Description
India General Service Medal 1908, bar Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, 1914-15 Star Trio, GS-3556 Private John D. Darter, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards.
Trio off impressed: “GS-3556 PTE J. DARTER. 1-D. GDS.”
IGS off impressed: “12317 Pte J. D. Darter. 1 K D GUARDS”
John D. Darter first entered into World War 1, landing in France on 16th June 1915.
The 1st King’s Dragoon Guards are noted for their service in the Afghanistan War of 1919, when they were stationed in the village of Dakka, in Afghan territory to the west of the Khyber Pass in early May 1919.
They occupied Dakka after the Afghans retreated from there following RAF bombings. They would establish a camp but it was poorly sited for defence and they were suddenly attacked following an artillery bombardment by an infantry assault.
The Afghan attack was defeated and the British launched a counter attack. During the action the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards would charge the enemy in one of the final cavalry charges of history, not long afterwards the Cavalry would be mechanised.
