Centenary of WW1 (Armistice): Remembering the countless thousands of Indian Soldiers who lost their lives.

Centenary of WW1 (Armistice): Remembering the countless thousands of Indian Soldiers who lost their lives.

It was on this date, 102 years ago, that the dreaded World War 1, also called the Great War of west, came to an official close, ending with the Armistice on the 11th of Nov 1918. The World War I, which started on the 28th July, 1914, took a heavy toll on humanity and Indians, who had nothing to do with this senseless menace  were not spared either. Indians were drawn into this deadly war courtesy our colonial rulers, the British.

More than a million Indian soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder alongside their colonial masters against the Germans and the Ottoman Empire in the unknown territories across Europe, Mediterranean, North and East Africa, Mesopotamia and so also in the deadly battle of the Gallipoli, which was fraught, in the most inhuman conditions and in the treacherous trenches, during the World War I. An estimated 75,000 of our soldiers died on the battlefield and many more were injured. Most unfortunately, not many Indians remember our soldiers who were part of this infamous battle. Unfortunately, the martyrdom and sacrifice of our soldiers during this war have been forgotten for long and therefore it is time that we remember them and accord the very same respect, reverence to our soldiers who were part of this Wat and made their supreme sacrifice fighting this bloody war for our colonial rulers. The Britishers had promised that post the WWI we will be given our independence and therefore our political leadership had endorsed the decision that the Indian army should join the British army and join this WWI. When the war ended the British went back on their promise and this served as an insult to injury and all that promise made by the Britishers for our independence were nothing but pack of lies perpetrated by the British on our leadership and luring them into joining the WWI. A soldier is always a soldier and his duty has always been to fight for the dignity and honour of the country and its flag and command under which they serve. 

A loss of life of even one of our soldiers in any of the battles is one too many and the nation comes together to salute the loss of men in uniform and unitedly pay our reverence to the martyrs and their family. However that was not to be for all those Indian soldiers who made the same supreme sacrifice fighting for the nation during the WW1. While the whole nation has rightfully been paying and will continue to pay respect and saluting our soldiers who fought in the various wars, both external and some internal (against the militants/terrorists) post our independence, most regrettably we have not given a fraction of that respect to the one million plus Indian Soldiers who fought the WWI and so also the WWII. As we commemorate the 102nd Armistice Day (11th November 1918) the anniversary of the end of WWI, it is time that we make amends and remember our soldiers who were part of this WW1 and pay our respect to them. Fortunately there are now scores of researched works, and books published that have chronicled in details the engagement of our soldiers in this war, which is helping us to remember the sacrifices of our soldiers during this war. Hope in the years to come, the role played by Indian soldiers during this war becomes a folklore and every Indians will learn of our soldiers participation in this war. On this day - the 102nd year of the Armistice, I join all my countrymen in paying my respect, salutations and homage to all our soldiers who are drawn in to the war of different kinds and pray that their sacrifice continue to be etched in the hearts and minds of every one of us. Hope that there will not be any more wars of this magnitude.

The world over the centenary celebration of the Armistice and the grand commemoration of the supreme sacrifice of the tens of millions of the soldiers, who fought this deadly World War1, ended two years ago on this very day with a hope and aspiration that the world will continue to remember this war and hope that there will never ever be another war of this kind. I also hope and pray that the WW1 has taught us an unforgettable lesson that such wars must be a big NO in future, irrespective of what the provocation is. The world over, particularly in those countries who were part of this deadly war, this day is remembered and commemorated with a hope and aspiration that the world will never face such wars in future. The day is also commemorated as a reverence day for the soldiers. Scores of published material is available on WW1 but there was not much research and published material available on the role played by the Indian soldiers during the WW1 and 2. Fortunately over the years many scholars have researched this subject, particularly the role of Indians in the war and now there are quite a number of published books and researched material available on this subject. This has helped in understanding and appreciating the role played by the Indian Soldiers during the WWI, which has now become more obvious not just to the Indians but also to the global community with several scholars publishing on this hitherto neglected issue.

I was one of those who were completely ignorant of the role played by the Indian soldiers during the WW1. Fortunately an exhibition’ Cricket Connects - India Australia’, which I was tasked to curate helped me to study and understand this subject. We, at the Nehru Science Centre, had the honour to curate two Cricket Connects exhibitions (India –Australia and India – England) in which we tried to connect the bonhomie between the Indian and British and Australian soldiers who fought together in this war. There are also records to suggest that the soldiers did partake in playing cricket during those rarest of the rare occasions.  We paid our homage to the Indian soldiers who fought to shoulder to shoulder with their buddies - the British and Australian soldiers during the WW 1 and 2. The Indian soldiers had an extraordinary connect with the British and the Australians, often times they played a side game of cricket for enriching the bond between the two. On the occasion of commemoration of the 102nd Armistice Day, it is again my honour to pay our homage to all those forgotten Indian Soldiers, who perished during the WW1. Accompanying archival photos of the Battle of Gallipoli, which were collected from Imperial War Museum in Australia and also from Turkey depict the role played by the Indian Soldiers during the World War 1 and 2. I am particularly tempted to write about the battle of Gallipoli which is one of the most legendary battle which has even been covered in the Hollywood films. 

Battle of Gallipoli: An Entente Most Remarkable

The Indian and Australian (ANZAC- Australia, New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder during the World War I at Gallipoli. The extent of the Indian participation at Gallipoli is only now becoming apparent. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula on the 25th April 1915, and fought in the trenches and on the frontline and in the process thousands perished and several thousand more were either wounded or scarred for life. The Australians and Indian soldiers united fight during the war is something that would not have been countenanced in a “White Australia” during this period. While the battle itself was a defeat for the ANZAC, the soldiers were relentless in their heroic gallantry and displayed incredible valour, courage and endurance in the most hostile environment in which this battle was fought. This has led to the ANZAC legend which every Australian and New Zealanders celebrate on April 25. The Sikh community, who fought alongside the Australians, has proudly joined in this tradition of paying homage to their forefathers and since 2005, there has been a Sikh contingent in the ANZAC Day march in Perth, comprised of direct descendants of those who fell in Gallipoli and other campaigns.

The Gallipoli battle, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, or the Battle of Çanakkale (Turkish: Çanakkale Savaşı), was a British campaign of World War I fought with the aim of capturing the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). The Indian soldiers, Sikhs and Gurkhas, fought shoulder to shoulder with the ANZAC and the respect of the Australians for the Indian soldiers is evidenced in a war record statement; “The [Indians] batteries did so well and gallantly that the Australians have metaphorically taken them to their hearts. All are the greatest pals imaginable, and the political effect of this cordial friendship should be good for both India and Australia.”

The best tribute for the battle heroes, the brave ANZAC - including the Indians -, who were martyred and buried at Gallipoli is evidenced in the famous words of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), an army officer who founded an independent Republic of Turkey out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives; you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well” Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Jain Jawan