Forgotten Soldiers
World Wars and our contributions to save western civilisation from crutches of fascists. A legacy that is never to be forgotten, Pakistan valour, today once again we are fighting another kind of ideological fascism and with great valour and pride with our semi democratic system but we are vocal and in the fore front that makes us so much better.
<However the price paid by the Indian subcontinent for its service was heavy. Nearly 100,000 were killed or wounded, and almost 80,000 had to endure captivity as prisoners of war. >
By Rayhan Latif
"Forever glorious, forever holy,
Bathed in gore, the blood of fighters
of many races, and diverse colours.
Strewn on these sands lie the bones of Arab,
Egyptian and Turk and Greek and Beduin,
Also of women, bold and daring,
Who sobbed as they battled, reckless of danger."
These were the powerful reflections of Kazi Nazrul Islam popularly known as the “rebel poet of Bengal”, speaking after his experiences in Iraq in the First World War. It was particularly poignant to me when I came across a monument during a walk near Buckingham Palace. Four Stone Pillars carved with the names India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Africa, Caribbean and Nepal stand as a symbolic memorial of the “native” soldiers who answered the call to arms and volunteered to aid the British Army in both World Wars. Just across is a pavilion with the names of the 62 Victoria Cross and 12 George Cross holders from those regions, set in bronze on its dome. These are men whose deeds, valour and self sacrifice made them worthy heroes, and ensure their place in time immemorial. Not many would know that over half a million people from the Indian subcontinent fought in both Wars and that in World War II, the sub continental army was the largest voluntary army ever amassed. Despite scant regard from the British, indeed this memorial was built only in 1998 and is regarded as the memorial to the “forgotten soldiers”, they played a pivotal role in both wars.
This is evidenced by the epic heroics of Sepoy Khudadad Khan, a Pathan who was part of the Duke of Connaught’s Baluchi Regiment and who fought for 18 Rupees a month in the name of the King. In October 1914 his regiment were among 20,000 Indian soldiers sent to the front line. Khudadad was in the machine-gun section of his battalion facing a well equipped German army. The British officer in charge of the detachment was wounded and most of the Baluchis were pushed back. But Khudadad Khan’s machine-gun team fought on. Khudadad, although himself wounded, continued working his gun after all the other five men of the detachment had been killed. He was left by the enemy for dead, but later managed to crawl away and rejoin his unit. The Germans were held up just long enough for Indian and British reinforcements to arrive. They strengthened the line, and prevented the German army from reaching the vital ports. Wounded, he recovered to enjoy the distinction of being the first Indian soldier to receive the King Emperor's most coveted gift. Prior to 1911, Indian soldiers had not been eligible to receive the Victoria Cross but that was ended to still the simmering discontent brewing under the British rule.
During World War II, the seeds of unrest had been sown in the subcontinent and independence after over 200 years was achingly within reach. The differing attitudes of the Muslim League and Congress toward British rule during World War II would prove critical in the final analysis. War was declared abruptly, without any prior consultation with Indian politicians, and indignant Congress ministers resigned in protest. The Muslim League, however, followed a course of cooperation and the British appreciated the loyalty and valour of the British Indian Army, many of whose members were Punjabi Muslims. As a consequence, the balance of political leverage shifted favourably towards Muslim League.
Indeed the respect for the Muslim soldiers can be measured by the glowing obituary given to Ali Haider, another VC holder in 1998 by the British Press. Along with only two other men in his unit, Ali Haider got across the Senio River in Italy under heavy fire from two enemy posts. While his comrades covered him, he charged the nearest post and put it out of action but as a consequence was wounded in the back. Undeterred, he continued his lone attack and charged into the second strong point where he was again wounded in the right arm and leg. Despite the loss of blood and severity of his injuries, he dramatically raised himself from the ground and threw a grenade into the second post thereby taking it out of action. Immediately after the second enemy post was silenced, his company launched its assault boats, crossed the river and established its bridgehead. Ali Haider was picked up and carried to the river bank. But soldiers are treated as disposable items, glorified but forgotten once war ends. This was the case for Ali Haider who retired to the North-West Frontier province of Pakistan to run a small farm with his wife. However poor health from his injuries, forced him to sell his farm and the childless couple depended entirely on the £100 per year meted out to all VC holders by the British Government. Someone once said medals cannot be eaten but heroes deserve better than this! A fitting last word on him should surely come from his citation for the award of the Victoria Cross: "The conspicuous gallantry, initiative and determination, combined with a complete disregard for his own life, shown by this very brave sepoy in the face of heavy odds were an example to the whole company. His heroism saved an ugly situation which would - but for his personal bravery - have caused the battalion serious casualties at a critical time and delayed the crossing of the river."
But it is not just the men who were credited for their bravery and perhaps the most remarkable name on the hallowed dome was one Noor Inayat Khan, a great grand daughter of Tipu Sultan, that legendary eighteenth-century Muslim ruler who fought valiantly in the struggle against the British. On the outbreak of the Second World War she trained as a nurse with the Red Cross but finding this too dull she joined the Womens Auxillary Air Force .Becoming skilled in wireless telegraphy, she was deemed suitable for covert operations in occupied France and became the first woman agent to be parachuted into France. Noor worked for the British as an undercover agent with the French Resistance for over a year evading the Gestapo and sending vital information to the British Military Intelligence despite the fact that the integrity of her support network had been severely compromised. She was offered a chance to leave Paris but with a sense of the importance of her unique position she declined arguing that she was the only wireless operator left in the group. However her luck soon ran out and she was betrayed and captured by the Germans. She was locked up in the women’s section of the civil prison at Pforzheim where because of her uncompromising and defiant attitude with her captors, she was labelled a “very dangerous” prisoner and kept in solitary confinement separated from the rest of the prison by two sets of iron gates. She was executed in 1944 at the notorious Dachau concentration camp. In 1949, the British awarded her posthumously with the George Cross and the French decorated her with the “Croix de Guerre”, a gold medal in tribute to her valour and steadfastness.
No other topic brings up more heated discussions or arouses such virulent feelings as war does. The question of whether we achieved independence earlier because of the roles of our Muslim soldiers is a difficult one to answer. The Muslim League's perceived success in the World War could be gauged from its sweep of 90 percent of the Muslim seats in the 1946 election, compared with only 4.5 percent in the 1937 elections. The ‘46 election was seen as a plebiscite for Muslims to vote on the idea of Pakistan. A grateful London ensured that the Muslim League was a significant third party in any discussion on India. However the price paid by the Indian subcontinent for its service was heavy. Nearly 100,000 were killed or wounded, and almost 80,000 had to endure captivity as prisoners of war. Perhaps it is all best summed by the one line quotation etched on one of the pillars: “Our future is greater than our past.” Sometimes I wish that much was true. |
