WW1 Army in India

[Francesca]

My Grandad was a teacher of classics, but during WW1, he was in India in the army. I have some photographs, but otherwise I know absolutely nothing. Can any one enlighten me about the time and the place and the reason the army was there.

[Terry Waters-Marsh]

My Grandad was a teacher of classics, but during WW1, he was in India in the army. I have some photographs, but otherwise I know absolutely nothing. Can any one enlighten me about the time and the place and the reason the army was there.Dear Francesca,

There were actually two armies in India, the various regiments of British army and the India army. They were there to protect British interests against the axis powers (notably Turkey) as well as long standing concerns for Russian ambitions. They were also there to enforce British rule. You may recall the first Indian war of independence was started back in 1857 against the British (otherwise called the Indian Mutiny). Most British regiments served in India at some time or other from the late 1700s right through until the Somerset Light Infantry was the last regiment to leave in 1947. Their legacy was civil government, communications and the adoption of the english language as the only common language across what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma) and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). The India army was initially all British officers and NCOs but that had started to change by WW1. It was possible for a British soldier in the 1900s to transfer from the British Army to the India Army when their initial enlistment was up and they were about to move to Reserve status. My grandfather did this in January 1917, transfering from the 2nd SLI to The India Army Ordnance Corp where he remained until 1935. His pension entitlement was transferred as well so when he retired, he only got the one pension from The India Office.

Hope this helps. Any good refernce book in the library will give you a lot more information.:)

[Terry Waters-Marsh]

I should have, of course, added that there was another army in India from the days of Clive through to 1863, that being the military forces of the Honorable East India Company (HEIC). These forces operated under royal charter and were principally staffed with recruits from Ireland. Interestingly, it was forbidden for the English army to recruit Catholics and yet the HEIC was prodominatly Irish Catholic recruits. When objections were raised in Parliament over this anomoly, the HEIC was ordered to stop employing Catholic soldiers. This led to a dramatic decline in numbers and within a few years the directive was ignored as being unworkable if the HEIC was to fund the private armies (and even a private navy!) in India. During the first Indian war of independence (or Indian mutiny), the HEIC forces committed the (then) unpardonable sin of allowing the enemy to capture intact many artillery pieces. Regular British forces sent to put down the insurgents found themslves facing the latest British cannons!! Small wonder that the British used the recaptured cannons to execute the leaders of the insurgents - the poor sods were lashed over the business end of the cannons and executed when the cannon was fired. A most grizzly demise! !!!:eek:

The HEIC forces, also known as John Company soldiers were given the option to transfer to British units or be paid off when the HEIC armies were disbanded in 1858 - the process being completed in 1863.

[Alex Ewen-French]

When the war started, many of the regular army battalions based in India were sent to the western front and later to other areas to augment the British forces. These had to be replaced, and some new or less experienced battalions went to India to man these garrisons. They were often made up of older men who were fit for military service but not for front line duty.

Alex

[Terry Waters-Marsh]

Yes Alex, that did occur in many cases but not all. There were 8 British regiments that did not leave their pre WW1 posting during WW1, one of these being the 2nd Somerset Light Infantry which had been on station in the Madras Presidency since 1913. They remained there until 1947 with the exception of a short expedition to Mesopotamia in logistical support for (I think it was) the 5th SLI (a territorial regiment) in 1916. Remember that prior to WW1 there were two regiments in each unit - one territorial and one on station around the world. One would act as the training unit for the other and supply replacements for losses due to sickness (still a big issue in India and Africa at that time), death and retirement. :D

[Alex Ewen-French]

Yes, I realise that some stayed. My own grandfather was in the 1st Royal Sussex, (and much later my father in the 2nd), but I thought that it might be relevant as Francesca's grandad is likely to have served in one of the 'replacement' battalions.

Alex

[Francesca]

Thank you for your information. It is interesting and helpful

[peter nicholl]

Hi Francesca

My GrandDad was 44 when he joined up in 1915. He enlisted in the 2nd Garrison Battalion, The Essex Regiment. Around Christmas 1916 he was posted to India with the Regiment. He stayed in India until June 10, 1917 when he was posted back to England and to the 1st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment at Gravesend on June 14. On July 28 he had a new posting to the 15th Battalion, Royal Defence Corps and was discharged as Medically Unfit on November 27, 1917.
If you know your GrandDad's Regiment, try The Long, Long Trail. The site will lead you through and you should be able to see when he went to India. If you don't know the Regiment, try looking at the National Archives site and search their WWI Medal Cards on-line at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Hope this helps
Peter