to harry it as it made slow progress through the winter snows along the route that is now the Kabul-Jalalabad Road. In total the British army lost 4,500 troops, along with about 12,000 civilians: the latter comprising both the families of Indian and British soldiers, plus workmen, servants and other Indian camp followers. The final stand was made just outside a village called Gandamak on 13 January.

Out of more than 16,000 people from the column commanded