An Afghan regular army soldier, 1919

Photograph, 3rd Afghan War (1919).

At the time of the 3rd Afghan War (1919) the Afghan regular army consisted of 21 cavalry regiments, 78 infantry battalions and 280 breech-loading artillery pieces. Around half of the regular units were stationed on the frontier with British India. About half of the infantry were armed with small-bore repeating rifles. The remainder used single shot Martini-Henrys. Few of these units had a regular service uniform. Many soldiers wore their local dress alongside their equipment. As well as the army, the Afghan Amir could also call on around 10,000 khassadars (tribal militia) and many thousands of trans-border tribesmen.

From an album of 137 photographs, relating to the 101st Bty Royal Field Artillery in India 1917-1919.