World War I: No one remembers the Indian soldiers

Brigadier Ram Singh, 90, is proud of his lineage. Understandably so. Three generations of his family have served in the Indian Army with distinction. His son, a serving brigadier (VSM), constitutes the fourth generation. His grandfather risaldar major Rup Chand joined the Army in 1884. He saw action in the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900 and World War I on the Mesopotamia front.

Risaldar major was the highest rank an Indian could aspire to. In one battle, his regiment suffered heavy casualties and two squadron commanders (British officers) were also killed. No suitable British officer could be found and an immediate appointment needed to be made to avoid a rout. The theatre commander sent a cable to the war office in London to make an exception, in view of the emergent circumstances, and appointed Rup Chand as a squadron commander. The trust reposed in Rup Chand was fully repaid and the battle was won. For his gallantry, Rup Chand was given the title of "Bahadur" and awarded the OBI.

Coronation

Rup Chand’s son risaldar major honourable lieutenant Rai Singh saw action in WW-I in Flanders. He took two bullets in his shoulder. Brigadier Ram Singh, whilst in third year of St Stephen’s College, joined the Army and saw action in South East Asia during WW-II. He also saw action in Kashmir and later served under my grand uncle major general Jai Singh, the GOC in Kashmir.

There are several such examples of valiant soldiers. Sadly, their story goes unheard, their exploits unrecognised and their privations and sacrifice unheralded. India Gate, the landmark tourist destination in Delhi, originally called the "All India War Memorial", was built as a memorial to the 82,000 Indian soldiers who died in the period 1914–21 in WW-I and the third Anglo-Afghan War. Their names are inscribed on the Gate.

On the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, the viceroy had said: “The stirring tales of individual heroism will live forever in the annals of this country, and that the memorial which was a tribute to the memory of heroes, known and unknown, would inspire future generations to endure hardships with similar fortitude and no less valour.”

Unfortunately, this prophecy never came to pass and the one point three million Indian troops who served in the conflict, which claimed the lives of 74,000 with another 67,000 wounded were never part of any history textbook, nor national folklore. They stayed forever out of the radar screen of our national consciousness. Even today, many citizens do not know what India Gate stands for.

So, why was the nation not grateful? The nationalists were of the view that the soldiers were volunteers—they weren’t conscripted—and they served the very British empire that was oppressing their own people back home. However, things may have turned out different if the British had kept their promise to deliver self-rule to India at the end of the war, which they did not. The soldiers’ sacrifices might have been seen in their homeland as a contribution to India’s freedom. However, it was not meant to be.

During the 50th year anniversary of the War, the world, including India, ignored the Indian contribution. Now, in its 100th year commemoration, it required the British defence secretary’s stirring tribute at India Gate to shake the nation out of its collective amnesia.

Sacrifices

“We must not and we will not ever forget the enormous service rendered by India’s heroes. More than a million Indians fought in every theater of that first World War conflict from Aden to Asia, from Palestine to Persia, from the Gulf of Oman to Gallipoli and their courage is, I think, all the more remarkable for being entirely voluntarily.” These very words should have been uttered many decades ago by our own minister.

Some highlights of the contribution require to be told. In Europe, Indian soldiers were among the first to suffer the horrors of the trenches. It was they who stopped the German advance at Ypres in Flanders fields in Belgium in the autumn of 1914, soon after the War broke out. There they were amongst the first victims of chemical gas attacks in the history of warfare. Fighting in a foreign land they knew nothing about, braving inclement weather, confronting a formidable foe—the conditions was truly treacherous. Yet, they soldiered on.

It will be worthwhile to recall one of the humane moments of the War as Christmas was just around the corner. In December 1914, along the battle lines in Belgium and France, German and Allied troops were dug in. From the trenches, the soldiers shot each other across a no-man’s land strewn with dead and injured comrades.

Treachery

On December 24, the Germans placed lighted trees on trench parapets and the Allies joined them. The enemies emerged from the trenches to shake hands, share a smoke, sing carols, share food and gifts, even playing football. They helped each other in digging graves. The truce held on Christmas too inspite of the officers’ threats of disciplinary action. After that it was back to the grim business. The truce showed that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers’ essential humanity endured. Even a world war could not destroy the Christmas spirit.

"A spirit stronger than war was working that night... December 1914 cold, clear and bright... countries' borders were right out of sight... they joined together and decided not to fight"—goes the song "All Together Now" by the Farms. They are one of the several songs, movies and plays eulogising this symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history. Paul McCartney sang "Pipes of Peace". Sainsbury’s came out recently with an advertisement based on the truce where a British soldier exchanges a chocolate with a German soldier’s biscuit in the spirit of Christmas sharing.

In this yuletide season, the "spirit of sharing" is best served if the Indian nation acknowledges its debt of gratitude to the countless and nameless warriors and honour their contribution. We need to take pride in their bravery and valour and accord them their rightful place in our country’s history. It is only then that the sacrifice of the extraordinary large number of the comrades of Rup Chand would not have been in vain.