UK’s National Army Museum marks Indian Army's First World War contributions with new display

A new display at the National Army Museum in London tells the story of the essential contributions of the Indian Army during the First World War, illustrated by photographs, illustrations of artwork, documents and medals from the museum’s collections.

'British Indian Army: Soldiers of the First World War', which opened earlier this month and runs until November 5, is created in partnership with the United Service Institution of India in New Delhi.

It commemorates the important role played by troops from the Indian subcontinent during the war as part of the British Indian armed forces during the colonial era in the 20th century.

“The Indian Army was essential during the war as the imperial reserve both on the Western Front at the beginning of the war and during the Palestine campaign in 1918,” notes the museum display.

“Nearly 1.4 million men from India served in various theatres, making it the largest all-volunteer force the world had seen at the time,” it said.

The Indian Corps went on to fight in the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Second Ypres and Loos in 1915.

The infantry was withdrawn from the Western Front in December 1915 to reinforce the troops in Mesopotamia, with the two cavalry divisions remaining until 1918.

The display, which is free of charge, highlights how Mesopotamia was the main theatre for the British Indian Army.

India provided over three-quarters of the force employed, three-quarters of the river craft and the entire railway material and personnel.

The initial objective was to secure the oil supplies around Basra which was achieved at relatively little cost by April 1915.

In Palestine, a process of “Indianisation” from late 1917 onwards meant that British Army units were sent back to the Western Front and replaced by Indian Army units.