Anglo-Persian War

Did You Know?

• The French frigate Sibylle, commanded by Captain Maisonneuve, passed the British ships on 30 January 1857 while on a mission to protect French interests in the Persian Gulf.
• Herat returned to more direct Afghan control when it was retaken by Dost Mohammed Khan in 1863.

Background

The war occurred within the Great Game, the Anglo-Russian contest for influence in Central Asia. The British wanted Afghanistan to remain a friendly buffer state against Russian expansion toward India and opposed Iranian influence in Afghanistan, perceiving Iran as unduly influenced by Russia. Iran took Herat on 25 October 1856, violating an existing Anglo-Persian Treaty. The British governor-general in India, acting on orders from London, declared war on 1 November. A separate incident involving Mirza Hashem Khan, whom the British ambassador had hoped to appoint as secretary to the mission in Tehran, escalated after rumors of improper relations with the man's wife, who was the sister of the Shah's main wife. The Iranians arrested the woman, and the British ambassador broke relations when they refused to release her.

1856

The Qajar military listed 86,700 personnel on paper, but Tehran could mobilize no more than 20,000 for battle. A sizeable portion of the army came from regular Azerbaijani regiments. The artillery division from Azerbaijan was the only one well-versed in long-range guns; of 120 total guns, only six were 12-pounders, the rest being lower quality. The army train relied on mules, horses, and camels, with limited carriages. Except for several Imperial Guard regiments, morale was extremely low. An average soldier's annual salary was seven tomans with a daily ration subsidy of one shahi, but soldiers were lucky to receive two of the seven tomans. He was among the most revered Qajar officers. The British government placed restrictions on the expeditionary force: no attempt to subvert the reigning Shah, no instigation of rebellion, and no enrollment of Iranian subjects in the British Army.

1857

The British invasion force was divided into two divisions. Sir James Outram of the Bombay army led operations. The first division, under Major-General Stalker and Brigadier Wilson, conducted the landing at Bushehr and included Her Majesty's 64th Regiment and the 4th Bombay Rifles. The second division, led by Brigadier-General Havelock and Outram, included the 14th King's Light Dragoons, 78th Highlanders, 23rd Native Light Infantry, 26th Native Infantry, Jacob's Scinde Horse, one troop of horse artillery, two field-batteries, and a light battalion of ten companies. Outram was granted temporary rank of lieutenant-general. The British ships put to sea on 19 January, reaching the Strait of Hormuz by 27 January with little disruption. By 28 January they were off Basaidu on Qeshm island. On 30 January the squadron anchored off Bushehr around 2:00 PM, and the next morning orders were given to disembark and join the force already stationed there. With reinforcements, supplies became plentiful.

Battle honours

Four battle honours were awarded for this campaign: 'Persia', 'Reshire', and 'Koosh-Ab' in 1858, and 'Bushire' in 1861. The honour 'Persia' was awarded to all units that participated, including the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, Poona Irregular Horse, 1st Scinde Irregular Horse, Madras Sappers & Miners, Bombay Sappers & Miners, 4th Bombay Infantry, 20th Bombay Infantry, 23rd Bombay Infantry, and 26th Bombay Infantry. The honour 'Reshire' was awarded to units that attacked the old Dutch redoubt of Reshire on 7 December 1856; the governor surrendered the fortifications on 8 December. Units receiving 'Reshire' included the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, Bombay Sappers & Miners, 4th Bombay Infantry, 20th Bombay Infantry, and 26th Bombay Infantry. The honour 'Bushire' was awarded after India passed under the Crown, by Bombay GO 191 of 1861, to the Poona Horse, Bombay Sappers & Miners, 4th Bombay Infantry, 20th Bombay Infantry, 26th Bombay Infantry, and the 3rd Regiment Local Contingent (disbanded). The honour 'Koosh-Ab' was awarded for the defeat of the Iranian field army on 8 February 1857. The Poona Horse carries a Standard with a silver hand and Persian inscription captured at Koosh-Ab, commemorating the charge of the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. Units receiving 'Koosh-Ab' included the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, Poona Irregular Horse, Bombay Sappers and Miners, 4th Bombay Infantry, 20th Bombay Infantry, 26th Bombay Infantry, and the 2nd Baluch Battalion.