vivek
March 17th, 2003, 05:59 AM
Harvinder was asking for some information regarding Jat soldiers in WW1.
There's a fairly recent book, called Sepoys in the trenches that gives an insight. Its written by Gordon Corrigan. Below is an abstract.
"The author has spared no effort in providing an extremely interesting look at the Indian Army and its men up to the outbreak of WW1, before moving on to describe their combat history in France. I have not previously had such a clear understanding of the differences between Jat's, Sikhs, Baluchi's, Ghurkha's, Gharwali, etc. etc. until I read this book. I knew the provision of food was something that had to be done with care, but this book gives a very clear picture of how important all this was. Of how fastidious the Indian troops were about things being done correctly, yet how obediently they followed their Saheb's into battle.
The book also clearly establishes the place British officers held and those of the Indian Officers in the Indian Army. The expectations of promotion and the pecking order among the Indian troops. There can be no doubt, that to command these troops called for officers with a very good knowledge of the men as well as their religious and other requirements.
Highly recommended for anyone researching British/Indian troops in any era from 1856 onward. It also includes an excellent 'Genealogy' of the Regiments. I have found it extremely interesting and instructive"
Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldier' Letters, 1914-1916 by David
Omissi pub.Macmillan Press 1999. Prof. Omissi also wrote The Sepoy and the
Raj: The India Army. 1860-1940 . This book refers onlyto Indian Soldiers in Europe.
Also:'Disease, Discipline and
Dissent: The Indian Army in France and England 1914-1915' by Mark Harrison
in 'Medicine and Modern Warfare' ed Roger Cooter, Mark Harrison & Steve
Sturdy, published 1999 by Editions Rodopi B.V Amsterdam - Atlanta, GA 1999.
Somewhere there is a film called "The Dance of Shiva" (Kenneth Brannah Dir:-
Jamie Payne Cam:- Jack Cardiff). It's about 30 min's long .
Finally:
Total Soldiers under arms=1,400,000
Soldiers leaving India= 850,000
Indian Labour Corps=55,000
Indian Porter Corps=12,000
Indian Groom Company=1,200
soldiers serving as a precentage of the total population 1 out of 225
KIA 62,000
There's a fairly recent book, called Sepoys in the trenches that gives an insight. Its written by Gordon Corrigan. Below is an abstract.
"The author has spared no effort in providing an extremely interesting look at the Indian Army and its men up to the outbreak of WW1, before moving on to describe their combat history in France. I have not previously had such a clear understanding of the differences between Jat's, Sikhs, Baluchi's, Ghurkha's, Gharwali, etc. etc. until I read this book. I knew the provision of food was something that had to be done with care, but this book gives a very clear picture of how important all this was. Of how fastidious the Indian troops were about things being done correctly, yet how obediently they followed their Saheb's into battle.
The book also clearly establishes the place British officers held and those of the Indian Officers in the Indian Army. The expectations of promotion and the pecking order among the Indian troops. There can be no doubt, that to command these troops called for officers with a very good knowledge of the men as well as their religious and other requirements.
Highly recommended for anyone researching British/Indian troops in any era from 1856 onward. It also includes an excellent 'Genealogy' of the Regiments. I have found it extremely interesting and instructive"
Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldier' Letters, 1914-1916 by David
Omissi pub.Macmillan Press 1999. Prof. Omissi also wrote The Sepoy and the
Raj: The India Army. 1860-1940 . This book refers onlyto Indian Soldiers in Europe.
Also:'Disease, Discipline and
Dissent: The Indian Army in France and England 1914-1915' by Mark Harrison
in 'Medicine and Modern Warfare' ed Roger Cooter, Mark Harrison & Steve
Sturdy, published 1999 by Editions Rodopi B.V Amsterdam - Atlanta, GA 1999.
Somewhere there is a film called "The Dance of Shiva" (Kenneth Brannah Dir:-
Jamie Payne Cam:- Jack Cardiff). It's about 30 min's long .
Finally:
Total Soldiers under arms=1,400,000
Soldiers leaving India= 850,000
Indian Labour Corps=55,000
Indian Porter Corps=12,000
Indian Groom Company=1,200
soldiers serving as a precentage of the total population 1 out of 225
KIA 62,000