March on Kabul

A tale of Empire and War

Autumn 1879. The empire marches north.

Lieutenant William Blackwood and the Monmouthshire Fusiliers return from Africa, only to be swept into another conflict as Afghanistan erupts in violence. The murder of the British mission in Kabul sends shockwaves through the Raj, forcing an immediate reaction. Major General Roberts is ordered to form a new field force, and Blackwood’s regiment is ordered to the frontier to force a passage into the mountains.

From the furnace heat of Bombay to the thin air of the Shutargardan Pass, the advance is relentless. Roads crumble into mule tracks. Supply columns struggle through ravines and high passes. Tribal marksmen shadow the march from the heights. Every mile toward Kabul is contested by terrain, weather, and an enemy hardened by years of war.

South of the capital, the Afghan army makes its stand. At Char Asiab, a powerful force under experienced commanders holds a fortified ridge commanding the valley, its sangars and trenches manned by thousands of determined fighters armed with rifles, jezails, and artillery. To break the position, Roberts must commit his forces in full: Highlanders, Gurkhas, Sikhs, cavalry, mountain artillery, and frontier infantry advancing together against a skilful and resolute defence.

March on Kabul is the fourth volume in Blackwood of the Empire, a continuing story of command, endurance, and duty on the outer edge of Empire. Blackwood must navigate the demands of discipline, leadership, and survival in a land that has humbled armies for centuries.