Bazar Valley Campaign

The Bazar Valley Campaign of 1908 was a punitive expedition against the Zakka Khel clan of the Afridi, a Pathan tribe inhabiting the mountains on the Peshawar border of the North West Frontier province of British India. It was undertaken by the Bazar Valley Field Force, under the command of General Sir James Willcocks. The campaign began on 14 February 1908, and was concluded by a jirga and peace on 1 March 1908. The satirical magazine, Punch, characterised the campaign as Willcocks’ Weekend War. The main British Army elements were the Seaforth Highlanders and the 37th Lancers. Regiments of the British Indian Army included sections of the 45th and 53rd Sikhs, the Madras Sappers and 5 Gorkha Rifles. Archibald Percival, 1st Earl Wavell took part in this campaign as a junior officer.