The world was in awe of the prowess of Indian Armed Forces when they delivered a tactical victory in just three-day-long operations against Pakistan last week. A century ago, the soldiers who fought their coloniser’s war with valour and honour during WWI — could not earn such accolades. For no fault of theirs. Their colonisers did not equip them with proper gear or training for the cold climes of the theatre of war.
Between 2014-18, during the centenary celebration of WWI, the sacrifices of these soldiers were totally ignored by both Britain and France. The soldiers, of whom about 74 percent were non-combatants, were not given time to acclimatise to the climate of Europe after taking a life- threatening month- long sea journey. Many died of sea sickness on the way. On arrival, they were transported to the Front Line in horse carriages by railway.
Thousands of Indian labourers and medical personnel perished in the war due to overwork, pneumonia, bronchitis, meningitis, inappropriate clothing, insufficient nourishment and medical neglect. They lived in damp, muddy trenches and were exposed to extreme cold weather for long periods. Racial discrimination added to their plight. Flogging, as punishment, was abolished for British soldiers in 1881 but Indian soldiers could be penalised by flogging for wrong conduct like falling asleep on watch duty; sometimes fatally.
With the sketchy records available at several cemeteries in France and other European countries, where thousands of Indian soldiers fought and died, records indicate that over 50 per cent of deaths were not due to combat but disease and cold. These facts are brought to light in the latest book of KJS Chatrath, a retired bureaucrat, who has been documenting martyred Indian soldiers of WWI and WWII, across cemeteries in Europe for decades. The book documents thousands of soldiers’ details with names, place of origin, corps, date and cause of death.
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Several soldiers were related by blood ties or came from the same village. At Neuville Sous Montreuil Cemetery, personnel from several non-combatant corps like Indian Labour Corps, Medical Service Corps, Indian Seamen Corps are buried/cremated in their uncelebrated death; their lives used as fodder in a war they had come to fight against tradition (travelling overseas was forbidden for Hindus during those days).
At the Mazargues Military Cemetery of Marseille, that our PM Modi visited in February; of the 1002 graves—830 belong to non- combatant categories; these were labourers, followers, drivers, bearers, trimmers, cooks and blacksmiths etc. Several cooks and followers were killed in the frontline as they tried to carry hot food for Indian soldiers. Here, bearers were stretcher-bearers and drivers meant - mule drivers. Personnel from Indian postal services and Indian Railways had also given their services to various theatres of war, but only sketchy details are available about them.
Over one million Indians served overseas in WWI and over 50,000 men from 54 Indian labour companies continued to serve in France after the war; rebuilding railways, roads and other infrastructure.
By Vandana Shukla
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