‘India’s WW-I sacrifices not highlighted’

Friday, 05/09/2014

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=114086&boxid=58592&uid=&dat=2014-09-05

Chandigarh : Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh has said that India’s great contribution to the World War-I has remained grossly understated. He said despite the fact that about one million Indians participated in the war of whom, about 74,000 died and 67,000 got seriously injured the country’s contribution has not figured prominently anywhere.

Addressing a gathering at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London on Wednesday evening, in memory of the Indian soldiers who participated in the Great War and laid down their lives, Amarinder said Indian army had made great sacrifices towards this war which need to be duly documented and highlighted.

Dressed in his traditional Sikh attire adorned with his decorations, Amarinder said, “Even today this is a largely untold story of how over a million volunteers stepped forward and helped change the outcome of the war. It is a contribution that can neither be overlooked nor ignored.” He recalled the story of the sub-continent’s effort during the Great War and emphasised how this enduring legacy of disparate nations and faiths standing “shoulder to shoulder” in face of a common enemy had to be preserved.

Former Punjab Chief Minister further said, “Of the 1.3 million Indian soldiers, 74,000 died in battle and 67,000 were severely wounded, many later dying as a result of these injuries.” He disclosed that India contributed the most volunteers of any of the British colony that fought in the war. “The Sikh contribution was particularly notable, making up 22 per cent of the whole Indian Army at the beginning of the war, despite making up less than 2 per cent of the total Indian population,” he noted.

He said that many of the soldiers who left India’s shores were not aware of the reasons for the conflict. They fought and died for the honour of their country and for the ‘izzat’ of the Regiments whose colours they proudly served. “Tragically, many sentries on duty in France in the coldest winter of the decade (1914/15) were found frozen to death at their posts at night,” he revealed.

Giving various others details, he said, during World War-I, the XXth Deccan Horse and 29 Lancers Deccan Horse, two regiments of Indian Cavalry served with distinction and were awarded several battle honours; awards to the officers and men included Victoria Cross 1, Distinguished Service Order 10, Military Cross 13, Bar to Military Cross 1, Indian Order of Merit 14, Order of British India 11, Indian Distinguished Service Medal 55, Indian Meritorious Service Medal 98 and Mentioned in Dispatches 14. Twelve British Officer, twelve Indian Officers and 308 Indian Other Ranks were killed and many more wounded.