Incredible - Bobbie and the Biscuit Boys

Beauchamp Lodge history and Bobbie the dog

Bobbie - Many members of the Beauchamp Lodge served with great distinction in the 2nd Afghan War (1878-1881); not only taking an active part in the fighting, but also building bridges, erecting fortifications, and laying telegraph lines during the army’s advance into Afghanistan. Intriguingly a recent history of the lodge made mention of ‘Bobbie’ the dog, who was also a decorated veteran of that campaign.

The 2nd Afghan War was one of several actions fought to prevent Russia from gaining a foothold in Afghanistan, and thereby being able to threaten the British control of India. On the 27th July 1880 at the Battle of Maiwand 2,500 British troops, who had been sent to put down a rising led by Ayub Khan, were overwhelmed by more than 20,000 Afghan troops and tribesman.

Nearly 1,000 British and Indian troops lost their lives on that day, and the Afghan losses were estimated to be about 2,500. This disaster was in part due to poor leadership, and the news of it shocked Victorian Britain; after speaking to a survivor of the battle Rudyard Kipling was moved to write a poem about the calamity entitled ‘That Day’.

As the British forces were falling back from Maiwand, a group of nine soldiers and two officers from the 66th Regiment did make a valiant last stand. It is believed that Bobbie, who had become separated from his wounded master, stayed by their side barking defiantly at the many attacking tribesmen; the men all died, just Bobbie survived.

Despite suffering a wound on his back Bobbie managed to escape the battlefield, and the next day the retreating British troops would look back to see the wounded Bobbie struggling to catch up with them. They would carry him safely back to Kandahar, where he was re-united with his wounded master.

So how did Bobbie, a stray terrier from the streets of Reading, come to be on a battlefield in Afghanistan, and what became of him afterwards? We first hear of Bobbie when he was owned by Lance-Sergeant Peter Kelly of the 66th (Royal Berkshire) Regiment who were stationed at Brock Barracks in Reading; they were called the ‘Biscuit Boys’, because of the Huntley & Palmer biscuit factory in Reading. In the late 1870s Bobbie would travel with his master and the 66th Regiment to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

On returning to England from Afghanistan he was presented to Queen Victoria at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, he wore a smart new scarlet coat trimmed with fake pearls for the occasion. The Queen was told about his bravery and did apparently ask to see his battle scars, she then pinned the Afghanistan Campaign Medal on to his collar. Sadly just a year later his eventful life came to a sudden end, when he was run over by a hansom cab in Gosport. It is reported that Queen Victoria cried when told of brave Bobbie’s death.

However, we can finish with a happier postscript, as Bobbie’s story was one of those that would later inspire the creation of an Animals in War memorial in Central London, it was unveiled by HRH the Princess Royal in 2004.

This post has been provided by the West Kent Military Lodge. If you would like to know more about the Lodge contact us here