Indian The Hindu Forum of Britain

Soldiers in
the
World
Wars
Remembering the Indian contribution on the 60th anniversary of VE Day
 Homage to Indian Soldiers

• On the 60th anniversary of the

end of World War II, the Hindu
Forum of Britain pays homage
to the Hindu soldiers who were
killed on the battlefield.

• Over 300,000 Indian soldiers

perished in the fight for
democracy and human dignity.

• It was the contribution of Indian

soldiers to the World Wars that
altered British public opinion and
set the scene for Indian
Independence.

2
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Contribution to the World Wars

India contributed generously

to the British war effort.

About 1.3 million Indian

soldiers and labourers
served in Europe, Africa and
Middle East

3
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Contribution to the World Wars

The Indian
government and the
princely states sent large
supplies of food, money,
and ammunition to the
British troops during
World War I and II

4
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

Indian Soldiers marching to the

First Battle of Ypres

5
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

High casualty rates in

the War, soaring
inflation, heavy taxation,
a widespread influenza
epidemic, and the
disruption of trade
during the war escalated
human suffering in India

6
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

Indian Soldiers were famous

for their expertise in gunnery
in both World Wars

7
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

First Indian Indian drummers

to win the played British tunes
Victoria Cross

The
Camel
Regiment

Grenadier in
World War I

8
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

Cover of magazine
praising the victory
of Indian soldiers against
the Germans and
Japanese troops

9
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War I

“I appreciate the increasing

association of Indians in every
branch of the administration and
the gradual development
of self-governing institutions
with a view to the progressive
realization of responsible
government in India as
an integral part of the
British Empire."

Edward Montagu
Secretary of State for India
August 1917
10
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War II

Such was the

appreciation of the
contribution of the Indian
Soldiers in Britain’s fight
against the Axis that the
great Winston Churchill
grumbled in 1950 that the
Americans were
pressuring him only
because he no longer had
the Indian Army with him

11
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War II

Indian army
emerged
victorious in a
number of battles
including the
German offensive
on the Marne river
in World War I and
in the Middle East
and Burma in
World War II

12
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in World War II

More Indian soldiers won the Victoria Cross

In World War II than did British soldiers

13
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Battle of Imphal – March 6 1944

Japan’s attempt to Invade India

ends in its greatest Land defeat

The Japanese Army with a force

of 120,000 men tried to break
through the Indian city of
Imphal

British and Indian troops fought

the most intense Urban Battle
in the war against Japan on par
with Stalingrad and Berlin

In the end, 30,000 British and I

ndian soldiers are killed and
wounded and 80,000 Japanese
troops die
14
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Paratroopers in World War II

Paratroopers dropped at
Elephant Point in Burma
to fight the Japanese
15
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Indian Soldiers in famous battles

Clockwise from above

•Marching victoriously into the

Battle of Khan Baghdadi

•Assembling for the Battle of Ypres

•Only soldiers to fight and capture

Port Demya in Libya
16
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 German surrendering to Indian Jawan

17
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 Capture of the Enemy

Clockwise from top left

•Sikh soldiers cleaning captured

Italian guns
•Soldier displaying Nazi Flag captured
after a victorious battle
•The Armoured Truck of a German
Commander who surrendered to the
4th Indian Division
18
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 World War II and Indian Independence

Over 300,000 Indian soldiers died

fighting side-by-side with British
troops

World War II helped mature

British public opinion on India

At midnight, on August 15 1946,

amidst ecstatic shouting of
"Jai Hind" (Long Live India),
India became an
independent nation

19
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005
 The Hindu Forum of Britain

Unit 3, Vascroft Estate

861, Coronation Road
London NW10 7PT

Phone: 020 8965 0671

Fax: 020 8965 0672
Email: info@hinduforum.org

Visit: www.hinduforum.org

20
© The Hindu Forum of Britain 29th April 2005