List of Indian divisions in World War I
Encyclopedia
The Indian Army during World War I, sometimes called the British Indian Army
, contributed a number of divisions and independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and the Middle east theatres of war in World War I
. One million Indian troops would serve overseas, of whom 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total 74,187 Indian soldiers died during the war.
The Indian Army had undergone major reforms in 1903, after Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India
. He instituted the large–scale reforms, including merging the three armies of the Presidencies into a unified force and forming higher level formations, ten army divisions.
In World War I the Indian Army fought against the German Empire
in German East Africa
and on the Western Front
. At the First Battle of Ypres
, Khudadad Khan
became the first Indian to be awarded a Victoria Cross
. Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire
. While some divisions were sent overseas others had to remain in India guarding the North West Frontier and on internal security and training duties.
was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India
in 1902 and after five years, his term of office was extended by a further two—during which he reformed the Indian Army. The reforms now directed that there would be only one Indian Army, the three armies of the Presidencies being merged into a unified force. At the same time, the regiments of the Princely state
s were made available to be called upon for Imperial Service
. The British Army
also continued to supply units for service in India, in addition to those of the Indian Army. The term Army of India
was instituted to refer to the overall command structure which included both the British and Indian Army units. The new formation for the Army of India was set at nine divisions, each division with one cavalry and three infantry brigades and these nine divisions together with three independent infantry brigades would serve in India. The Indian Army was also responsible for supplying a division in Burma
and a brigade in Aden
.
To assist command and control of the new divisions, two field armies
were formed— the Northern Army and the Southern Army. The Northern Army had five divisions and three brigades and was responsible for the North West Frontier to Bengal
while the Southern Army, which had four divisions in India and two formations outside the subcontinent, was responsible for Baluchistan
to southern India. The regiments and battalions of the new organization would be numbered in a single sequence and the old titles of the Bombay
, Madras
and the Bengal Armies
would be discontinued. The new regiments and battalions, instead of remaining at their home base, could now all be called upon to serve anywhere in the country, and a tour of duty on the North West Frontier would be an established posting. One change that was not accepted was the formation of all-British or all-Indian brigades and the system of having one British regiment or battalion in each brigade remained.
In 1914, the Indian Army was the largest volunteer army in the world with a total strength of 240,000 men and by November 1918 it contained 548,311 men, being considered the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was regularly called upon to deal with incursions and raids on the North West Frontier and to provide garrison forces for the British Empire
in Egypt, Singapore and China. This field force was divided into two armies: The Northern Army which stretched from the North-West Frontier to Bengal with five divisions and three brigades under command and the Southern Army which stretched from Baluchistan to southern India and it in turn had four divisions under command and two formations outside the subcontinent. The two armies contained 39 cavalry regiments, 138 infantry battalions (including 20 Gurkha
), a joint cavalry-infantry unit the Corps of Guides
, three sapper
regiments and 12 mountain artillery batteries.
The nine divisions formed by these reforms each consisted of one cavalry and three infantry brigades. The cavalry brigade had one British and two Indian regiments while the infantry brigades consisted of one British and three Indian battalions. Indian Army battalions were smaller than the British battalions, consisting of 30 officers and 723 other ranks as compared to the British 29 officers and 977 other ranks. Indian battalions were often segregated, with companies of different tribes, castes or religions. Additional troops attached to the headquarters of each division included a cavalry regiment, a pioneer battalion and artillery provided by the British Royal Field Artillery
. Each division had about 13,000 men on strength, somewhat weaker than a British division in part due to the smaller infantry battalions and smaller artillery forces. The Indian Army was also weakened when 500 British officers on home leave, enough to officer 38 Indian battalions, were posted to the new British divisions being formed for Kitchener's Army
.
In addition to the regular Indian Army, the armies of the Princely States and regiments of the Auxiliary Force (European volunteers) could also be called upon to assist in an emergency. The Princely States formed the Imperial Service Brigades and in 1914, had 22,613 men in 20 cavalry regiments and 14 infantry battalions. By the end of the war 26,000 men had served overseas on Imperial Service. The Auxiliary force could field another 40,000 men in 11 regiments of horse and 42 volunteer infantry battalions. Also available were the Frontier Militia and the Military Police which could field 34,000 men between them.
The field force headquarters was located in Delhi
and the senior officer (Commander-in-Chief, India) was assisted by a Chief of the General Staff, India. All the senior command and staff positions in the Indian Army alternated between senior officers of the British and Indian Armies. In 1914, the Commander–in–Chief was General Sir Beauchamp Duff
of the Indian Army, and the Chief of the General Staff was Lieutenant General Sir Percy Lake
of the British Army. Each Indian battalion was staffed by 13 officers from the British Army in India and 17 officers from the Indian Army— expatriate British officers serving under colonial Indian administration. As the war intensified and officer casualties mounted, the ability to replace casualties with officers of British origin became extremely difficult and in many cases the officer allotment to battalions was reduced accordingly. Only in 1919 were the first Officer Cadets of Indian descent permitted to be selected for officer trainining at the Royal Military College
.
The normal annual recruitment for the Indian army was 15,000 men, during the course of the war over 800,000 men volunteered for the army and more than 400,000 volunteered for non combatant roles. In total almost 1.3 million men had volunteered for service by 1918. One million Indian troops served overseas during the war, of these 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total, 74,187 Indian soldiers died in World War I.
, the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
, the 4th (Quetta) Division
. The only war-formed division to serve in India was the 16th Indian Division
formed in 1916, it was also stationed on the North West Frontier. All these divisions were still in place and took part in the Third Afghan War at the end of World War I.
In supporting the war effort, India was left vulnerable to hostile action from Afghanistan. A Turco-German mission
arrived in Kabul
in October 1915, with obvious strategic purpose. Habibullah Khan abided by his treaty obligations and maintained Afghanistan's neutrality, in the face of internal opposition from factions keen to side with the Ottoman Sultan. Despite this, localised actions along the frontier still took place and included Operations in the Tochi
(1914–15), Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis
(1915), Kalat Operations (1915–16), Mohmand Blockade
(1916–17), Operations against the Mahsuds (1917) and Operations against the Marri and Khetran tribes (1918).
On the North East Frontier between India and Burma punitive actions were carried out against the Kachins tribes between December 1914–February 1915, by the Burma Military Police supported by the 1/7th Gurkha Rifles and the 64th Pioneers
. Between November 1917–March 1919, operations were carried out against the Kuki tribes
by auxiliary units of the Assam Rifles
and the Burma Military Police.
The other divisions remaining in India at first on internal security and then as training divisions were the 5th (Mhow) Division
, the 8th (Lucknow) Division and the 9th (Secundarabad) Division. Over the course of the war these divisions lost brigades to other formations on active service; The 5th (Mhow) Division lost the 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade to the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division
. The 8th (Lucknow) Division lost the 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade to the 1st Indian Cavalry Division
and the 22nd (Lucknow) Infantry Brigade to the 11th Indian Division
. The 9th (Secundarabad) Division lost the 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade to the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division and the 27th (Banglore) Brigade which was sent to British East Africa. The other pre war units the Burma Division, remained in Burma throughout the war on internal security duties, likewise the Aden brigade remained in Aden.
which owned the concessions for these fields was about to be bought by the British Government, primarily to fuel the British Fleet. It soon became clear that the Ottoman Turkish Army
was being mobilised and in August the Indian Government was instructed to prepare contingency plans to protect these strategic assets. The plans dictated that in the event of the Turkish Army coming out in support of the Germans, the Indian Army was to act to secure the oilfields. As a contingency, the Indian Expeditionary Force D (see below) under command of Lieutenant–General Sir Arthur Barrett sailed from Bombay on 16 October 1914 for Bahrain. They, together with Expeditionary Force A who had been hurriedly sent to Europe at the end of September in response to a request from the Imperial General Staff for men to support the war effort— became the first Indian elements committed to war outside of India.
the Aden Brigade
was stationed in the Aden Protectorate
on the strategically important naval route from Europe to India, where there was limited fighting
. The Bannu Brigade
, the Derajat Brigade
and the Kohat Brigade
were all part of the Northern Army and they were deployed along the North West Frontier. On 12 May 1918, the Bannu and Derajat brigades were designated as the Waziristan Field Force under the command General G W Baynon. The South Persia Brigade
was formed in 1915 at the start of the Persian Campaign
to protect the Anglo–Persian oil installations in south Persia and the Persian Gulf
.
On the outbreak of war the Indian Army had 150,000 trained men and the Indian Government offered the services of two cavalry and two infantry divisions for service overseas. The force known as Indian Expeditionary Force A was under the command of General Sir James Willcocks
. Force A was attached to the British Expeditionary Force and the four divisions were formed into two army corps: an infantry Indian Corps and the Indian Cavalry Corps
. Upon arrival in Marseilles on 30 September 1914, only six weeks after the declaration of war, they were moved to the Ypres Salient
and took part in the Battle of La Bassée
in October 1914. In March 1915, the 7th (Meerut) Division
was chosen to lead the assault in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
. The Expeditionary Force was hampered by a lack of familiarity with new equipment, only being issued Lee Enfield rifles on their arrival in France and they had almost no artillery, relying on support from their neighbouring corps when in the front line. They were not accustomed to the continental weather and were poorly equipped to resist the cold, leading to low morale which was further compounded by the reserve system, whereby reinforcements were drafted in from any regiment and had no affiliation to their new units. Officer casualties were even more of a handicap, as replacements were unfamiliar with the Indian Army and could not speak the language. With morale low, Many soldiers fled the scene of the battle and the infantry divisions were finally withdrawn to Egypt in October 1915, when they were replaced by the new British divisions of Kitchener's Army
.
With the withdrawal of the infantry divisions, the only Indian Army units on the Western Front were the two cavalry divisions. In November 1916, the two Indian cavalry divisions were renumbered from 1st
and 2nd
to the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions. Serving alongside British cavalry divisions they were held behind the front line awaiting the hoped for breakthrough. At times during the war they served in the trenches as infantry, each cavalry brigade when dismounted formed a dismounted regiment. This meant that when the divisions went into the front line, they could only cover a brigade area. Before being themselves withdrawn to Egypt in March 1918, they took part in the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Bazentin, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette
, the advance to the Hindenburg Line
and finally the Battle of Cambrai.
Of the 130,000 Indians who served in France and Belgium, almost 9,000 died.
and the problem was handed to the India Office
, which assembled two forces and shipped them to his aid. Indian Expeditionary Force B consisted of the 27th (Banglore) Brigade from the 9th (Secunderabad) Division
and an Imperial Service Infantry Brigade, a pioneer battalion, a mountain artillery battery and engineers were sent to Tanganyika
with the task of invading German East Africa.
The force under the command of Major General Arthur Aitken
landed at Tanga
on the 2–3 November 1914. In the following Battle of Tanga
, Aitkens' 8,000 men were badly beaten by the 1,000 men under their German commander Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
. The force re–embarked on 5 November 1914, having suffered 817 casualties and the loss of several hundred rifles, 16 machine guns and 600,000 rounds of ammunition.
Indian Expeditionary Force C was the second force assembled for service in British East Africa in 1914, this force was formed from the Imperial Service Infantry Brigade of five infantry battalions and consisted of the Indian Army's 29th Punjabis
, together with battalions from the Princely states of Jind
, Bharatpur
, Kapurthala
and Rampur
, a volunteer 15 pounder
artillery battery, 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force), a volunteer maxim gun
battery and a Field Ambulance. It was planned that the force was to be primarily used to guard the railway to Uganda
and to support the King's African Rifles
in communications protection duties. After arriving in Mombasa
, Force C was broken up and its units subsequently served separately. The one action they were involved in was the Battle of Kilimanjaro
, in October 1914. Force C with 4,000 men gathered near the border of British and German East Africa, commanded by Brigadier General J. M. Stewart. Flawed intelligence reports estimated the German military presence in the region at 200 men; however, there were 600 askari
s in three companies plus the colonial volunteers, 86 young Germans on horseback. On 3 November 1914, some 1,500 Punjabis
of the British force advanced up the slope at night near Longido were caught in the crossfire of a strong German defensive position as they advanced in the morning fog. The large force of Indian infantry effectively resisted counter attacks, however, during the day the British attackers made no headway and suffered substantial casualties. By mid-morning, a German mounted patrol ambushed a supply column and roughly 100 mules carrying water for the troops were stampeded away by the Germans. The British officers, with their now widely scattered troops, waited until darkness and having determined their situation to be untenable, withdrew down the mountain and marched back to British East Africa having accomplished nothing.
The largest Indian Army force to serve abroad was the Indian Expeditionary Force D in Mesopotamia
, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Nixon. The first unit sent in November 1914, was the 6th (Poona) Division
and they were tasked with guarding British oil installations in and around Basra
. As part of the Mesopotamian campaign
they served under the command of Major General Barrett
and then under Major General Townshend
. After a string of early successes, the campaign was delivered a setback at the Battle of Ctesiphon
in November 1915 due to Logistical constraints. Following this engagement, the Poona Division withdrew back to Kut
, where Townshend made the decision to hold the city and the Siege of Kut
began.
Between January and March 1916, Townshend launched several attacks in an attempt to lift the siege. In sequence, the attacks took place at the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad
, the Battle of the Wadi
, the Battle of Hanna
, and the Battle of Dujaila Redoubt
.
These attempts to break through the encirclement did not succeed and the cost was heavy with both sides suffering high casualties. In February food, and hopes were running out for Townshend in Kut-al-Amara. Disease spread rapidly and could not be contained or cured and Townshend surrendered in April 1916. In December 1916, the 3rd and 7th Divisions arrived from the Western Front.
In 1917, the British force, under Frederick Stanley Maude
, which now included one cavalry and seven infantry divisions from the Indian Army, in the III Corps (India) advanced towards Bagdhad which was captured in March. The advance continued in 1918, and after the Battle of Sharqat
in October, the Turkish forces surrendered and the Armistice of Mudros
was signed. The Mesopotamian campaign was largely an Indian Army campaign as the only British formations involved were the 13th (Western) Division and British battalions assigned to Indian brigades. In the campaign, 11,012 were killed, 3,985 died of wounds, 12,678 died of disease, 13,492 were either missing or prisoners (including the 9,000 prisoners from Kut), and 51,836 were wounded.
Indian Expeditionary Force E consisted of the two Indian cavalry divisions (4th Cavalry Division and 5th Cavalry Division) transferred from France in 1918, for service in Palestine
. They were joined by the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, a unit formed by three regiments of Lancer
s from the princely states of Mysore
Hyderabad
and Jodhpur
. The 3rd (Lahore) Division
, and the 7th (Meerut) Division
were transferred from Mesopotamia. At the same time 36 Indian army battalions were sent to reinforce the British 10th (Irish) Division, 53rd Division, 60th Division
and the 75th Division
s, which were reformed on Indian division lines with one British and three Indian battalions per brigade.
and the 11th Indian Division
both of which were formed in Egypt in 1914, to defend the Suez canal. Other formations attached were the regular 22nd Lucknow Infantry Brigade from the 8th Lucknow Division
without their British battalions and an Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.
The 10th Division was disbanded in 1916, and its brigades assigned to other formations. The 28th Brigade, was assigned to the 7th (Meerut) Division in 1915, the 29th Brigade served as an independent brigade in the Gallipoli campaign until being disbanded in June 1917. The 30th Brigade was first assigned to the 12th Indian Division in April 1915, then transferred to the 6th (Poona) Division in September 1915.
The 11th Division was disbanded earlier in 1915, but its brigades did not survive much longer. The 31st Brigade joined the 10th Division in January 1916, but was disbanded a month later. The 32nd Brigade was disbanded in January 1916. The 33rd Brigade was sent to Bushire in Persia in August 1915, and then disbanded in December 1915.
. Consisting of three battalions of Ghurkhas and one of Sikhs, the brigade was dispatched from Egypt and attached to the British 29th Division which had been decimated in the earlier battles. Held in reserve for the Second Battle of Krithia
they played a major part in the Third Battle of Krithia
. Advancing on the left the Brigade was quickly halted except along the Aegean shore where the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance. The 14th Ferozepore Sikhs, advancing along the floor of Gully Ravine, were almost wiped out, losing 380 men out of 514 and 80% of their officers. The Brigade was next involved in the Battle of Gully Ravine
and here the 2/10th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance half a mile. The Brigade next took part in the Battle of Sari Bair
, under cover of a naval bombardment the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles assaulted and captured the hill, which was then shelled by the Royal Navy
. With their casualties mounting and under command of the battalion medical officer they were forced to withdraw to their starting positions. With the failure of the assault at Sari Bair the brigade was withdrawn to Egypt. Over the duration of the campaign the 29th Brigade had suffered 1,358 dead and 3,421 wounded.
in China, the 36th Sikhs
took part in the Siege of Tsingtao. Tsingtao was a German controlled port in China. The British Government and the other Allied European powers were concerned about Japanese intentions in the region and decided to send a small symbolic British contingent from Tianjin in an effort to allay their fears. The 1,500 man contingent was commanded by Brigadier-General Nathaniel Walter Barnardiston and consisted of 1,000 soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers who were later followed by 500 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs. The Japanese led force laid siege to the port between 31 October–7 November 1914. At the end of the siege, Japanese army casualties numbered 236 killed and 1,282 wounded; the British / Indians had 12 killed and 53 wounded. The German defenders suffered 199 dead and 504 wounded.
mutiny was a mutiny by 850 sepoys from the 5th Light Infantry
against the British in Singapore during the War, part of the 1915 Ghadar Conspiracy.
The 5th Light Infantry had arrived in Singapore from Madras in October 1914. They had been sent to replace the Yorkshire Light Infantry, which had been ordered to France. The 5th Light Infantry, enlisted men who were mainly Punjabi Muslims. Their morale was constantly low, being effected by poor communication, slack discipline and a weak leadership. The regiment had been stationed to guard the prisoners from the German ship, SMS Emden. They had been expecting to leave for Hong Kong by 16 February 1915, however rumours started that they were going to fight against fellow Muslims from the Ottoman Empire. German prisoner Oberleutenant Lauterbach fanned the rumours, and encouraged the troops to mutiny against their British commanders.
Sepoy Ismail Khan
signalled the start of the mutiny firing a single shot. Officers at the Tanglin barracks were massacred and an estimated 800 mutineers roamed the streets, killing any Europeans they came across. The mutiny continued for ten days and was suppressed when men from the Singapore Volunteer Artillery, additional British units, and with assistance from the Sultan of Johor
and other allies.
A total of 36 mutineers were later executed, and 77 officers were transported with another 12 imprisoned.
rule in India. The honour of being the first Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) in any conflict went to Khudadad Khan
, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
. When on 31 October 1914, at Hollebeke
, Belgium, the British Officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other gun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though himself wounded, remained working his gun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed.
Other members of the Indian Army awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I were:
In 1919, the Indian Army could call upon 491,000 men, but there was a shortage of experienced officers, most of the officers having been killed or wounded in the war. In 1921, the Indian government started a review of their military requirements with the protection of the North West Frontier and internal security their priority. By 1925, the Army in India had been reduced to 197,000 troops, 140,000 of them Indian. Battalions were now allocated one of three roles: The field army of four infantry divisions and five cavalry brigades; covering troops, 12 infantry brigades and supporting arms to act as a reserve force in case of invasion; and finally internal security troops, 43 infantry battalions to aid the civil power and support the field army when required. The number of cavalry regiments was reduced from 39 to 21. The infantry regiments were converted into 20 large regiments with four or five battalions in each regiment plus a training battalion, always numbered the 10th, also included were ten Gurkha regiments. Nine single battalion regiments were disbanded by 1922. Two of the large regiments were later disbanded, the 3rd Madras Regiment
for economic reasons, and the 20th Burma Rifles when Burma ceased to be governed by India.
The end of World War I did not see the end of fighting for the Indian Army—they were involved in the Third Afghan War in 1919, and then the Waziristan Campaign
between 1919–1920 and again between 1920–1924. Operations against the Afridis between 1930–1931, the Mohmands in 1933 and again in 1935 and finally just before the outbreak of World War II
operations in Waziristan again between 1936–1939.
The India Gate
in New Delhi, built in 1931, commemorates the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting in World War I.
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, contributed a number of divisions and independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and the Middle east theatres of war in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. One million Indian troops would serve overseas, of whom 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total 74,187 Indian soldiers died during the war.
The Indian Army had undergone major reforms in 1903, after Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
. He instituted the large–scale reforms, including merging the three armies of the Presidencies into a unified force and forming higher level formations, ten army divisions.
In World War I the Indian Army fought against the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
and on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. At the First Battle of Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
, Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan, VC , was the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces...
became the first Indian to be awarded a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. While some divisions were sent overseas others had to remain in India guarding the North West Frontier and on internal security and training duties.
Kitchener's reforms
Herbert KitchenerHerbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
in 1902 and after five years, his term of office was extended by a further two—during which he reformed the Indian Army. The reforms now directed that there would be only one Indian Army, the three armies of the Presidencies being merged into a unified force. At the same time, the regiments of the Princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s were made available to be called upon for Imperial Service
Imperial Service Troops
The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government...
. The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
also continued to supply units for service in India, in addition to those of the Indian Army. The term Army of India
Army of India
The Army of India consisted of both the Indian Army and the British Army in India between 1903 and 1947.Lord Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India between 1902 and 1909...
was instituted to refer to the overall command structure which included both the British and Indian Army units. The new formation for the Army of India was set at nine divisions, each division with one cavalry and three infantry brigades and these nine divisions together with three independent infantry brigades would serve in India. The Indian Army was also responsible for supplying a division in Burma
Burma Division
The Burma Division was a static formation of the British Indian Army. It was created as part of the 1903 reforms of the Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener then Commander-in-Chief, India. The task of such formations was to oversee area brigades commanding Internal Security troops...
and a brigade in Aden
Aden Brigade
The Aden Brigade was a formation of the British Indian Army formed for service in Aden during World War I. It was commanded by Major General Bell and consisted of the:*Aden Cavalry Troop*1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles*109th Infantry...
.
To assist command and control of the new divisions, two field armies
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
were formed— the Northern Army and the Southern Army. The Northern Army had five divisions and three brigades and was responsible for the North West Frontier to Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
while the Southern Army, which had four divisions in India and two formations outside the subcontinent, was responsible for Baluchistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
to southern India. The regiments and battalions of the new organization would be numbered in a single sequence and the old titles of the Bombay
Bombay Army
The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia.The Presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct...
, Madras
Madras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
and the Bengal Armies
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
would be discontinued. The new regiments and battalions, instead of remaining at their home base, could now all be called upon to serve anywhere in the country, and a tour of duty on the North West Frontier would be an established posting. One change that was not accepted was the formation of all-British or all-Indian brigades and the system of having one British regiment or battalion in each brigade remained.
Organization
In 1914, the Indian Army was the largest volunteer army in the world with a total strength of 240,000 men and by November 1918 it contained 548,311 men, being considered the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was regularly called upon to deal with incursions and raids on the North West Frontier and to provide garrison forces for the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in Egypt, Singapore and China. This field force was divided into two armies: The Northern Army which stretched from the North-West Frontier to Bengal with five divisions and three brigades under command and the Southern Army which stretched from Baluchistan to southern India and it in turn had four divisions under command and two formations outside the subcontinent. The two armies contained 39 cavalry regiments, 138 infantry battalions (including 20 Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
), a joint cavalry-infantry unit the Corps of Guides
Corps of Guides (British India)
The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Indian Army which served in the North West Frontier and had a unique composition of being part infantry and part cavalry.-History:...
, three sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
regiments and 12 mountain artillery batteries.
The nine divisions formed by these reforms each consisted of one cavalry and three infantry brigades. The cavalry brigade had one British and two Indian regiments while the infantry brigades consisted of one British and three Indian battalions. Indian Army battalions were smaller than the British battalions, consisting of 30 officers and 723 other ranks as compared to the British 29 officers and 977 other ranks. Indian battalions were often segregated, with companies of different tribes, castes or religions. Additional troops attached to the headquarters of each division included a cavalry regiment, a pioneer battalion and artillery provided by the British Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
. Each division had about 13,000 men on strength, somewhat weaker than a British division in part due to the smaller infantry battalions and smaller artillery forces. The Indian Army was also weakened when 500 British officers on home leave, enough to officer 38 Indian battalions, were posted to the new British divisions being formed for Kitchener's Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
.
In addition to the regular Indian Army, the armies of the Princely States and regiments of the Auxiliary Force (European volunteers) could also be called upon to assist in an emergency. The Princely States formed the Imperial Service Brigades and in 1914, had 22,613 men in 20 cavalry regiments and 14 infantry battalions. By the end of the war 26,000 men had served overseas on Imperial Service. The Auxiliary force could field another 40,000 men in 11 regiments of horse and 42 volunteer infantry battalions. Also available were the Frontier Militia and the Military Police which could field 34,000 men between them.
The field force headquarters was located in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and the senior officer (Commander-in-Chief, India) was assisted by a Chief of the General Staff, India. All the senior command and staff positions in the Indian Army alternated between senior officers of the British and Indian Armies. In 1914, the Commander–in–Chief was General Sir Beauchamp Duff
Beauchamp Duff
General Sir Beauchamp Duff, GCB, GCSI, KCVO, CIE, KStJ , was a Scottish officer with a distinguished military career in the British Indian Army serving as Commander-in-Chief of India during World War I.- Early life :...
of the Indian Army, and the Chief of the General Staff was Lieutenant General Sir Percy Lake
Percy Lake
General Sir Percy Henry Noel Lake, KCB, KCMG was a senior commander of the British Indian Army, serving during World War I, and a Canadian soldier.- Career :...
of the British Army. Each Indian battalion was staffed by 13 officers from the British Army in India and 17 officers from the Indian Army— expatriate British officers serving under colonial Indian administration. As the war intensified and officer casualties mounted, the ability to replace casualties with officers of British origin became extremely difficult and in many cases the officer allotment to battalions was reduced accordingly. Only in 1919 were the first Officer Cadets of Indian descent permitted to be selected for officer trainining at the Royal Military College
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
.
The normal annual recruitment for the Indian army was 15,000 men, during the course of the war over 800,000 men volunteered for the army and more than 400,000 volunteered for non combatant roles. In total almost 1.3 million men had volunteered for service by 1918. One million Indian troops served overseas during the war, of these 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total, 74,187 Indian soldiers died in World War I.
Home service
Before World War I, the Indian Army was deployed maintaining internal security and defending the North West Frontier against incursions from Afghanistan. These tasks did not end with the declaration of war. The divisions deployed along the frontier were the existing 1st (Peshawar) Division1st (Peshawar) Division
The 1st Division was a Regular Division of the British Indian Army it was formed after the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army in 1903. During World War I it remained in India for local defence but it was mobilised for action on the North West Frontier on several occasions during the period.The...
, the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
The 2nd Division was a regular army division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903 after the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army. During World War I it remained in India for local defence but it was mobilised for action on the North West Frontier on several occasions during the period...
, the 4th (Quetta) Division
4th (Quetta) Division
The 4th Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army. It was formed by General Kitchener while he was Commander-in-chief of India. During World War I the division remained in India...
. The only war-formed division to serve in India was the 16th Indian Division
16th Indian Division
The 16th Indian Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War I. It was formed in December 1916, during World War I. It was the only war formed division of the British Indian Army that was not sent overseas, instead it was sent to guard the North West Frontier...
formed in 1916, it was also stationed on the North West Frontier. All these divisions were still in place and took part in the Third Afghan War at the end of World War I.
In supporting the war effort, India was left vulnerable to hostile action from Afghanistan. A Turco-German mission
Niedermayer-Hentig Expedition
The Niedermayer-Hentig Expedition was a diplomatic mission sent by the Central Powers to Afghanistan in 1915-1916. The purpose was to encourage Afghanistan to declare full independence from the United Kingdom, enter World War I on the side of the Central Powers, and attack India. The expedition was...
arrived in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
in October 1915, with obvious strategic purpose. Habibullah Khan abided by his treaty obligations and maintained Afghanistan's neutrality, in the face of internal opposition from factions keen to side with the Ottoman Sultan. Despite this, localised actions along the frontier still took place and included Operations in the Tochi
Operations in the Tochi
The Operations in the Tochi were carried out by Indian Army during World War I on the North West Frontier. The Tochi river flows East from the tribal territories, through North Waziristan, to join the Kurram and the Indus rivers...
(1914–15), Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis
Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis
The Operations against the Mohmands, Bunerwals and Swatis were carried out by the Indian Army during World War I. The first operation began at the start of 1915, with a raid by the Mohmand tribe near the Shabkadr Fort in Peshawar...
(1915), Kalat Operations (1915–16), Mohmand Blockade
Mohmand Blockade
The Mohmand Blockade was a blockade formed by a series of blockhouses and barbed wire defences, along the Mohmand border on the North West Frontier by the Indian Army during World War I. The Blockade began after a number of Mohmand raids into Peshawar. The most important engagement occurred on 15...
(1916–17), Operations against the Mahsuds (1917) and Operations against the Marri and Khetran tribes (1918).
On the North East Frontier between India and Burma punitive actions were carried out against the Kachins tribes between December 1914–February 1915, by the Burma Military Police supported by the 1/7th Gurkha Rifles and the 64th Pioneers
64th Pioneers
The 64th Pioneers was a infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1758, when they were the 5th Battalion Coast Sepoys...
. Between November 1917–March 1919, operations were carried out against the Kuki tribes
Kuki people
The Kukis are an ethnic group that spread throughout the Northeastern region of India, Northwest Burma and Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. In Northeast India they are present in all the states except Arunachal Pradesh. This dispersal across international borders is mainly attributed to the...
by auxiliary units of the Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
and the Burma Military Police.
The other divisions remaining in India at first on internal security and then as training divisions were the 5th (Mhow) Division
5th (Mhow) Division
The 5th Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army and part of the Southern Army which was formed in 1903 after Lord Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India between 1902 and 1909...
, the 8th (Lucknow) Division and the 9th (Secundarabad) Division. Over the course of the war these divisions lost brigades to other formations on active service; The 5th (Mhow) Division lost the 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade to the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division
2nd Indian Cavalry Division
The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army during World War I.-History:The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914, under the command of Major General G A Cookson. During the war the division would serve in the trenches as infantry...
. The 8th (Lucknow) Division lost the 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade to the 1st Indian Cavalry Division
1st Indian Cavalry Division
The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army. The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914 , under the command of Major General H D Fanshawe. The division was re designated the 4th Cavalry Division in November 1916. During the war the Division...
and the 22nd (Lucknow) Infantry Brigade to the 11th Indian Division
11th Indian Division
The 11th Indian Division was formed in Egypt in 1914, to defend the Suez Canal. It was one of two divisions in the Indian Expeditionary Force F....
. The 9th (Secundarabad) Division lost the 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade to the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division and the 27th (Banglore) Brigade which was sent to British East Africa. The other pre war units the Burma Division, remained in Burma throughout the war on internal security duties, likewise the Aden brigade remained in Aden.
Indian Army entry into the war
In 1901 oil had been discovered in commercial quantities at Masjid-e-Suleiman at the head of the Persian Gulf. At the start of the war in 1914, the privately owned Anglo-Persian Oil CompanyAnglo-Persian Oil Company
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company was founded in 1908 following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Iran. It was the first company to extract petroleum from the Middle East...
which owned the concessions for these fields was about to be bought by the British Government, primarily to fuel the British Fleet. It soon became clear that the Ottoman Turkish Army
Military of the Ottoman Empire
The history of military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years between 1300 and 1453 , the classical period covers the years between 1451 and 1606 , the reformation period covers the years between 1606 and 1826 ,...
was being mobilised and in August the Indian Government was instructed to prepare contingency plans to protect these strategic assets. The plans dictated that in the event of the Turkish Army coming out in support of the Germans, the Indian Army was to act to secure the oilfields. As a contingency, the Indian Expeditionary Force D (see below) under command of Lieutenant–General Sir Arthur Barrett sailed from Bombay on 16 October 1914 for Bahrain. They, together with Expeditionary Force A who had been hurriedly sent to Europe at the end of September in response to a request from the Imperial General Staff for men to support the war effort— became the first Indian elements committed to war outside of India.
Independent brigades
In addition to the permanent divisions, the Indian Army also formed a number of independent brigades. As part of the Southern ArmySouthern Command (India)
Southern Command is a formation of the Indian Army, active since 1895. It has seen action during the integration of several Princely States into modern India, during the 1961 Indian Annexation of Goa, and during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani Wars....
the Aden Brigade
Aden Brigade
The Aden Brigade was a formation of the British Indian Army formed for service in Aden during World War I. It was commanded by Major General Bell and consisted of the:*Aden Cavalry Troop*1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles*109th Infantry...
was stationed in the Aden Protectorate
Aden Protectorate
The Aden Protectorate was a British protectorate in southern Arabia which evolved in the hinterland of Aden following the acquisition of that port by Britain in 1839 as an anti-piracy station, and it continued until the 1960s. For administrative purposes it was divided into the Western...
on the strategically important naval route from Europe to India, where there was limited fighting
South Arabia during World War I
The campaign in South Arabia during World War I was a minor struggle for control of the port city of Aden, an important way station for ships on their way from Asia to the Suez Canal. The British Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 5 November 1914, and the Ottomans responded with their own...
. The Bannu Brigade
Bannu Brigade
The Bannu Brigade was formed after the 1903 reforms of the British Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener when he was Commander-in-Chief, India. The brigade was part of the Northern Army and deployed along the North West Frontier...
, the Derajat Brigade
Derajat Brigade
The Derajat Brigade was formed after the 1903 reforms of the British Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener when he was Commander-in-Chief, India. The brigade was part of the Northern Army and deployed along the North West Frontier...
and the Kohat Brigade
Kohat Brigade
The Kohat Brigade was formed after the 1903 reforms of the British Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener when he was Commander-in-Chief, India. The brigade was part of the Northern Army and deployed along the North West Frontier...
were all part of the Northern Army and they were deployed along the North West Frontier. On 12 May 1918, the Bannu and Derajat brigades were designated as the Waziristan Field Force under the command General G W Baynon. The South Persia Brigade
South Persia Brigade
The South Persia Brigade was formed in 1915, for service in south Persia and the Persian Gulf as part of the Persian Campaign. In 1914 at the start of World War I the brigade formation was:*19th Hyderabad*20th Infantry*23rd Sikhs*25th Infantry...
was formed in 1915 at the start of the Persian Campaign
Persian Campaign
The Persian Campaign or Invasion of Persia was a series of engagements at northern Persian Azerbaijan and western Persia between the British Empire and the Russian Empire against the Ottoman Empire, beginning in December 1914 and ending with the Armistice of Mudros on October 30, 1918 as part of...
to protect the Anglo–Persian oil installations in south Persia and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
.
Expeditionary Forces
The Indian Army formed and dispatched seven expeditionary forces overseas during World War I.Indian Expeditionary Force A
On the outbreak of war the Indian Army had 150,000 trained men and the Indian Government offered the services of two cavalry and two infantry divisions for service overseas. The force known as Indian Expeditionary Force A was under the command of General Sir James Willcocks
James Willcocks
General Sir James Willcocks GCB GCMG KCSI DSO was a British Army officer who held high command during World War I....
. Force A was attached to the British Expeditionary Force and the four divisions were formed into two army corps: an infantry Indian Corps and the Indian Cavalry Corps
Indian Cavalry Corps
The Indian Cavalry Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army in World War I. It was formed in France in December 1914. It remained in France until March 1916, when it was broken up....
. Upon arrival in Marseilles on 30 September 1914, only six weeks after the declaration of war, they were moved to the Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
and took part in the Battle of La Bassée
Battle of La Bassée
The Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea....
in October 1914. In March 1915, the 7th (Meerut) Division
7th (Meerut) Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service during World War I.-Pre-Mutiny:The Meerut Division first appeared in the Indian Army List in 1829, under the command of Sir Jasper Nicolls, KCB...
was chosen to lead the assault in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
. The Expeditionary Force was hampered by a lack of familiarity with new equipment, only being issued Lee Enfield rifles on their arrival in France and they had almost no artillery, relying on support from their neighbouring corps when in the front line. They were not accustomed to the continental weather and were poorly equipped to resist the cold, leading to low morale which was further compounded by the reserve system, whereby reinforcements were drafted in from any regiment and had no affiliation to their new units. Officer casualties were even more of a handicap, as replacements were unfamiliar with the Indian Army and could not speak the language. With morale low, Many soldiers fled the scene of the battle and the infantry divisions were finally withdrawn to Egypt in October 1915, when they were replaced by the new British divisions of Kitchener's Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
.
1st Indian Cavalry Division
The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army. The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914 , under the command of Major General H D Fanshawe. The division was re designated the 4th Cavalry Division in November 1916. During the war the Division...
and 2nd
2nd Indian Cavalry Division
The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army during World War I.-History:The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914, under the command of Major General G A Cookson. During the war the division would serve in the trenches as infantry...
to the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions. Serving alongside British cavalry divisions they were held behind the front line awaiting the hoped for breakthrough. At times during the war they served in the trenches as infantry, each cavalry brigade when dismounted formed a dismounted regiment. This meant that when the divisions went into the front line, they could only cover a brigade area. Before being themselves withdrawn to Egypt in March 1918, they took part in the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Bazentin, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette
Battle of Flers-Courcelette
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, was a battle within the Franco-British Somme Offensive which took place in the summer and autumn of 1916. Launched on the 15th of September 1916 the battle went on for one week. Flers-Courcelette began with the overall objective of cutting a hole in the German...
, the advance to the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
and finally the Battle of Cambrai.
Of the 130,000 Indians who served in France and Belgium, almost 9,000 died.
Indian Expeditionary Force B
In 1914, the Governor of British East Africa requested assistance to deal with the German forces in German East AfricaGerman East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
and the problem was handed to the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
, which assembled two forces and shipped them to his aid. Indian Expeditionary Force B consisted of the 27th (Banglore) Brigade from the 9th (Secunderabad) Division
9th (Secunderabad) Division
The 9th Division was a formation of the British Indian Army. It was part of the Southern Army and was formed in 1904 after Lord Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India between 1902 and 1909...
and an Imperial Service Infantry Brigade, a pioneer battalion, a mountain artillery battery and engineers were sent to Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
with the task of invading German East Africa.
The force under the command of Major General Arthur Aitken
Arthur Aitken
Major General Arthur Edward Aitken was a British military commander.Born in Rochford in Essex, by the time of the 1871 Census he was a 9-year old pupil at a school in Brighton, Sussex.He began his military career in 1882 as a cavalryman...
landed at Tanga
Tanga, Tanzania
Tanga is both the name of the most northerly seaport city of Tanzania, and the surrounding Tanga Region. It is the Regional Headquarters of the region.With a population of 243,580 in 2002, Tanga is one of the largest cities in the country...
on the 2–3 November 1914. In the following Battle of Tanga
Battle of Tanga
The Battle of Tanga, sometimes also known as the Battle of the Bees, was the unsuccessful attack by the British Indian Expeditionary Force “B” under Major General A.E. Aitken to capture German East Africa during World War I in concert with the invasion Force “C” near Longido on the slopes of...
, Aitkens' 8,000 men were badly beaten by the 1,000 men under their German commander Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck was a general in the Imperial German Army and the commander of the German East Africa campaign. For four years, with a force that never exceeded about 14,000 , he held in check a much larger force of 300,000 British, Belgian, and Portuguese troops...
. The force re–embarked on 5 November 1914, having suffered 817 casualties and the loss of several hundred rifles, 16 machine guns and 600,000 rounds of ammunition.
Indian Expeditionary Force C
29th Punjabis
The 29th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 21st Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 29th Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th Battalion of 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 15th Punjab Regimental...
, together with battalions from the Princely states of Jind
Jind
Jind is a town in Jind District, Harayana state, India.It is one of the oldest districts of Harayana. It is one of the first Sikh Kingdoms. It lies in central Haryana and is the fourth district of the Jat belt .The city is beautiful...
, Bharatpur
Bharatpur, India
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
, Kapurthala
Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
and Rampur
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Rampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British...
, a volunteer 15 pounder
Ordnance BL 15 pounder
The Ordnance BL 15 pounder, otherwise known as the 15 pounder 7 cwt, was the British Army's field gun in the Second Boer War and some remained in limited use in minor theatres of World War I.-History:...
artillery battery, 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force), a volunteer maxim gun
Maxim gun
The Maxim gun was the first self-powered machine gun, invented by the American-born British inventor Sir Hiram Maxim in 1884. It has been called "the weapon most associated with [British] imperial conquest".-Functionality:...
battery and a Field Ambulance. It was planned that the force was to be primarily used to guard the railway to Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and to support the King's African Rifles
King's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
in communications protection duties. After arriving in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Force C was broken up and its units subsequently served separately. The one action they were involved in was the Battle of Kilimanjaro
Battle of Kilimanjaro
The Battle of Kilimanjaro at Longido took place in German East Africa in November 1914 and was an early skirmish during the East African Campaign of the First World War.-Background:...
, in October 1914. Force C with 4,000 men gathered near the border of British and German East Africa, commanded by Brigadier General J. M. Stewart. Flawed intelligence reports estimated the German military presence in the region at 200 men; however, there were 600 askari
Askari
Askari is an Arabic, Bosnian, Urdu, Turkish, Somali, Persian, Amharic and Swahili word meaning "soldier" . It was normally used to describe local troops in East Africa, Northeast Africa, and Central Africa serving in the armies of European colonial powers...
s in three companies plus the colonial volunteers, 86 young Germans on horseback. On 3 November 1914, some 1,500 Punjabis
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
of the British force advanced up the slope at night near Longido were caught in the crossfire of a strong German defensive position as they advanced in the morning fog. The large force of Indian infantry effectively resisted counter attacks, however, during the day the British attackers made no headway and suffered substantial casualties. By mid-morning, a German mounted patrol ambushed a supply column and roughly 100 mules carrying water for the troops were stampeded away by the Germans. The British officers, with their now widely scattered troops, waited until darkness and having determined their situation to be untenable, withdrew down the mountain and marched back to British East Africa having accomplished nothing.
Indian Expeditionary Force D
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Nixon. The first unit sent in November 1914, was the 6th (Poona) Division
6th (Poona) Division
For the World War II formation see 6th Infantry Division The 6th Division was a division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903, following the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army.-World War I:...
and they were tasked with guarding British oil installations in and around Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
. As part of the Mesopotamian campaign
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
they served under the command of Major General Barrett
Arthur Barrett (Indian Army officer)
Field Marshal Sir Arthur Arnold Barrett GCB GCSI KCVO ADC was a British officer of the Indian Army.-Early life and service:Barrett was born in Carshalton, Surrey , the son of a clergyman...
and then under Major General Townshend
Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend
Major General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend KCB, DSO was a British Indian Army officer who led the ultimately disastrous first British Expedition against Baghdad during World War I, and was later elected to Parliament....
. After a string of early successes, the campaign was delivered a setback at the Battle of Ctesiphon
Battle of Ctesiphon (1915)
The Battle of Ctesiphon was fought in November 1915 by the British Empire and British India, against the Ottoman Empire, within the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I....
in November 1915 due to Logistical constraints. Following this engagement, the Poona Division withdrew back to Kut
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
, where Townshend made the decision to hold the city and the Siege of Kut
Siege of Kut
The siege of Kut Al Amara , was the besieging of 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. Its known also as 1st Battle of Kut. In 1915, its population was around 6,500...
began.
Between January and March 1916, Townshend launched several attacks in an attempt to lift the siege. In sequence, the attacks took place at the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad
Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad
The Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad occurred between 6–8 January 1916 during the Mesopotamian Campaign of the First World War. The battle took place along the banks of the Tigris River between the Anglo-Indian Tigris Corps and elements of the Ottoman Sixth Army...
, the Battle of the Wadi
Battle of Wadi (1916)
The Battle of Wadi, occurring on 13 January 1916, was an unsuccessful attempt by British forces fighting in present-day Iraq during World War I to relieve beleaguered forces under Sir Charles Townshend then under siege by the Ottoman Sixth Army at Kut-al-Amara.Pushed by regional British...
, the Battle of Hanna
Battle of Hanna
The First Battle of Hanna was a World War I battle fought on the Mesopotamian front on 21 January 1916 between Ottoman Army and Anglo-Indian forces.-Prelude:...
, and the Battle of Dujaila Redoubt
Battle of Dujaila
The Battle of Dujaila was fought on 8 March 1916, between British and Ottoman forces during the First World War. The Ottoman forces, led by Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz were besieging Kut, when the Anglo-Indian relief force, led by Lieutenant-General Fenton Aylmer, attempted to relieve the city...
.
In 1917, the British force, under Frederick Stanley Maude
Frederick Stanley Maude
Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude KCB, CMG, DSO was a British commander, most famous for his efforts in Mesopotamia during World War I and for conquering Baghdad in 1917.-Family:...
, which now included one cavalry and seven infantry divisions from the Indian Army, in the III Corps (India) advanced towards Bagdhad which was captured in March. The advance continued in 1918, and after the Battle of Sharqat
Battle of Sharqat
The Battle of Sharqat was between the British and the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I, which became the final conflict that ended as a result of the signing of armistice....
in October, the Turkish forces surrendered and the Armistice of Mudros
Armistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
was signed. The Mesopotamian campaign was largely an Indian Army campaign as the only British formations involved were the 13th (Western) Division and British battalions assigned to Indian brigades. In the campaign, 11,012 were killed, 3,985 died of wounds, 12,678 died of disease, 13,492 were either missing or prisoners (including the 9,000 prisoners from Kut), and 51,836 were wounded.
Indian Expeditionary Force E
Indian Expeditionary Force E consisted of the two Indian cavalry divisions (4th Cavalry Division and 5th Cavalry Division) transferred from France in 1918, for service in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. They were joined by the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, a unit formed by three regiments of Lancer
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used in mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as and subsequently by Greek, Persian, Gallic, Han-Chinese, nomadic and Roman horsemen...
s from the princely states of Mysore
Princely State of Mysore
The Princely State of Mysore was a princely state of the British Empire in India. The state was created by the East India Company in 1799, after the latter's victory in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, and existed until 1947, when it acceded to the newly independent Union of India...
Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
and Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
. The 3rd (Lahore) Division
3rd (Lahore) Division
The 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman Empire.-Pre-Mutiny:The Lahore Division first...
, and the 7th (Meerut) Division
7th (Meerut) Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service during World War I.-Pre-Mutiny:The Meerut Division first appeared in the Indian Army List in 1829, under the command of Sir Jasper Nicolls, KCB...
were transferred from Mesopotamia. At the same time 36 Indian army battalions were sent to reinforce the British 10th (Irish) Division, 53rd Division, 60th Division
60th (2/2nd London) Division
The British 60th Division was the second of two second-line Territorial Force divisions formed from the surplus of London recruits in 1914. Originally the division merely supplied the first-line Territorial divisions with drafts to replace losses through casualties...
and the 75th Division
75th Division (United Kingdom)
The 75th Division was a war formed division of the British Army during World War I. They served in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign being involved in the Battle of Megiddo .-Formation 1918:Commander Major General P C Palin...
s, which were reformed on Indian division lines with one British and three Indian battalions per brigade.
Indian Expeditionary Force F
Indian Expeditionary Force F consisted of the 10th Indian Division10th Indian Division
The 10th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was the basis of Indian Expeditionary Force F which served in Egypt and was disbanded in March 1915....
and the 11th Indian Division
11th Indian Division
The 11th Indian Division was formed in Egypt in 1914, to defend the Suez Canal. It was one of two divisions in the Indian Expeditionary Force F....
both of which were formed in Egypt in 1914, to defend the Suez canal. Other formations attached were the regular 22nd Lucknow Infantry Brigade from the 8th Lucknow Division
8th Lucknow Division
The 8th Lucknow Division was a formation of the British Indian Army's Northern Army that was first formed as a result of the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army in 1903...
without their British battalions and an Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.
The 10th Division was disbanded in 1916, and its brigades assigned to other formations. The 28th Brigade, was assigned to the 7th (Meerut) Division in 1915, the 29th Brigade served as an independent brigade in the Gallipoli campaign until being disbanded in June 1917. The 30th Brigade was first assigned to the 12th Indian Division in April 1915, then transferred to the 6th (Poona) Division in September 1915.
The 11th Division was disbanded earlier in 1915, but its brigades did not survive much longer. The 31st Brigade joined the 10th Division in January 1916, but was disbanded a month later. The 32nd Brigade was disbanded in January 1916. The 33rd Brigade was sent to Bushire in Persia in August 1915, and then disbanded in December 1915.
Indian Expeditionary Force G
In April 1915, Indian Expeditionary Force G was sent to reinforce the Gallipoli Campaign. It consisted of the 29th Brigade, serving away from its parent 10th Indian Division10th Indian Division
The 10th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was the basis of Indian Expeditionary Force F which served in Egypt and was disbanded in March 1915....
. Consisting of three battalions of Ghurkhas and one of Sikhs, the brigade was dispatched from Egypt and attached to the British 29th Division which had been decimated in the earlier battles. Held in reserve for the Second Battle of Krithia
Second Battle of Krithia
The Second Battle of Krithia continued the Allies' attempts to advance on the Helles battlefield during the Battle of Gallipoli of the First World War. The village of Krithia and neighbouring hill of Achi Baba had to be captured in order for the British to advance up the Gallipoli peninsula to the...
they played a major part in the Third Battle of Krithia
Third Battle of Krithia
The Third Battle of Krithia , fought on the Gallipoli peninsula during World War I, was the final in a series of Allied attacks against the Ottoman defences aimed at capturing the original objectives of 25 April 1915...
. Advancing on the left the Brigade was quickly halted except along the Aegean shore where the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance. The 14th Ferozepore Sikhs, advancing along the floor of Gully Ravine, were almost wiped out, losing 380 men out of 514 and 80% of their officers. The Brigade was next involved in the Battle of Gully Ravine
Battle of Gully Ravine
The Battle of Gully Ravine was a World War I battle fought at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula. By June 1915 all thoughts the Allies had of a swift decisive victory over the Ottoman Empire had vanished...
and here the 2/10th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance half a mile. The Brigade next took part in the Battle of Sari Bair
Battle of Sari Bair
The Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
, under cover of a naval bombardment the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles assaulted and captured the hill, which was then shelled by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. With their casualties mounting and under command of the battalion medical officer they were forced to withdraw to their starting positions. With the failure of the assault at Sari Bair the brigade was withdrawn to Egypt. Over the duration of the campaign the 29th Brigade had suffered 1,358 dead and 3,421 wounded.
Siege of Tsingtao
One Indian Army battalion that was part of the Garrison of TianjinConcessions in Tianjin
The Concessions in Tianjin were concession territories ceded by the Chinese imperial Qing Dynasty to the great powers in Tianjin, also known as Tientsin or Tien-Tsin.-General context:...
in China, the 36th Sikhs
36th Sikhs
The 36th Sikhs was an infantry regiment in the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when they were the 36th Bengal Infantry. They had one other change in title in 1901, when they became the 36th Sikh Infantry. They finally became the 36th Sikhs in 1903, after the...
took part in the Siege of Tsingtao. Tsingtao was a German controlled port in China. The British Government and the other Allied European powers were concerned about Japanese intentions in the region and decided to send a small symbolic British contingent from Tianjin in an effort to allay their fears. The 1,500 man contingent was commanded by Brigadier-General Nathaniel Walter Barnardiston and consisted of 1,000 soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers who were later followed by 500 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs. The Japanese led force laid siege to the port between 31 October–7 November 1914. At the end of the siege, Japanese army casualties numbered 236 killed and 1,282 wounded; the British / Indians had 12 killed and 53 wounded. The German defenders suffered 199 dead and 504 wounded.
1915 Singapore Mutiny
The 1915, SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
mutiny was a mutiny by 850 sepoys from the 5th Light Infantry
5th Light Infantry
The 5th Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army and later of the raj-period Indian Army. It could trace its lineage back to 1803, when it was the 2nd Battalion, 21st Bengal Native Infantry...
against the British in Singapore during the War, part of the 1915 Ghadar Conspiracy.
The 5th Light Infantry had arrived in Singapore from Madras in October 1914. They had been sent to replace the Yorkshire Light Infantry, which had been ordered to France. The 5th Light Infantry, enlisted men who were mainly Punjabi Muslims. Their morale was constantly low, being effected by poor communication, slack discipline and a weak leadership. The regiment had been stationed to guard the prisoners from the German ship, SMS Emden. They had been expecting to leave for Hong Kong by 16 February 1915, however rumours started that they were going to fight against fellow Muslims from the Ottoman Empire. German prisoner Oberleutenant Lauterbach fanned the rumours, and encouraged the troops to mutiny against their British commanders.
Sepoy Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
signalled the start of the mutiny firing a single shot. Officers at the Tanglin barracks were massacred and an estimated 800 mutineers roamed the streets, killing any Europeans they came across. The mutiny continued for ten days and was suppressed when men from the Singapore Volunteer Artillery, additional British units, and with assistance from the Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the nominal ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a bendahara...
and other allies.
A total of 36 mutineers were later executed, and 77 officers were transported with another 12 imprisoned.
Victoria Cross recipients
Indian soldiers had not been not eligible for the Victoria Cross until 1911, instead they received the Indian Order of Merit, an older decoration originally set up in the days of East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
rule in India. The honour of being the first Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) in any conflict went to Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan, VC , was the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
The 129th Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Baluchis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
. When on 31 October 1914, at Hollebeke
Hollebeke
Hollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city.-History:In World War I, it was the site of allied heroism that won Khudadad Khan the first Victoria Cross ever awarded to a native Indian.In 1970 it was incorporated in Zillebeke, which in turn...
, Belgium, the British Officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other gun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though himself wounded, remained working his gun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed.
Other members of the Indian Army awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I were:
- Darwan Singh Negi, 39th Garhwal Rifles39th Garhwal RiflesThe 39th Garhwal Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when they were raised as the Aligarh Levy, but was disbanded after disgracing itself at the Rawalpindi Review in 1888....
- For great gallantry on the night of the 23–24 November 1914, near Festubert, France, when the regiment was engaged in retaking and clearing the enemy out of our trenches, and, although wounded in two places in the head, and also in the arm, being one of the first to push round each successive traverse, in the face of severe fire from bombs and rifles at the closest range.
- Frank Alexander de PassFrank Alexander de PassFrank Alexander de Pass VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse- For conspicuous bravery near Festubert on 24 November 1914, in entering a German sap and destroying a traverse in the face of the enemy's bombs, and for subsequently rescuing, under heavy fire, a wounded man who was lying exposed in the open.
- William Bruce, 59th Scinde Rifles
- On 19 December 1914, near Givenchy, during a night attack, Lt. Bruce was in command of a small party which captured one of the enemy's trenches. In spite of being severely wounded in the neck, he walked up and down the trench, encouraging his men to hold on against several counter-attacks for some hours until killed. The fire from rifles and bombs was very heavy all day, and it was due to the skilful disposition made, and the example and encouragement shown by Lt. Bruce that his men were able to hold out until dusk, when the trench was finally captured by the enemy.
- Eustace JothamEustace JothamEustace Jotham VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 51st Sikhs12th Frontier Force RegimentThe 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
attached North Waziristan Militia- On 7 January 1915, at Spina Khaisora (Tochi ValleyTochi ValleyTochi Valley, , is one of the main routes into Afghanistan from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan.The Tochi Valley leads from Bannu District through tribal areas, and is inhabited by the Dawari tribe. The valley is divided into two parts, known as Upper and Lower Dawar, by a narrow pass called the...
) During operations against the Khostwal tribesmen, Captain Jotham, who was commanding a party of about a dozen of the North Waziristan Militia, was attacked in a nullahNullahA Nullah or Nulla is an arm of the sea, stream, or watercourse, a steep narrow valley. Like the wadi of the Arabs, the nullah is characteristic of mountainous or hilly country where there is little rainfall...
and almost surrounded by an overwhelming force of some 1,500 tribesmen. He gave the order to retire, and could have himself escaped, but most gallantly sacrificed his own life by attempting to effect the rescue of one of his men who had lost his horse.
- On 7 January 1915, at Spina Khaisora (Tochi Valley
- Mir DastMir DastMir Dast VC IOM was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)The 55th Coke's Rifles was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 1st Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 55th Coke's Rifles in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
- On 26 April 1915, at Wieltje, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Jemadar Mir Dast led his platoon with great bravery during the attack, and afterwards collected various parties of the regiment (when no British officers were left) and kept them under his command until the retirement was ordered. He also displayed great courage that day when he helped to carry eight British and Indian officers to safety while exposed to heavy fire.
- On 26 April 1915, at Wieltje, Belgium
- John Smyth 15th Ludhiana Sikhs15th Ludhiana SikhsThe 15th Ludhiana Sikhs was an infantry regiment in the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1846, when they were known as the Regiment of Ludhiana. During the Indian Mutiny they were relied upon to hold Benares throughout the period of the Mutiny...
- For most conspicuous bravery near Richebourg L'Avoue on 18th May, 1915. With a bombing party of 10 men, who voluntarily undertook this duty, he conveyed a supply of 96 bombs to within 20 yards of the enemy's position over exceptionally dangerous ground, after the attempts of two other parties had failed. Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of two of his men (the other eight having been killed or wounded), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzerHowitzerA howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire.
- For most conspicuous bravery near Richebourg L'Avoue on 18th May, 1915. With a bombing party of 10 men, who voluntarily undertook this duty, he conveyed a supply of 96 bombs to within 20 yards of the enemy's position over exceptionally dangerous ground, after the attempts of two other parties had failed. Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of two of his men (the other eight having been killed or wounded), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer
- Kulbir ThapaKulbir ThapaKulbir Thapa VC was a first Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award given to British and Commonwealth forces for gallantry in the face of the enemy.He was a Rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, British-Indian Army during the First World War when the...
, 3rd Gurkha Rifles.- On 25 September 1915 in Fauquissart, France, Rifleman Thapa, having been wounded himself, found a wounded soldier of The Leicestershire Regiment behind the first line German trench. Although urged to save himself, the Gurkha stayed with the wounded man all day and night. Early next day, in misty weather, he took him through the German wire and, leaving him in a place of comparative safety, returned and brought in two wounded Gurkha's, one after the other. He then went back, and, in broad daylight, fetched the British soldier, carrying him most of the way under enemy fire.
- LalaLalaLala VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers.-Details:...
, 41st Dogras41st DograsThe 41st Dogras were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1900, when thy were raised as the 41st Bengal Infantry....
- On 21 January 1916, at El Orah, Mesopotamia, finding a British officer lying close to the enemy, Lance-Naik Lala dragged him into a temporary shelter. After bandaging his wounds, the lance-naik heard calls from his own adjutant who was lying wounded in the open. The enemy was only 100 yards (91.4 m) away. Lala insisted on going to help. He stripped off his own clothing to keep the wounded officer warm and stayed with him until just before dark when he returned to the shelter. After dark he carried the first wounded officer to safety and then, returning with a stretcher, carried back his adjutant.
- John Alexander SintonJohn Alexander SintonBrigadier John Alexander Sinton, VC, OBE, FRS, DL was a British medical doctor, malariologist and soldier, being a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early...
, Indian Medical ServiceIndian Medical ServiceThe Indian Medical Service was one of the military medical services, which also had some civilian functions, in British India. It served during the two world wars, and was in existence until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947...
- On 21 January 1916, at the Orah Ruins, Mesopotamia, Captain Sinton attended to the wounded under very heavy fire. "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Although shot through both arms and through the side, he refused to go to hospital, and remained as long as daylight lasted, attending to his duties under very heavy fire. In three previous actions Captain Sinton displayed the utmost bravery."
- Shahamad KhanShahamad KhanShahmed Khan, VC , was a Punjabi Muslim recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Military Career:...
, 89th Punjabis89th PunjabisThe 89th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1798 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 89th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- On 12–13 April 1916 near Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia, Naik Shahamad Khan was in charge of a machine-gun covering a gap in our new line within 150 yards of the entrenched enemy. He beat off three counter-attacks and worked his gun single-handed after all his men, except two belt-fillers, had become casualties. For three hours he held the gap under very heavy fire and when his gun was knocked out, he and his two belt-fillers held their ground with rifles until ordered to withdraw. With help he then brought back his gun, ammunition and one severely wounded man, and finally all remaining arms and equipment.
- Gobind Singh, 28th Light Cavalry
- On the night of 30 November and 1 December 1917, east of PozièresPozièresPozières is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the D929 road, some northeast of Amiens between Albert and Bapaume, on the Pozières ridge.-Population:-History:...
, France, Lance-Dafadar Gobind Singh three times volunteered to carry messages between the regiment and brigade headquarters, a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) over open ground which was under heavy fire from the enemy. He succeeded each time in delivering the message, although on each occasion his horse was shot and he was compelled to finish the journey on foot.
- On the night of 30 November and 1 December 1917, east of Pozières
- Karanbahadur RanaKaranbahadur RanaKaranbahadur Rana VC was a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 3rd Gurkha Rifles- On 10 April 1918, at El Kefr, Egypt, during an attack, Rifleman Karanbahadur Rana and a few other men crept forward with a Lewis gun under intense fire to engage an enemy machine-gun. No. 1 of the Lewis gun team opened fire but was shot almost immediately, whereupon the rifleman pushed the dead man off the gun, opened fire, knocked out the enemy gun crew and then silenced the fire of the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work and finally assisted with covering fire in the withdrawal, until the enemy were close on him.
- Badlu SinghBadlu SinghBadlu Singh VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 14th Murray's Jat Lancers14th Murray's Jat LancersThe 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment was first raised for the East India Company by Captain Murray. Like all regiments of the Indian Army the 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are...
- On 2 September 1918 on the west bank of the River Jordan, Palestine, when his squadron was charging a strong enemy position, Ressaidar Badlu Singh realised that heavy casualties were being inflicted from a small hill occupied by machine-guns and 200 infantry. Without any hesitation he collected six other ranks and with entire disregard of danger he charged and captured the position. He was mortally wounded on the very top of the hill when capturing one of the machine-guns single handed, but all the guns and infantry had surrendered to him before he died.
Aftermath
- For further information, see World War I and its aftermath and List of regiments of the Indian Army (1922)
3rd Madras Regiment
The 3rd Madras Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army formed after the World War I reforms of the Indian Army. The infantry regiments were converted into large regiments with four or five battalions in each regiment plus a training battalion, always numbered the 10th The...
for economic reasons, and the 20th Burma Rifles when Burma ceased to be governed by India.
The end of World War I did not see the end of fighting for the Indian Army—they were involved in the Third Afghan War in 1919, and then the Waziristan Campaign
Waziristan campaign 1919–1920
The Waziristan campaign 1919–1920 was a military campaign conducted in Waziristan by British and Indian forces against the fiercely independent tribesmen that inhabited this region...
between 1919–1920 and again between 1920–1924. Operations against the Afridis between 1930–1931, the Mohmands in 1933 and again in 1935 and finally just before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
operations in Waziristan again between 1936–1939.
The India Gate
India Gate
The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931...
in New Delhi, built in 1931, commemorates the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting in World War I.
See also
- Indian Army (1895–1947)
- Defence of India Act 1915Defence of India Act 1915The Defence of India Act 1915, also referred to as the Defence of India Regulations Act, was an Emergency Criminal Law enacted by the British Raj in India in 1915 with the intention of curtailing the nationalist and revolutionary activities during and in the aftermath of World War I...
- Middle Eastern theatre of World War IMiddle Eastern theatre of World War IThe Middle Eastern theatre of World War I was the scene of action between 29 October 1914, and 30 October 1918. The combatants were the Ottoman Empire, with some assistance from the other Central Powers, and primarily the British and the Russians among the Allies of World War I...
- Indian Army during World War II
- British Raj#World War I and its aftermath