"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية: العمليات في بلاد فارس ١٩١٤-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎١‎٢] (٥٦٦/٢٢٨)

TROUBLE IN SARHAD
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was the demoralisation of the enemy. The march was again a
most arduous and trying one and the rear guard did not reach
camp till 11.15 p.m. On the 24th advantage was taken of the
existence of an excellent water supply, of good grazing and of
plenty of fuel, to halt for the day, thus giving the tired men and
exhausted transport animals a much needed rest. On the 25th
the column crossed the Bandaran Pass to Sar-i-Drukan and
again found the piquetting duties most arduous owing to the
rugged and high hills on either flank. Next day the column
left the valley, traversing the Dast Kird gorge to Gulas. This
gorge, lying between precipitous and rugged heights, was in
many places barely a hundred yards in width, affording a
position which a few determined riflemen could defend easily
against considerable numbers. Here again, an extraordinary
number of piquets were required to secure the flanks. Khwash
was reached on the 29th July, the last two marches proving so
hot that about half the captured sheep died.
These operations between the 12th and 29th July had been
a severe test for men and animals. Although after the 21st
there was no fighting, the great heat, the lack of water and the
extraordinary difficulty of the country made very great calls
on the endurance of the troops. In testifying to the praise
worthy manner in which his men had responded, General Dyer
especially commended the good work of Captain Lang, com
manding the 106th Pioneers' detachment.
On reaching Khwash, General Dyer learnt that a party of
twenty to thirty Damanis had attempted to raid the native
population there the previous day, but that they had been driven
off by a small party consisting of six sabres 28th Light Cavalry
and twenty rifles 19th Punjabis and 106th Hazara Pioneers under
2nd Lieutenant A. B. Duncan. Seeing that the raiders were
making off under the long range fire of the infantry, Lieutenant
Duncan had gallantly charged into them with his six sowars,
killing five of the enemy. In this charge Lieutenant Duncan
himself and three of his men were wounded, but the infantry
then came up and drove off the raiders, killing four more of
them.
On the 2nd August, General Dyer left Khwash again, Sarhad;
accompanied by Major Hutchinson and taking with him the August 1916 .
same force as before (less one troop of cavalry), to meet Major
Keyes at Gusht. The punishment inflicted on Jiand and the
Yar Muhammadzais would probably suffice to keep them quiet
for some time, but, as few of the Gamshadzais had been engaged
in the Sar-i-Drukan operations, further action against them
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