; 23rd Bombay
Rifles, 23 men.

[Illustration: A Frontier Tower. Abdali Country.]

Colonel English arrived before Naklain at 8.25 a.m. on October 7th,
after pushing back the enemy, who disputed the passage of a difficult
gorge for some time. He then proceeded to destroy the place, and at
11.15 a.m. started on his return march. The enemy clung to his flanks,
and kept up a long-range fire until 2.30 p.m., when he repassed the
gorge mentioned above. His casualties consisted of one killed (No.
5710 Private Andrew Keegan), and six wounded, while there were in
addition six cases of sunstroke. The column did not return to Dthala,
but marched straight to Aden, where it arrived on October 14th.

The remainder of the battalion left Dthala on October 10th, reaching
Aden on the 16th, where, on October 24th, it embarked on the transport
_Soudan_ for home.

For his services in the Aden Hinterland, Lieutenant-Colonel English
was awarded the D.S.O. It was never better earned. But no medal was
issued to the regiment, in spite of the fact that for ten months they
had been living under active service conditions, which necessitated
unceasing vigilance by day and night. It is true they had not suffered
many casualties, or seen much fighting, but as this was undoubtedly
due to the excellent manner in which the operations were conducted,
and to the precautions taken, it seemed a little hard that the coveted
distinction of a medal should be withheld, although the little
campaign is ranked in war services as active service.

However, the experience and the knowledge of the country gained will
doubtless prove beneficial to all concerned, who still look back upon
Dthala with affection, and speak of it with regret. On the night after
Colonel English had dealt with the Dthanbari tribe, Major Carington
Smith, who was in command of a small detachment, after posting his
outposts was just thinking of retiring when he heard the sentries
challenge; this was immediately followed by a rush of horsemen, headed
by a most gorgeously dressed officer. Reining up almost at Smith's
feet he informed him that his master, a neighbouring potentate,
friendly to the English, had sent him and his men to assist in the
repulse of the bloodthirsty Dthanbari tribe, who might be expected to
attempt to rush the camp that night. Although not anticipating
anything of the kind, Major Smith was far too polite to say so, and
after thanking his allies, suggested that they shou