The shared but forgotten history
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.” Lawrence Binyon’s, “For the Fallen”
As efforts get underway to commemorate the 100 years of Gallipoli landings to honour the 18,000 New Zealand soldiers killed during World War-I and more specifically the 2721 men killed in Gallipoli, it may be time to acknowledge the forgotten fallen Indian soldiers during the same war.
The Gallipoli campaign took place at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British and French operation was launched to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides. India being under the British empire at the time, made up the British contingent, along with New Zealanders and Australians.
“A million Indian troops fought in the First World War, of them 700,000 were pitted against the Ottoman Empire. In Gallipoli they formed part of the Australia New Zealand Division. Of 5010 Indians who served in Anzac, 1926 died and 3863 were wounded, some more than once”, says Pradeep Kanthan, author and independent researcher. Gallipoli was the strife of people of different races and it has had a special impact on Australia, New Zealand and Turkey, who have kept the spirit alive. What is not immediately remembered is that there was a significant participation by troops from India.
Many New Zealanders and Aussies believe Gallipoli was the defining moment that fostered a sense of national identity in the two countries. Anzac Day is, therefore, a major event in New Zealand and is marked by parades and remembrances in both these countries. However, India's vital contribution to the Allied victory in the war rarely gets a mention – within India or overseas.
As the nations prepare to mark the centenary celebrations in New Zealand, Australia and Turkey with the underlying theme “LEST WE FORGET”. The distressing fact that stares us South Asians in the face, is that the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers are not remembered because they have not even been acknowledged – the contribution of soldiers from the Asian sub-continent (i.e. Undivided India and Ceylon) now comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who participated in these operations.
Auckland’s Carl Gomes and Ravee Sahrawat (late) in their paper called ‘The Forgotten Blokes of the Indian Brigade – Gallipoli Revisited’, give a detailed account of our shared heritage (full text available at http://goo.gl/GFxnZs). Gomes says “I hope this will result in recognizing their contribution, at least during the centenary year, both in India and Down Under.
The Shared History:
“The Indian contribution to the First World War was in the form of seven Expeditionary Forces (A to G) and it was Expeditionary Force G that fought in the Gallipoli Campaign. It comprised the 29th Indian Brigade, which had under its command four Infantry Battalions, namely: 14th (King Georges Own) Ferozepur Sikhs, 1/5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force), and the 1/6th and 2/10th Gurkha Rifles. An artillery component: 7th Mountain Artillery Brigade with 21st (Kohat) and the 26th (Jacob’s) Mountain Batteries, equipped with breech loading 10-pounder guns.
These mountain batteries were the first to be reluctantly Indian-ised after the great mutiny of 1857. Further, except for the Gurkha battalions, all other units had equal components of Muslim troops. As the Ottoman Empire at that time held sway over the Islamic world and Indian troops were subject to Turkish propaganda, units with Muslim troops were quickly moved away to France, leaving mainly the Gurkhas to fight it out in Gallipoli” Gomes and Sahrawat explain.
There was also an Indian mule cart train of the Indian Supply and Transport Corps whose services were vital for the operations of the entire Anzac. The lone Indian muleteer who stayed back to provide logistic support to Kiwis is part of the folk lore to date. All these units were further served by the 108th Indian Field Ambulance. In addition, 69 Punjab Unit and 89 Punjab Unit, on their way to France and Flanders as part of 7th Indian Infantry Division were rerouted and sent to Gallipoli.”
Pradeep Kanthan in his piece – ‘Anzac and India: A shared but forgotten camaraderie’ goes on to say “Many accounts of Gallipoli remember the Indian Ambulance Brigade and the Indian Mule Transport. Quoting Major HM Alexander, Indian Mule Transport he says “The Anzacs called every Indian ‘Johnny’ and treated them like a brother, with the consequences that the Indians liked them even more … I often saw parties of Australians and New Zealanders sitting in the lines, eating chuppatties and talking to the men.”
Prof. Peter Stanley of the University of South Wales believes that to understand the Indian experience of Gallipoli, you have to look at Anzac records – the diaries, photos and letters of Anzac soldiers who wrote endearingly about their Indian mates. Many Anzacs mention the bravery of the Indian infantry man Karam Singh, who continued to issue orders to his troops, even after he had been hit by a shell and blinded by it.
Even the most famous Australian Anzac John Simpson Kirkpatrick (popular in Australian folklore as Simpson and his donkey), used to stay with the Indian mule drivers, because he loved the fresh food cooked by the Indian troops much more than the bully beef that was supplied in the Australian rations.
“Letters sent by Anzacs show that they had the highest regard for the courage and professionalism shown by the Indian troops. One Anzac even sent a photo with his Indian mate, which was published in the Sydney Mail in 1916 with the title “Best Chums”. Prof. Stanley believes that true friendship between Indians and Australians can be traced back to the fields of Gallipoli, a friendship that must be commemorated at the centenary this year.
Prof. Stanley has written the first ever book about the Indian troops at Gallipoli titled ‘Die in Battle, Do not Despair: The Indians on Gallipoli 1915’ which will be releasing on 28 April 2015. He described the eight month long Gallipoli campaign in 1915 that cost at least 125,000 lives. Fighting alongside the Anzacs and the allies were 16,000 Indian troops, of whom 1600 became casualties of war. Prof Stanley's book lists the names of these 1600 fallen Indians, predominantly Gurkhas or Sikhs, who were also cremated in Gallipoli after they fell.
The spirit of Gallipoli lives on as battle honours in the regiments that exist even to date in the Indian Army albeit under new titles. Indians who gave their supreme sacrifice in the Helles sector are commemorated on the memorial at Cape Helles, alongside Twelve Tree Copse Memorial that commemorates the New Zealanders killed in the sector.
But how many of us know of this shared history.
Pradeep Kanthan goes on to say in his blog that “Indian, Australian and New Zealanders have had a long history of joint military operations. After Gallipoli, in the Second World War the Indian Army was, to number, nearly 2 million men- the largest volunteer force in the history of human conflict. It was natural that the Indian troops would take to the field with their old ANZAC companions. They did so in the battlefields of North Africa and later in the fierce fighting to roll back the Germans in Italy, in Burma and the Pacific theatre.
Indians and Anzac, who fought alongside in Gallipoli had much more in common than merely being comrades in arms. They served like in the Charge of the Light Brigade … ‘not to reason why, but to do and die …’ Anzac day needs to remember the Indian mates who served in Gallipoli.”
A report in the Times of India states “Hundreds of stories of camaraderie between the Indians and the Anzacs were recorded during the campaign. The Australians, perceived to be the most racist among white troops of the Great War, had only respect and admiration for the Indian soldiers. But a hundred years on, many Australians seem to have forgotten that Indians fought side by side with their ancestors.
It were the Indian mule drivers who kept the Anzacs well-fed and well-equipped to fight the enemy, not Australians or New Zealanders or anybody else for that matter. Over 200 mule drivers and 800 animals died in the process. While the Indian contribution goes as a footnote to the British war effort, the mention of the role of Indian non-combatants is almost non-existent.
While on the one hand we may feel hard done by, by not getting a mention for our contributions at Gallipoli on ANZAC Day, how many of us Indians do actually realize or even know of this shared heritage? Being a proud granddaughter of World War veterans, I have read about and write this piece with great pride in our gallant fore fathers who also fought at Gallipoli. However, it is a fact that our own countrymen are completely oblivious to their own proud history. Indian Weekender brings this special feature for the entire Indian community to read, to learn and to walk taller with pride in the brave actions of their fore fathers and commemorate this Centenary of Gallipoli with equal pride. In the times of Wikepedia and Google, I hope more and more of us will research this shared but forgotten history.
This is also an endeavor by Indian Weekender to initiate a dialogue amongst our people so we integrate into the mainstream better than we have ever before. For when we realize of our shared heritage, we cannot but help feel like a part of the whole (New Zealand Community).
(Sources of information: The forgotten blokes of the Indian Brigade – Gallipoli Revisited, www.freeperception.com, SBS Punjabi Radio)
To most Indians living in New Zealand ANZAC Day is nothing but a “holiday” and a day that Kiwi’s commemorate their fallen soldiers. We spoke to many Kiwi Indians about what they knew about ANZAC Day and here’s what they had to say. (See video here)
1. “I don’t know anything about ANZAC day... I mean not at all! Have been living here for the last two years and I don’t really care whether it is a public holiday or what... I have to work on public holidays also and been so busy in work that did not feel the need of knowing about this day. But I would like to know more about it and I think we all should be aware why is this day celebrated”- Navi
2. “ANZAC day is in Australia and New Zealand. It stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps and is celebrated on 25 April and that is all I know... I have been here for almost 13 years but never felt the need of knowing about it”- Dinesh Narayan
3. “New Zealand army went to support Australian army... on a fight, but when this fight happened and why I have no idea... yes I have been here for the last 5 years. I actually read on the paper this morning but I forgot when it is celebrated”- Amita Sehrawat
4. “Just know that it is a public Holiday, everyone here celebrate it and so even we enjoy the holiday, I don’t know which day it is celebrated and no idea why...”- Shankar
5. “I don’t know much about ANZAC day except that it is commemoration for the lives sacrificed by the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand...” It is a from the memories of First World War” – Paul
6. “Remembrance of soldiers who lost lives by participating in the war”- Sharad
7. “I thought of it a couple of times, but was so busy in my profession but i am happy to have a public holiday and I guess for me that is the only thing that matters”- Manoj
8. “I know ANZAC day stands for ‘Australia New Zealand Army Corps’ day for the Australians and New Zealanders who went to Gallipoli and fought for us.. It is a day to remember the soldiers who died, cuz its sad man, they gave their lives for this country in Gallipoli”- Laura
9. “Actually I really don’t know anything about that day because we are from India and we do not celebrate this day in India. I am living here for last 5 years and I really want to know more about it or any other festivals but we are so busy occupied with work and priorities”- Karamjeet Kaur
10. “Is it about a memory where the soldiers died for us??, I think it’s a cool day”- A unnamed girl
11. “We don’t know, I have realised that when we stay here we should know more about it, we are actually so busy in our lives that we don’t get time to think about it. We know it’s a holiday but why, we don’t know that... a pamphlet should definitely be distributed to let us know more about the Kiwi-festivals or special days.”- Rana & Monica
12. It is about the soldier who died in the 1st world war to remember the soldiers for their sacrifice, I haven’t seen the parade yet but love to know more about the day and where it is celebrated”- Erica
13. “I know little about ANZAC day, but one thing is that when Indian come over here as student, they don’t know anything about this country. The government or Indian community should make a booklet or a guide about the country and about important days of the country with a small note. This will help anyone coming from overseas to know and be a part of the NZ culture”- Chirag
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.” Lawrence Binyon’s, “For the Fallen”
As efforts get underway to commemorate the 100 years of Gallipoli landings to...
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.” Lawrence Binyon’s, “For the Fallen”
As efforts get underway to commemorate the 100 years of Gallipoli landings to honour the 18,000 New Zealand soldiers killed during World War-I and more specifically the 2721 men killed in Gallipoli, it may be time to acknowledge the forgotten fallen Indian soldiers during the same war.
The Gallipoli campaign took place at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British and French operation was launched to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides. India being under the British empire at the time, made up the British contingent, along with New Zealanders and Australians.
“A million Indian troops fought in the First World War, of them 700,000 were pitted against the Ottoman Empire. In Gallipoli they formed part of the Australia New Zealand Division. Of 5010 Indians who served in Anzac, 1926 died and 3863 were wounded, some more than once”, says Pradeep Kanthan, author and independent researcher. Gallipoli was the strife of people of different races and it has had a special impact on Australia, New Zealand and Turkey, who have kept the spirit alive. What is not immediately remembered is that there was a significant participation by troops from India.
Many New Zealanders and Aussies believe Gallipoli was the defining moment that fostered a sense of national identity in the two countries. Anzac Day is, therefore, a major event in New Zealand and is marked by parades and remembrances in both these countries. However, India's vital contribution to the Allied victory in the war rarely gets a mention – within India or overseas.
As the nations prepare to mark the centenary celebrations in New Zealand, Australia and Turkey with the underlying theme “LEST WE FORGET”. The distressing fact that stares us South Asians in the face, is that the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers are not remembered because they have not even been acknowledged – the contribution of soldiers from the Asian sub-continent (i.e. Undivided India and Ceylon) now comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who participated in these operations.
Auckland’s Carl Gomes and Ravee Sahrawat (late) in their paper called ‘The Forgotten Blokes of the Indian Brigade – Gallipoli Revisited’, give a detailed account of our shared heritage (full text available at http://goo.gl/GFxnZs). Gomes says “I hope this will result in recognizing their contribution, at least during the centenary year, both in India and Down Under.
The Shared History:
“The Indian contribution to the First World War was in the form of seven Expeditionary Forces (A to G) and it was Expeditionary Force G that fought in the Gallipoli Campaign. It comprised the 29th Indian Brigade, which had under its command four Infantry Battalions, namely: 14th (King Georges Own) Ferozepur Sikhs, 1/5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force), and the 1/6th and 2/10th Gurkha Rifles. An artillery component: 7th Mountain Artillery Brigade with 21st (Kohat) and the 26th (Jacob’s) Mountain Batteries, equipped with breech loading 10-pounder guns.
These mountain batteries were the first to be reluctantly Indian-ised after the great mutiny of 1857. Further, except for the Gurkha battalions, all other units had equal components of Muslim troops. As the Ottoman Empire at that time held sway over the Islamic world and Indian troops were subject to Turkish propaganda, units with Muslim troops were quickly moved away to France, leaving mainly the Gurkhas to fight it out in Gallipoli” Gomes and Sahrawat explain.
There was also an Indian mule cart train of the Indian Supply and Transport Corps whose services were vital for the operations of the entire Anzac. The lone Indian muleteer who stayed back to provide logistic support to Kiwis is part of the folk lore to date. All these units were further served by the 108th Indian Field Ambulance. In addition, 69 Punjab Unit and 89 Punjab Unit, on their way to France and Flanders as part of 7th Indian Infantry Division were rerouted and sent to Gallipoli.”
Pradeep Kanthan in his piece – ‘Anzac and India: A shared but forgotten camaraderie’ goes on to say “Many accounts of Gallipoli remember the Indian Ambulance Brigade and the Indian Mule Transport. Quoting Major HM Alexander, Indian Mule Transport he says “The Anzacs called every Indian ‘Johnny’ and treated them like a brother, with the consequences that the Indians liked them even more … I often saw parties of Australians and New Zealanders sitting in the lines, eating chuppatties and talking to the men.”
Prof. Peter Stanley of the University of South Wales believes that to understand the Indian experience of Gallipoli, you have to look at Anzac records – the diaries, photos and letters of Anzac soldiers who wrote endearingly about their Indian mates. Many Anzacs mention the bravery of the Indian infantry man Karam Singh, who continued to issue orders to his troops, even after he had been hit by a shell and blinded by it.
Even the most famous Australian Anzac John Simpson Kirkpatrick (popular in Australian folklore as Simpson and his donkey), used to stay with the Indian mule drivers, because he loved the fresh food cooked by the Indian troops much more than the bully beef that was supplied in the Australian rations.
“Letters sent by Anzacs show that they had the highest regard for the courage and professionalism shown by the Indian troops. One Anzac even sent a photo with his Indian mate, which was published in the Sydney Mail in 1916 with the title “Best Chums”. Prof. Stanley believes that true friendship between Indians and Australians can be traced back to the fields of Gallipoli, a friendship that must be commemorated at the centenary this year.
Prof. Stanley has written the first ever book about the Indian troops at Gallipoli titled ‘Die in Battle, Do not Despair: The Indians on Gallipoli 1915’ which will be releasing on 28 April 2015. He described the eight month long Gallipoli campaign in 1915 that cost at least 125,000 lives. Fighting alongside the Anzacs and the allies were 16,000 Indian troops, of whom 1600 became casualties of war. Prof Stanley's book lists the names of these 1600 fallen Indians, predominantly Gurkhas or Sikhs, who were also cremated in Gallipoli after they fell.
The spirit of Gallipoli lives on as battle honours in the regiments that exist even to date in the Indian Army albeit under new titles. Indians who gave their supreme sacrifice in the Helles sector are commemorated on the memorial at Cape Helles, alongside Twelve Tree Copse Memorial that commemorates the New Zealanders killed in the sector.
But how many of us know of this shared history.
Pradeep Kanthan goes on to say in his blog that “Indian, Australian and New Zealanders have had a long history of joint military operations. After Gallipoli, in the Second World War the Indian Army was, to number, nearly 2 million men- the largest volunteer force in the history of human conflict. It was natural that the Indian troops would take to the field with their old ANZAC companions. They did so in the battlefields of North Africa and later in the fierce fighting to roll back the Germans in Italy, in Burma and the Pacific theatre.
Indians and Anzac, who fought alongside in Gallipoli had much more in common than merely being comrades in arms. They served like in the Charge of the Light Brigade … ‘not to reason why, but to do and die …’ Anzac day needs to remember the Indian mates who served in Gallipoli.”
A report in the Times of India states “Hundreds of stories of camaraderie between the Indians and the Anzacs were recorded during the campaign. The Australians, perceived to be the most racist among white troops of the Great War, had only respect and admiration for the Indian soldiers. But a hundred years on, many Australians seem to have forgotten that Indians fought side by side with their ancestors.
It were the Indian mule drivers who kept the Anzacs well-fed and well-equipped to fight the enemy, not Australians or New Zealanders or anybody else for that matter. Over 200 mule drivers and 800 animals died in the process. While the Indian contribution goes as a footnote to the British war effort, the mention of the role of Indian non-combatants is almost non-existent.
While on the one hand we may feel hard done by, by not getting a mention for our contributions at Gallipoli on ANZAC Day, how many of us Indians do actually realize or even know of this shared heritage? Being a proud granddaughter of World War veterans, I have read about and write this piece with great pride in our gallant fore fathers who also fought at Gallipoli. However, it is a fact that our own countrymen are completely oblivious to their own proud history. Indian Weekender brings this special feature for the entire Indian community to read, to learn and to walk taller with pride in the brave actions of their fore fathers and commemorate this Centenary of Gallipoli with equal pride. In the times of Wikepedia and Google, I hope more and more of us will research this shared but forgotten history.
This is also an endeavor by Indian Weekender to initiate a dialogue amongst our people so we integrate into the mainstream better than we have ever before. For when we realize of our shared heritage, we cannot but help feel like a part of the whole (New Zealand Community).
(Sources of information: The forgotten blokes of the Indian Brigade – Gallipoli Revisited, www.freeperception.com, SBS Punjabi Radio)
To most Indians living in New Zealand ANZAC Day is nothing but a “holiday” and a day that Kiwi’s commemorate their fallen soldiers. We spoke to many Kiwi Indians about what they knew about ANZAC Day and here’s what they had to say. (See video here)
1. “I don’t know anything about ANZAC day... I mean not at all! Have been living here for the last two years and I don’t really care whether it is a public holiday or what... I have to work on public holidays also and been so busy in work that did not feel the need of knowing about this day. But I would like to know more about it and I think we all should be aware why is this day celebrated”- Navi
2. “ANZAC day is in Australia and New Zealand. It stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps and is celebrated on 25 April and that is all I know... I have been here for almost 13 years but never felt the need of knowing about it”- Dinesh Narayan
3. “New Zealand army went to support Australian army... on a fight, but when this fight happened and why I have no idea... yes I have been here for the last 5 years. I actually read on the paper this morning but I forgot when it is celebrated”- Amita Sehrawat
4. “Just know that it is a public Holiday, everyone here celebrate it and so even we enjoy the holiday, I don’t know which day it is celebrated and no idea why...”- Shankar
5. “I don’t know much about ANZAC day except that it is commemoration for the lives sacrificed by the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand...” It is a from the memories of First World War” – Paul
6. “Remembrance of soldiers who lost lives by participating in the war”- Sharad
7. “I thought of it a couple of times, but was so busy in my profession but i am happy to have a public holiday and I guess for me that is the only thing that matters”- Manoj
8. “I know ANZAC day stands for ‘Australia New Zealand Army Corps’ day for the Australians and New Zealanders who went to Gallipoli and fought for us.. It is a day to remember the soldiers who died, cuz its sad man, they gave their lives for this country in Gallipoli”- Laura
9. “Actually I really don’t know anything about that day because we are from India and we do not celebrate this day in India. I am living here for last 5 years and I really want to know more about it or any other festivals but we are so busy occupied with work and priorities”- Karamjeet Kaur
10. “Is it about a memory where the soldiers died for us??, I think it’s a cool day”- A unnamed girl
11. “We don’t know, I have realised that when we stay here we should know more about it, we are actually so busy in our lives that we don’t get time to think about it. We know it’s a holiday but why, we don’t know that... a pamphlet should definitely be distributed to let us know more about the Kiwi-festivals or special days.”- Rana & Monica
12. It is about the soldier who died in the 1st world war to remember the soldiers for their sacrifice, I haven’t seen the parade yet but love to know more about the day and where it is celebrated”- Erica
13. “I know little about ANZAC day, but one thing is that when Indian come over here as student, they don’t know anything about this country. The government or Indian community should make a booklet or a guide about the country and about important days of the country with a small note. This will help anyone coming from overseas to know and be a part of the NZ culture”- Chirag
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