The force was made up of 180 of the 5th Goorkas, 400 Goorkas and Dogras of the Kashmir Bodyguard, 250 Dogras of the Kashmir Raga Pertab Regiment, 150 Punyali levies, and the commander's personal escort--20 men of the 20th Punjab Infantry. The only Europeans present were officers. The forts of Nilt were assaulted and captured after very desperate fighting, in which Captain Aylmer and Colonel Durand were severely wounded, and in the moment of victory the command passed out of the latter's hand. In two hours the place was captured, but owing to the failure to advance 4 British officers had been lost, and nearly 40 men killed and wounded after the successful assault. The cliff opposite Nilt, a very difficult position, was next scaled after "a little Dogra sepoy named Nagdu one night succeeded in climbing 1,200 feet up the cliff, and found a practicable path." Then the place was stormed by the men under the command of Captain Colin Mackenzie of the Seaforths; Lieutenant Manners-Smith led a little body of Kashmir troops up a cliff 1,000 feet high, and within two days Nagar was occupied, and the Hunza chief with Uzr Khan fled across the frontier. It is noteworthy that from the men of the district against whom we had fought, Colonel Durand raised the Hunza-Nagar levies who later fought so well for us.
In this little hard-fought campaign three Victoria Crosses were won, by Captain (now Major-General C. B.) Aylmer, Lieutenant (now Major) Boisragon, and Lieutenant (now Lieutenant-Colonel C. I. E.) Manners-Smith, while several of the native troops earned the Order of Merit for their gallantry and devotion.
For this arduous expedition the I.G.S. Medal 1854, with bar for HUNZA 1891, was issued to those participants who had not already received the medal for other services. Those who possessed the medal received the bar only.
=East and West Africa.=--A great deal of fighting had been forced upon us by the African tribes, against whom expeditions or columns had been sent from 1887 to 1892. First against the Yonnie Tribe, when the coloured men of the 1st West India Regiment fought side by side with men from the crews of H.M.S. "Acorn," "Icarus," and "Rifleman," from November 13th, 1887, to January 2nd, 1888. Next an expedition had to be sent up the Gambia River, the men of H.M.S. "Swallow" composing the force which operated between December 29th, 1891, and February 5th, 1892. Then the 1st West India Regiment again took the field on March 8th, 1892, against Tambi, men of H.M.S. "Alecto," "Race," "Sparrow," "Thrust," and "Widgeon" co-operating, and in the same year the native troops took part in the expedition against Toniataba, and in the expedition against the Jebus. For these services a medal similar to that issued for the Ashantee War was granted on November 1st, 1892, but, as in the case of the Zulu War medal, dates upon the bars are the only indication of the particular service, or services, rendered. Three bars were sanctioned, 1887-8, 1891-2, and 1892, so that the last bar was issued for three different expeditions. This is known as the East and West Africa medal, but it was not a distinct issue, for those who possessed the Ashantee medal were only given the bar or bars. The ribbon is the same as used for suspension with the Ashantee medal, and the names were either engraved or impressed on the edge of the medal.