of the siege his garrison was about to face. When Ayub Khan’s army did surround Kandahar it could make little headway against such a strong position. Because the telegraph had been cut, however, the British believed Primrose’s last dire communications and considered it imperative to lift the siege as quickly as possible.

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The Race to Kandahar
Stewart had no hesitation in appointing Roberts to head the 9,900-strong ‘Kandahar Field Force,’ made up of all the elite troops available in Kabul. Wheeled artillery was left behind (although screw guns were taken on the back of mules), and rations were extremely light. Roberts was in no doubt that the going would be tough, but he also knew that the eyes of the empire and the world were on him and that failure was not an option.

The march began on August 9 and initially went well through the Logar Valley, which was well stocked with supplies. After that, however, the journey became a nightmarish 120-mile slog to the next point of call. The men stumbled along over the uneasy ground, facing daytime temperatures of more than 110 degrees. At night the temperatures dropped below freezing. Afghan irregulars shadowed the column, only too willing to cut the throats of stragglers. It was the lack of water, however, that gave the British their greatest physical test. One officer wrote, ‘Tantalizing dreams of a ruby-coloured claret cup, or of amber cider, used to haunt my imagination till I felt I must drink something or perish.’ But the army’s suffering was eased after it reached Khelat-il-Ghilzai on August 23. There, a small British garrison waited with supplies and news that Kandahar was secure. Roberts ordered a halt for a day, giving his tired men a well-earned rest.

On August 26, the force was less than 50 miles from Kandahar when Roberts received a message from Primrose informing him that Ayub Khan had lifted the siege after hearing of the relief column’s approach. Roberts only increased the pace, for he was keen to reach the safety and supplies at Kandahar. His own health had suffered, and he fell ill with feverish symptoms the next day. To his annoyance, he was forced to take to a doolie, an Indian litter. Although they were testing times, there were moments of humor; on one occasion, as the British were a few days away from Kandahar, a massive herd of 3,000 sheep suddenly appeared, accompanied by entrepreneurial shepherds offering them for sale, along with fresh melons. A British officer wrote of the remarkable event, ‘We just paid the price and regaled ourselves on mutton and melons!’

A Victory of Sorts
On August 31, Roberts reached Kandahar. He and his troops had marched a staggering 313 miles in 21 days over some of the world’s harshest terrain, and although they were tired, they were still ready to fight. The same could not be said of those they had ‘rescued.’ To Roberts’ and his men’s disgust, the garrison was in a slovenly condition, failing to even fly a Union Jack during the siege. General Primrose was sent back to England in disgrace.

Still feeling unwell, Roberts regrouped his forces and made a quick advance on Ayub Khan’s army, which was skulking at the nearby Baba Wali Kotal. Although the Afghan general had chosen a good position from which to deal with the expected British frontal assault, he should have realized that his opposite number was nothing like Burrows. Indeed, Roberts used every trick in the book, including feints and flanking attacks, to cut through the Afghan host like a hot knife through butter. Having learned of his amazing march and yet another resounding victory, Britain sent messages of thanks. Roberts, however, was too exhausted to bask in the glory. On September 8, the medical board granted his request for leave.

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