Monday, 11 April 2016

Ypres 2016 - Ypres Indian Memorials


On the declaration of War The Indian Government offered the services of two infantry divisions and a cavalry division for service in Europe.


Under the command of General Sir James Willcocks the Indian Expeditionary Force A consisting of the 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions deployed to Europe to form the Indian Corps.



Each Brigade consisted of one Battalion of British Troops and Three Battalions India Troops. Battalion and Company Commanders were British, Platoon Commanders Indian Officers. The Divisional Artillery consisted of British Royal Artillery units.

The units were recruited on the basis of differing religions, tribes and castes. Sikhs, Gurkhas, Punjabi's, Dogras, Garhwals, Pathans, Jets  formed Battalions and supporting units.


Punjabis
Gurkhas

Sikhs
The Lahore Division landed in Marseilles on 30th September 1914, the Meerut Division 12 - 14th October 1914.
15th Sikhs Regiment arrive in Marseilles

The first action for the Indians was the Battle of La Bassee in October 1914. The Indian Army would win more Battle Honours on the Western Front over the course of the war.

129th Baluchis on the outskirts of Wytschaete, Belgium in 1914


1914   France and Flanders   1918
La Bassee 1914   Messines 1914   Armentieres 1914
Gheluvelt   Givenchy 1914  
Ypres 1914-15  Festubert 1914-15
Neuve Chapelle    St Julien   Aubers   Loos
Somme 1916
Bazentin   Delville Wood   Flers Courcelett   Morval
Cambrai 1917
 Indian soldiers are commemorated on the panels of the Menin Gate with a special Indian Memorial on the Ramparts nearby.

Ypres - Menin Gate

Ypres Menin Gate - Indian Army Panel

Ypres Menin Gate - Indian Army Panel

Ypres Indian Memorial
A new memorial was unveiled in 2015 to remember the Gurkhas who fell in the Ypres Salient.


Ypres Gurkha Memorial