Baba Wali Kotal from the Belooch Lines, 1880 circa (b/w photo)

‘Baba Wali Kotal from the Belooch Lines’, 1880 circa. Photograph by Benjamin Simpson (1831-1923), 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880), 1880 circa. Having marched 300 miles from Kabul to relieve Kandahar, General Roberts lost no time in bringing the Afghan army of Yakub Khan’s younger brother, Ayub Khan, to battle outside the city on 1 September 1880. This photograph depicts the rocky pinnacle of the Baba Wali Kotal, behind which lay the main British objective that day, Yakub Khan’s camp. Roberts’ victory cost the British 35 killed and 213 wounded. At least 600 Afghans were counted dead on the field. From an album of 34 photographs.