Kurram Valley Field Force

The Kurram Valley Field Force[1] was a British military formation during the first phase of the Second Afghan War, 1878–79.

It was one of three military columns created by the British in November 1878 at the start of the Second Afghan War, each of which invaded Afghanistan by a different route.

Commanded by Major General Frederick Roberts, the Kurram Valley Field Force was the smallest of the three columns, with an initial strength of 6,665 officers and men of the British and Indian armies and 18 guns.

[2] Roberts' force crossed into Afghanistan from India on 21 November 1878 and advanced up the Kurram Valley in the direction of Kabul.

Still commanded by General Roberts, this force was ordered to advance on Kabul with the objective of taking punitive action against the killers of the British envoy.

Kurram Valley Field Force engaging Afghan forces near Khost , Afghanistan in late 1878–January 1879. British cavalry are in the foreground with infantry firing upon the enemy in the distance