Things you should know about ANZAC /Gallipoli War

In April 1915, Indian Expeditionary force “G”was sent to reinforce the Gallipoli campaign. It consisted of the famous 29th Brigade serving away from its parent 10th Indian Division.

The brigade was despatched from Egypt and attached to British 29thDivision which has been decimated in the earlier battles. The Indian brigade was held in reserve for the second battle of KRITHIA advancing on the left; the Brigade was quickly halted except along the Aegean Seashore where the 1/6thGurkha Rifles managed to advance.

The 14thFerozepore Sikhs (Royal) advancing along the floor of Gully Ravine was almost wiped out, losing 380 men out of 514 and 80% of their officers.

The brigade was next involved in the battle of Gully Ravine and here the 2/10thGurkha Rifles managed to advance half a mile.

The Brigade next took part in the battle of “SARI BAIR”, under the cover of a naval bombardment, the 1/6thGurkha Rifles assaulted and captured the hill, which was then shelled by the Royal Navy. With their casualties mounting and under command of the Battalion medical officer they were forced to withdraw to their starting positions. With the failure of the assault at “SRI BAIR” the Brigade had suffered 1358 dead and 3421 wounded.

Some other Points:
1) April 25 National Day of Respect for the ANZAC forces who landed on Gallipoli to fight The Turkish Ottomans in 1914. The Allied forces consisted of a massive Indian Contingent of 16,000 Crack Indian Soldiers who fought Gallantly along with The ANZACS for the entire 8 long months of Close Battle. Indian soldiers embodied on the same theatre as part of British offensive.

2) Later on Soldiers from India served alongside Australian / British troops in Egypt, Sinai Peninsula and Mesopotamia in World War I and also in Malaya,Singapore,North Africa and Burma in World War II and were awarded several decorations for distinguished services of the highest order.

3) Indian forces comprised mostly of Sikhs, Punjabis and Gurkhas, who got on very well and developed a very positive relationship with ANZAC troops. The ANZACS were highly impressed with The Indian Valour, comradeship and total dedication with high Military Morales as later mentioned in the war despatches.

4) Besides ANZACS various Maharajas of British ruled Indian states contributed theirmost disciplined, dedicated and loyal troops to United Kingdom for defending the British Empire stretched far flung. Notably the Famous Maharaja of Patiala State who spared 30,000 infantry soldiers ( present division plus strength). In recognition of this great help The British Empire elevated him to the rank of Lieutenant General

5) After Independence lots of British Officers of Indian Army voluntarily opted to settle in Australia instead of returning to their ancestral homes in UK, organised the participation of Indian Contingent Indian Army’s contribution to the First World War By the time the war ended in November 1918: 1,105,000 Indian personnel had been sent overseas, 138,000 to France, 657,000 to Mesopotamia (most of which is now contained within modern-day Iraq), 144,000 to Egypt and Palestine and smaller contingents to Aden, East Africa, Gallipolli and Salonika.

In World War I the Indian Army fought against the German Empire in German East Africa and on the Western Front. At the First Battle of Ypres, Khudadad Khan became the first Indian to be awarded a Victoria Cross. Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire.Over 9,200 decorations were earned, including eleven VCs.

Indian Army’s contribution to the Second World War
The Indian Army began the war, in 1939, numbering just under 200,000 men.By the end of the war it had become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men in August 1945.Serving in divisions of infantry, armour and a fledgling airborne force, they fought on three continents in Africa, Europe and Asia.

The Indian Army fought in Ethiopia against the Italian Army, in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia against both the Italian and German Army, and, after the Italian surrender, against the German Army in Italy. However, the bulk of the Indian Army was committed to fighting the Japanese Army, first during the British defeats in Malaya and the retreat from Burma to the Indian border; later, after resting and refitting for the victorious advance back into Burma, as part of the largest British Empire army ever formed.

These campaigns cost the lives of over 36,000 Indian servicemen, while another 34,354 were wounded,and 67,340 became prisoners of war.Their valour was recognised with the award of some 4,000 decorations, and 38 members of the Indian Army were awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross.