Child seated amongst Afghan weapons, 1880 (b/w photo)

Child seated amongst Afghan weapons, 1880. Photograph by Bourne and Shepherd, 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880), 1880. General Roberts’ victory over the rebel forces of Ayub Khan at Kandahar on 1 September 1880 marked the effective end of the 2nd Afghan War(1878-1880). Although the British did not withdraw from Afghanistan until April 1881, they did so confident that the new amir, Abdur Rahman, a nephew of the late Amir Sher Ali, would follow Britain’s direction with regard to Afghanistan’s foreign policy. Photographing a display of captured Afghan equipment, and including a young boy to supply decorative contrast, might have appeared a suitable means then of indicating a job well done. From an album of 115 photographs by Bourne and Shepherd.