2006. Given the nature of the conflict--all small unit operations and much close combat in rough terrain-- this should not be too surprising. How many more decorations and medals for gallantry will go to soldiers in Afghanistan in the coming years is hard to know-- but there are likely to be more.

Endnotes 1. Operation Enduring Freedom consists of more than the war against

terror in Afghanistan; soldiers deployed to the Philippines and to the Horn of Africa (Djibouti) also are included in OEF.

2. "Qala-i-Jhangi Prison Uprising," http://www.efreedom news.

corn!News (10/22/2002) 3. "The Battle of Tarin Kowt--Silver Star Awards," http://www.

efredomnews.com/News (10/22/2002). Davis, Petithory, and SSgt.

Brian C. Prosser were killed on December 5, 2001 when a 2,000 lbs. satellite-guided bomb from a U.S. B-52 missed its intended

target. 4. Jane McHugh, "17 heroes," Army Times, January 27, 2003, pp.

14-16. 5. Joe Healy, "Special Forces Soldier awarded the Silver Star,"

USASOCNews Service, Release No. 050714-01, July 14, 2005. 6. Harriman, a 34 year old special forces NCO, was killed while

driving a pick-up truck during the battle of Shah-e-Kot. While officials first believed that Harriman had been killed by al Qaeda mortar fire, a subsequent investigation showed he was killed by friendly fire from an Air Force AC-130 gunship. Sean D. Naylor, "The War’s Bloodiest Battle, Army Times, March 18, 2002, p. 14; Eric Schmidt, "Inquiry Finds American Was Killed by Fire from U.S. Gunship, Not Enemy," New York Times, October 29, 2002, p.1.

7. Richard W. Stevenson, "For Special Operations Forces, a Rare Public Spotlight," New York Times, June 11, 2005, A11.

8. Ann Scott Tyson, "Anaconda: A War Story," Christian Science Monitor, August 1, 2002, p. 1.

9. "Green beret honored for Afghan action," Army Times, Jul.y 7,

2003, p. 4. 10. Billy House, "Tillman posthumously awarded prestigious Silver

Star, "USA Today, April 30, 2004, p. 1. Tillman was a professional football player who gave up a lucrative career with the NFL to enlist in the Army. An investigation subsequently determined that Tillman’s death was caused by friendly fire. Steve Cole, "Army Spun Tale Around Ill-Fated Mission," Washington Post, December

6, 2004, A1. 11. Sean D. Naylor, "High Praise for Screaming Eagles," Army Times,

April 22, 2002, p. 4. 12. Ibid. 13. CSM Grippe also received a Purple Heart for injuries caused by

shrapnel to the back of one of his thighs. Esther Schrader, Los Angeles Times, March 8, 2002, p. 1.

14. "Warriors of Anaconda," Ar~ny Times, April 1, 2002, p. 4. 15. Sean D. Naylor, "Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, Strong Feelings,"

Army Times. 16. "Special Forces soldier killed during firefight," Army Times, June

3, 2002, p. 21.

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In Memory

Stan Sirmans (1939-2006)

Stan Sirmans, an OMSA member and retired Captain in the United States Navy died at Pensacola, Florida on 28 June 2006 after a long battle with prostate cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. He was born in Dothan, Alabama on January 4, 1939 and graduated from Florida State University in 1961.

In November 1961 he was commissioned as an Ensign in the Unites States Navy and in 1964 entered the Navy submarine service where he served on three diesel sub- marines. In 1968 he served a year’s tour of duty in Viet- nam as an adviser to a Vietnamese river boat command. For his service in Vietnam he received the Bronze Star with "V", the Navy Commendation Medal with "V", two Purple Hearts, and a number of Vietnamese decorations.

Returning to the United States he changed his specialty to Public Affairs and for the rest of his career served in staff positions. Prior to his retirement in 1992 he served as Director of Navy Awareness, Navy Recruiting Com- mand.

Captain Sirmans is survived by his wife, Royanne Wilkinson Sirmans, two daughters and seven grandchil- dren.

From the Pensacola News Journal Submitted by William H. Field

Vol. 57, No. 5 17

The British Second Afghan War Medals, Principle Engagements,

and Unit Casualties

scant three months after signing the treaty that ended the first phase of the war.

East~,rn Afghanistan IST~;

Barry C. Weaver

All aspects of the British Second Afghan War, including the campaign, the campaign medal, clasps, and gallantry awards, have been extensively covered in England. Most American collectors of British medals are familiar with the conflict and the medals. However, recent United States involvement in Afghanistan has sparked interest in both the country and its history. It is therefore appropriate to introduce non- British medal collectors in the United States to the second of three eighteenth and early nineteenth century conflicts as Great Britain struggled to maintain its influence over the fierce tribes in the rugged geographical nightmare that was and is Afghanistan. Each conflict resulted in the authorization and award of campaign medals evidencing service in Afghanistan as well as gallantry medals for acts above and beyond the call of duty.

This article is the second of three planned by the author on the 1878-80 war. It presents information on the second phase ~ of the campaign, the campaign medals, the four principal engagements of the second campaign for which clasps were authorized, information on other significant engagements of the war, and some regimental casualty figures. The first article briefly described the causes of the conflict, the two first campaign actions for which clasps to the campaign medal were authorized, Ali Musjid and Peiwar Kotel, and information on the first campaign experience of the 10th Royal Hussars. A third article will discuss the Battle ofMaiwand, a tragedy in British arms rivaling the destruction of the British force at Isandlwana in South Africa the previous year.

The 1878-80 war (Figure 1) was fought in two phases, the first a three pronged invasion through the Kyber, Kurram, and Bolan passes that rapidly forced abdication of the Afghanistan ruler, and the second following the murder of Sir Louis Cavagnari, the British Resident at Kabul, and his bodyguard on September 3rd, 1879, a

Figure 1: Map of Eastern Afghanistan in 1878.

Charasia (October 6, 1879)

With the murder of the Resident, General F. S. Roberts, commander of the Kurram Valley force and victor at Peiwar Kotal, was ordered to occupy Kabul. Roberts had one brigade of cavalry and two of infantry totaling some 6600 men. He ordered an advance guard under Brigadier General Thomas Baker to proceed to Kushi only forty-four miles from Kabul. Baker arrived on September 24th and was joined by Roberts on the 28th. Severely hampered by the lack of adequate transport, Roberts divided his force and hop-scotched forward towards Kabul approaching the four small villages known as Charasiab (Figure 2) with around 3800 of his men on October 5th.

18 JOMSA

Figure 2: The Battle of Charasia, October 6, 1878.

To the north, rising from the plain, Roberts found a crescent-shaped group of hills on either side of Sang-i- Nawishta, is the main road to Kabul. The plain narrowed creating a defile, the mountains on either side being occupied in strength by regular Afghan troops with guns. His forward movement blocked by the entrenched Afghans, and surrounded by hostile tribesmen, Roberts decided to attack the next day. He divided his small force, sending 2500 men under Brigadier Baker forward to dislodge the enemy, attacking the Afghan right while a lesser force commanded by Major George White of the 92nd Highlanders drove at the main position astride the Sang-i-Nawishta. The attack against the right flank was fiercely resisted, and only after the unexpected but timely appearance of two companies of the 92nd from White’s effort on the left did the main attack roll up the Afghan flank. White’s attack had captured the hill dominating the entrance to the defile and, with the main British attack now putting pressure on the Afghans in the heights; he was able to push forward into the gorge. Under the combined pressure, the Afghans gave way and scattered into the hills to the north.

Roberts and his meager force had defeated around a dozen regiments of regular Afghan troops and several

thousand tribesmen, capturing 20 guns and inflicting an estimated 400-500 casualties for a loss of 18 killed and 70 wounded. The way to Kabul was open and Roberts entered the city on October 8th. The clasp CHARASIA was authorized for troops participating in the October 6th action.

Surrounded by thousands of Afghan tribesmen, Roberts’ first priority at Kabul was the security of his troops. He decided to occupy the large, partially completed cantonment a mile from the city at Sherpur. Built to serve as winter quarters for the Afghan army, Sherpur was both defensible and strategically located to control the city while permitting effective movement. With a month of relative quiet, Roberts strengthened the fortifications and began to bring in supplies for the winter from the surrounding countryside. He also appointed two commissions to seek out and destroy those responsible for murdering Cavagnari and his escort. Retribution was swift and terrible as a hundred men were hanged with only minimal or no evidence against them.

The defeat of the Afghans at Charasia, the occupation of Kabul, the harsh punishment handed out by the commissions, and Robert’s use of native governors in

Vol. 57, No. 5 19