THE LAST STAND OF LT WALTER HAMILTON VC during the siege of the British residency in Kabul. After leading a sortie out to spike an Afghan cannon he was cut off from his men and seeing the end was near he drew his revolver, stood firm and fought till his last breath.

The Anglo-Irish soldier was only 23 when he died, having won the Victoria Cross only 5 months earlier at the battle of Fatehabad after leading a charge that routed the Afghans. He took command after the Commander of the Corps of Guides Wigram Battye was shot in the saddle

After this he was placed in command of the corps of guides detachment protecting the British resident in Afghanistan Sir Louis Cavagnari. Cavagnari had been installed by the Imperial government to advice Yakub Kahn and make sure Russian influence never reached the Indian frontier

But the peace would not last, partly because the treaty was a humiliation for the Afghans, partly because Cavagnari himself was a brash man unsuited to diplomacy but mostly because the wrong people were not paid or bribed (as was the case during the first war)

Some unpaid troops rose in mutiny against Khan and besieged the mission which was protected by 75 Guides. After 7 hours of savage fighting all the men where dead. The last charge was lead by Jewand Singh after the remaining native troops refused the offer of surrender.

They chose death and honour
Honi soit qui mal y pense

A statue was built to commemorate Hamilton and was placed in Dublin, after the rising the new Irish government to wash its hands of our Imperial heroes and the statue was taken to England where it still stands today in the National Army Museum

If I had my way it would be displayed in Trafalgar square as a testament to his bravery and that of all the men who fought and died for the Empire, instead it is tucked away with a despicable sign stuck on it likely by a liberal, woman or communist.