Bazar Valley campaign

Bazar Valley campaign
Part of Instability on the North-West Frontier

Punch Magazine cartoon - "Wilcock's Weekend War"
Date12 February – 2 March 1908
(Official dates)
Location
Result Jirga and peace
Belligerents

 Britain

Zakka Khel clan of the Afridi
Commanders and leaders
James Willcocks
  • Dadai (WIA)
  • Multan
  • Gul Baz
  • Muhammad Afzal Ziauddin
  • Usman Khusrogi
Strength
Unknown 6,000 (British estimate)
Casualties and losses
Officers:
1 killed, 4 wounded
Others:
2 killed, 33 wounded
70 or more killed, 70 or more wounded

The Bazar Valley campaign of 1908 was a punitive expedition against the Zakka Khel clan of the Afridi, a Pakhtun tribe inhabiting the mountains on the Peshawar border of the North West Frontier province of British India.

It was undertaken by the Bazar Valley Field Force, under the command of General Sir James Willcocks. The campaign began on 12 February 1908, and was concluded by a jirga and peace in March 1908. The satirical magazine Punch characterised the campaign as Willcocks' Weekend War. The main British Army elements were the Seaforth Highlanders and the 37th Lancers. Regiments of the British Indian Army included sections of the 45th and 53rd Sikhs, the Madras Sappers and 5 Gorkha Rifles. Archibald Percival, 1st Earl Wavell took part in this campaign as a junior officer.