What do you think?
Rate this book
The Relief of Chitral
This early work by Francis Younghusband was originally published in 1895 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'The Relief of Chitral' details a British military campaign in modern day Pakistan. Francis Younghusband was born in 1863 at Munree, British India, the son of Major-General John W. Younghusband and Clara Jane Shaw. Younghusband attended Clifton College, Bristol, before entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1881. After his time at the Academy he was commissioned as a Subaltern in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards where he began his military career. He rose through the ranks and in 1902, due to fears of Russian expansion, the now Major Younghusband, was promoted to the position of British Commisioner to Tibet, a post he held until 1904. Younghusband married Helen Augusta Magniac, with whom he had two children, a son who died in infancy and a daughter, Eileen Younghusband. Their daughter went on to become a prominent social worker.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1895
4 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Francis Younghusband
106 books14 followersSir Francis Edward Younghusband was born on 31 May 1863 in Muree on the North-West Frontier of British India (now in Pakistan), the son of Major-General John W. Younghusband and Clara Jane Shaw. Younghusband married Helen Augusta Magniac, with whom he had two children, a son who died in infancy and a daughter, Eileen Younghusband. Their daughter went on to become a prominent social worker. He died on 31 July 1942 in Dorset, England.
Younghusband attended Clifton College, Bristol, before entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1881. After his time at the Academy he was commissioned as a Subaltern in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards where he began his military career. He rose through the ranks and in 1902, due to fears of Russian expansion, the now Major Younghusband, was promoted to the position of British Commisioner to Tibet, a post he held until 1904. He was an explorer of the Gobi Desert and Manchuria. In 1906, he became British Resident in Kashmir.
He returned to Britain in 1909 and became involved and interested in religious/spiritual matters. He was a member of the India Society and became friends with many Indians in Britain.
Younghusband was elected President of the Royal Geographic Society in 1919, and two years later became Chairman of the Mount Everest Committee which was set up in 1921 to co-ordinate the reconnaissance of Mount Everest. He actively encouraged climbers, including George Mallory, to attempt the first ascent of Mount Everest, and they followed the same initial route as the earlier Tibet Mission.
In 1933 he attended the Second Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He then became involved in the organization and leadership of the World Fellowship of Faith's congress in London, to be held in 1936. Subsequent congresses were held in places such as Oxford in 1937, Cambridge in 1938, Paris in 1939, in which Younghusband continued to take a leading role.
Younghusband wrote twenty-six books between 1895 and 1942 on topics ranging from exploration and mountaineering to philosophy and politics.
Younghusband attended Clifton College, Bristol, before entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1881. After his time at the Academy he was commissioned as a Subaltern in the 1st King's Dragoon Guards where he began his military career. He rose through the ranks and in 1902, due to fears of Russian expansion, the now Major Younghusband, was promoted to the position of British Commisioner to Tibet, a post he held until 1904. He was an explorer of the Gobi Desert and Manchuria. In 1906, he became British Resident in Kashmir.
He returned to Britain in 1909 and became involved and interested in religious/spiritual matters. He was a member of the India Society and became friends with many Indians in Britain.
Younghusband was elected President of the Royal Geographic Society in 1919, and two years later became Chairman of the Mount Everest Committee which was set up in 1921 to co-ordinate the reconnaissance of Mount Everest. He actively encouraged climbers, including George Mallory, to attempt the first ascent of Mount Everest, and they followed the same initial route as the earlier Tibet Mission.
In 1933 he attended the Second Parliament of Religions in Chicago. He then became involved in the organization and leadership of the World Fellowship of Faith's congress in London, to be held in 1936. Subsequent congresses were held in places such as Oxford in 1937, Cambridge in 1938, Paris in 1939, in which Younghusband continued to take a leading role.
Younghusband wrote twenty-six books between 1895 and 1942 on topics ranging from exploration and mountaineering to philosophy and politics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 11, 2023
The siege and successful relief of Chitral was a key episode in British Imperial history, coming as it did just a decade after Britain's humiliation at Khartoum, and three years before their long-delayed response against the Mahdi at Omdurman. However, this telling is really for hard-core history buffs only - for a much shorter (and much more coherent) overview, just read Chapter 35 of Peter Hopkirk's classic The Great Game: On Secret Service in High Asia, or just look up "Chitral Expedition" on Wikipedia.
The only thing that makes this book of passing interest is it's strange co-authorship by brothers George and Francis Younghusband. Captain George served on General Low's staff throughout the campaign, and so wrote chapters III, IV and V on Low's advance; while all other chapters were written by Brother Francis, who had previously served as Political Officer in Chitral, and so while on extended leave from the Indian Army was hired by The Times to return to the region and cover the expedition as their Special Correspondent.
So - interesting episode but not that interesting; there are far better - and shorter - tellings elsewhere.
This was another obscure (and deservedly so) but free ebook from the Gutenberg Project.
The only thing that makes this book of passing interest is it's strange co-authorship by brothers George and Francis Younghusband. Captain George served on General Low's staff throughout the campaign, and so wrote chapters III, IV and V on Low's advance; while all other chapters were written by Brother Francis, who had previously served as Political Officer in Chitral, and so while on extended leave from the Indian Army was hired by The Times to return to the region and cover the expedition as their Special Correspondent.
So - interesting episode but not that interesting; there are far better - and shorter - tellings elsewhere.
This was another obscure (and deservedly so) but free ebook from the Gutenberg Project.
May 31, 2024
I reread this short book whilst in Chitral...
It certainly brought the Chitral Fort to life and one must suppose that some of those Chinar trees surrounding the fort must have witnessed the siege... And some may have provided sniping positions for Umra Khan's snipers...
Col Kelly's advance over the Shandoor Pass, in armpit-deep snow is another aspect of the bravery & discipline of the native relief force!
A remarkable story!
It certainly brought the Chitral Fort to life and one must suppose that some of those Chinar trees surrounding the fort must have witnessed the siege... And some may have provided sniping positions for Umra Khan's snipers...
Col Kelly's advance over the Shandoor Pass, in armpit-deep snow is another aspect of the bravery & discipline of the native relief force!
A remarkable story!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews