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BRITISH CEMETERY IN MALAKAND
Side by side with the Muslims, the British also suffered heavy casualties during both the 1895 and 1897 military campaigns.
The British people have also been buried at the places where the Muslims graves exist. Though the Muslims graves are scattered all over the Malakand surroundings, however, to the south, close to the existing Malakand Levies Headquarters, a British cemetery is located where about 100 graves exist. Some 51 of these graves have a sign of “Cross†over them, which testifies to the fact that these were British soldiers/followers. The cemetery has been constructed in 1916 as is known from the available history. Nearly all the graves carry stone slabs inscribed with suitable epitaphs. Following is a list of some of the graves;
1. Richard
Commiserate Department
Born 7 April 1859
Killed in action-Malakand
2. Lt. Col. John Lamb, 24 Punjab Infantry Born-13 Sept 1854
Wounded 26 Jul 1897 (Night)
Died of wounds –
23 Aug 1897.
3. Truman Stain-forth, Bengal Infantry
25 years
5th Aug 1901.
4. George Barkley Buttlims
24 years
Malakand 28 Aug 1902
was son of George Buttlims DCS
Died at Allah Abad
Jan 26, 1879.
5. Lieutenant Andrew Harigton
26 Punjab Infantry
28 years
Died in Punjkora (River) 29 Sep 1897 From wound received in Action
14 Sep 1897.
6. (Name omitted)
27 years
Killed in action at Landakai
18 Aug
7. Lieutenant William Browne Glyton
1st Battalion.
The Queen’s Own-Royal West KentRegt
Killed in Action
Agrah-Bajaur
30 Sep 1897.
8. No. 23318
Sgt Castle QAS AM
Died Malakand 2nd July 1896-
age 31 years.
9. Another grave, seemingly the first in the cemetery, has iron bar around it while other details are not known, it has the following inscription.
Erected by 5th QO
Madras Sappers and Miners.
In the same cemetery there is a black stone slab, which has been fixed to a memorial made of bricks. The memorial is about three feet high and three feet wide. The following lines have been inscribed on the memorial. The inscriptions seem to be Hindu names and may be that they belonged to Madras. These personnel are from the Sappers and Miners (Indian corps of the Engineers), and appear to be the Gurkha soldiers of the British Indian Army, as their names suggest. These names are:
No. 1334 Saper Durugien-5C
No. 1636 Saper Ponnusami-5C
Killed in Action -26-7-1897
No. 1085 Saper Appalsami-5C
Died Malakand 13-8-1897
No. 2529 Saper Ponusami-6C
Died Malakand -22-1-1901
No. 1737 Saper Durugchalum -6C
Died at Malakand -12-3-1901
Due to no repair these graves are disappearing with a high speed and it is feared that after few years no sign of the British cemetery in Malakand would be visible. The author found many marble slabs at places, which have no concern with the British cemetery; however, these slabs have been removed from this cemetery. A slab has the following inscription:
“This cross is erected by his brother officer British and native in token of affection esteem cora, good soldier, stench comrade and dear friend.
The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.â€
It is need of the hour that the British government should provide funds for preservation of this cemetery as a token of love and affection to its own soldiers and men of adventures.
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