* * * * *
Marshalling and redistributing his forces, Sir Bindon Blood, after the
relief of Chakdara, proceeded systematically to punish the tribes
involved in the late fanatical upheaval. Amongst the first to be so
dealt with were the tribesmen of the Upper Swat, and the action of
Landaki was the result.
The tribesmen held a position on a big spur running down from the
mountains, and meeting an unfordable river with a steep cliff. Round the
face of this cliff a narrow causeway led to a fairly open valley beyond.
It was the business of the infantry to clear this spur, or ridge, and
this they accomplished after some severe climbing and hard fighting. As
the defeated enemy were seen streaming across the valley, making for a
further ridge two or three miles in the rear, the Guides' cavalry were
let loose in pursuit; but before debouching into the valley they had to
pass along the causeway, some three-quarters of a mile in length, in
single file. As everyone knows, who has experience of single file work,
even a moderate pace in front means inevitable straggling behind. The
officer leading, in his eagerness to get at the enemy, lost sight of
this fact, and so soon as he made the valley, with the first few men set
off at a round pace after the enemy. At the head of the pursuit was also
Lieutenant R.T. Greaves, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who was acting as
war-correspondent to a newspaper.
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