world war world war contributed large number divisions independent brigades european mediterranean middle_east theatres war world war million indian troops served overseas died wounded total indian soldiers died war world war fought german western battle indian awarded victoria_cross indian divisions sent egypt gallipoli nearly served ottoman_empire divisions sent overseas remain india guarding internal security training duties field marshal sir commander chief asserted british couldn come wars world war hadn reforms appointed commander chief india years term office extended reformed reforms directed armies merged unified force time regiments states available called british_army continued supply units service india addition term instituted refer overall command structure included british units new formation set divisions division cavalry infantry brigades divisions independent infantry brigades serve india responsible supplying division burma brigade assist command control new divisions field armies formed divisions brigades responsible divisions india formations outside responsible southern india regiments battalions new organisation numbered single sequence old titles bombay madras discontinued new regiments battalions instead remaining home base called serve country tour duty established posting change accepted formation british indian brigades system having british regiment battalion brigade remained organisation largest volunteer armies world total strength men british_army strength regular volunteers outbreak war november contained men considered regularly called deal incursions raids provide garrison forces british_empire egypt singapore china field force divided armies stretched divisions brigades command stretched southern india turn divisions command formations outside armies contained cavalry regiments infantry battalions including joint cavalry infantry unit regiments mountain artillery batteries divisions formed reforms consisted cavalry infantry brigades cavalry brigade british indian regiments infantry brigades consisted british indian battalions battalions smaller british battalions consisting officers ranks compared british officers ranks indian battalions segregated companies different tribes religions additional troops attached headquarters division included cavalry regiment pioneer battalion artillery provided division men strength somewhat weaker british division smaller infantry battalions smaller artillery forces weakened british officers home leave officer indian battalions posted new british divisions formed addition regular armies regiments european volunteers called assist emergency formed men cavalry regiments infantry battalions end war men served overseas auxiliary force field men regiments horse volunteer infantry battalions available field men field force headquarters located delhi senior officer commander chief india assisted chief general staff india senior command staff positions alternated senior officers british indian armies commander chief general sir chief general staff lieutenant general sir british_army indian battalion staffed officers british_army india officers british officers serving colonial indian administration war intensified officer casualties mounted ability replace casualties officers british origin extremely difficult cases officer battalions reduced accordingly officer cadets indian descent permitted selected officer training normal annual recruitment indian army men course war men volunteered army volunteered non roles total million men volunteered service million indian troops served overseas war total indian soldiers died world war britain indian child soldiers young years old war home service world war deployed maintaining internal security defending incursions afghanistan tasks end declaration war divisions deployed frontier existing 1st 2nd division 4th war formed division serve india 16th formed stationed divisions place took war end world war supporting war effort india left vulnerable hostile action afghanistan german mission arrived october obvious strategic purpose treaty obligations maintained afghanistan neutrality face internal opposition factions keen ottoman sultan despite actions frontier took place included operations operations operations operations tribes india burma actions carried tribes december february supported 7th rifles pioneers november march operations carried tribes auxiliary units divisions remaining india internal security training divisions 5th division 8th division 9th division course war divisions lost brigades formations active service 5th division lost 5th 2nd 8th division lost 8th cavalry brigade 1st 22nd brigade 11th indian division 9th division lost 9th cavalry brigade 2nd 27th brigade sent pre war units remained burma war internal security duties likewise brigade remained entry war oil discovered commercial quantities head start war privately owned owned concessions fields bought primarily fuel soon clear august instructed prepare plans protect strategic assets plans dictated event coming support germans act secure command lieutenant general sir sailed bombay october expeditionary force sent europe end september response request imperial general staff men support war effort indian elements committed war outside india independent brigades addition permanent divisions formed number independent brigades brigade stationed strategically important naval route europe india limited fighting deployed brigades designated command general formed start persian campaign protect anglo persian oil installations south persia formed dispatched seven expeditionary forces overseas world war outbreak war trained men indian government offered services cavalry infantry divisions service overseas force known command general sir force attached divisions formed army corps infantry arrival september weeks declaration war moved took battle october march 7th division chosen lead assault hampered lack familiarity new equipment issued lee rifles arrival france artillery relying support neighbouring corps line accustomed continental weather poorly equipped resist cold leading low morale compounded reserve system reinforcements drafted regiment affiliation new units officer casualties handicap replacements unfamiliar speak language morale low soldiers fled scene battle infantry divisions finally withdrawn egypt october replaced new british divisions withdrawal infantry divisions units western cavalry divisions november indian cavalry divisions renumbered 1st 2nd 4th serving alongside british cavalry divisions held line awaiting hoped breakthrough times war served trenches infantry cavalry brigade formed regiment meant divisions went line cover brigade area withdrawn egypt march took battle advance finally indians served france belgium died governor requested assistance deal german forces german problem handed assembled forces shipped aid consisted 27th brigade 9th division pioneer battalion mountain artillery battery engineers sent task invading german force command major general landed november following men badly beaten men german commander force embarked november having suffered casualties loss rifles machine guns rounds ammunition second force assembled service british force formed 29th half battalions states volunteer pounder artillery battery 22nd mountain battery frontier force volunteer maxim gun battery planned force defensive unlike force primarily guard railway support king african rifles communications protection duties arriving force broken units subsequently served separately action involved october force men gathered near border british german commanded brigadier general flawed intelligence reports estimated german military presence region men companies plus colonial volunteers young germans horseback november british force advanced slope night near caught strong german defensive position advanced morning fog large force indian infantry effectively resisted day british attackers suffered substantial casualties mid morning german mounted patrol ambushed supply column roughly carrying water troops away germans british officers widely scattered troops waited darkness having determined situation withdrew mountain marched british having accomplished largest force serve abroad command lieutenant general sir unit sent november 6th division tasked guarding british oil installations campaign served command major general string early successes campaign delivered setback battle november logistical constraints following engagement withdrew decision hold city siege began january march launched attacks attempt lift siege sequence attacks took place battle battle attempts break succeed cost heavy sides suffering high casualties february food hopes running disease spread rapidly contained cured surrendered april december 3rd 7th divisions arrived western british force included cavalry seven infantry divisions india advanced baghdad captured march advance continued october turkish forces surrendered armistice signed campaign largely campaign british formations involved 13th western division british battalions assigned indian brigades campaign killed died wounds died disease missing prisoners including prisoners wounded consisted 22nd brigade sent egypt october designation retained subsequent forces sent indian cavalry divisions transferred france service palestine joined 15th imperial service cavalry brigade unit formed regiments states 3rd division 7th division transferred time indian army battalions sent reinforce british 10th irish 53rd welsh 60th 2nd london 75th divisions reformed indian division lines british indian battalions brigade consisted 10th 11th formed egypt defend canal formations attached regular 22nd brigade 8th british battalions 10th division disbanded brigades assigned formations 28th assigned 7th division 29th served independent brigade gallipoli campaign disbanded june 30th assigned 12th april transferred 6th division september captured fall disbanded earlier brigades survive longer 22nd brigade broken january 31st joined 10th division january disbanded month later 32nd brigade disbanded january april sent reinforce gallipoli campaign consisted 29th brigade serving away parent 10th consisting battalions brigade dispatched egypt attached earlier battles held reserve second battle played major advancing left brigade quickly halted shore 6th rifles managed advance 14th advancing floor wiped losing men officers brigade involved 10th rifles managed advance half mile brigade took cover naval bombardment 6th rifles assaulted captured hill shelled royal_navy casualties mounting command battalion medical officer forced withdraw starting positions failure assault brigade withdrawn egypt duration campaign 29th brigade suffered dead wounded operations siege battalion china 36th took siege german controlled port china powers concerned japanese intentions region decided send small symbolic british contingent effort fears man contingent commanded consisted soldiers 2nd battalion south wales later followed soldiers 36th japanese led force laid siege port october november end siege japanese army casualties numbered killed wounded british indians killed wounded german defenders suffered dead wounded singapore mutiny singapore mutiny involved half comprising 5th british singapore war conspiracy 5th arrived singapore madras october sent replace ordered france 5th consisted roughly equal numbers serving separate companies morale constantly low effected poor communication discipline weak leadership regiment employed guard captured crew german ship reportedly attempts fan discontent regiment orders embark garrison duty hong_kong rumours started going sent fight middle_east fellow muslims ottoman_empire february preparations departure way companies remaining companies scattered confusion british officers barracks killed moved german prisoner war camp killed thirteen camp guards military personnel germans refused join streets singapore killing european civilians encountered mutiny continued nearly days suppressed local volunteer british regular units plus naval detachments allied warships assistance following immediate courts martial total executed transported life imprisoned varying terms later 5th saw service campaign subsequently sent mission men 19th deployed general support known revolutionary organisation led armed conflict soldiers composed austro hungarian prisoners war joined found prison camps closed following february revolution victoria_cross recipients indian soldiers eligible victoria_cross instead received indian order merit older decoration originally set days rule india honour indian recipient victoria_cross conflict went duke october belgium british officer charge detachment having wounded gun action shell wounded remained working gun men gun detachment killed members awarded victoria_cross world war 39th rifles great gallantry night november near france regiment engaged clearing enemy trenches wounded places head arm push round successive traverse face severe fire bombs rifles closest range 34th prince albert victor conspicuous bravery near november entering german destroying traverse face enemy bombs subsequently rescuing heavy fire wounded man lying exposed open rifles december near night attack bruce command small party captured enemy trenches spite severely wounded neck walked trench encouraging men hold counter attacks hours killed fire rifles bombs heavy day disposition example encouragement shown bruce men able hold dusk trench finally captured enemy 51st attached january valley operations captain commanding party dozen attacked surrounded overwhelming force gave order retire escaped sacrificed life attempting effect rescue men lost horse 55th rifles frontier force april belgium led platoon great bravery attack collected parties regiment british officers left kept command retirement ordered displayed great courage day helped carry british indian officers safety exposed heavy fire 15th conspicuous bravery near bombing party men voluntarily undertook duty conveyed supply bombs yards enemy position exceptionally dangerous ground attempts parties failed lieutenant succeeded taking bombs desired position aid men having killed wounded effect purpose swim stream exposed time machine gun rifle fire september france having wounded found wounded soldier line german trench urged save stayed wounded man day night early day weather took german wire leaving place comparative safety returned brought wounded went broad daylight british soldier carrying way enemy fire 41st january finding british officer lying close enemy dragged temporary shelter wounds lance heard calls adjutant lying wounded open enemy yards away insisted going help stripped clothing wounded officer warm stayed dark returned shelter dark carried wounded officer safety returning carried adjutant january ruins captain attended wounded heavy fire conspicuous bravery devotion duty shot arms refused hospital remained long daylight lasted attending duties heavy fire previous actions captain displayed bravery april near khan charge machine gun covering gap new line yards entrenched enemy beat counter attacks worked gun single handed men belt casualties hours held gap heavy fire gun knocked belt held ground rifles ordered withdraw help brought gun ammunition severely wounded man finally remaining arms equipment night november december east france times volunteered carry messages regiment brigade headquarters distance miles open ground heavy fire enemy succeeded time delivering message occasion horse shot compelled finish journey foot 3rd rifles april egypt attack men forward lewis gun intense fire engage enemy machine gun lewis gun team opened fire shot immediately pushed dead man gun opened fire knocked enemy gun crew fire enemy bombers remainder day magnificent work finally assisted covering fire withdrawal enemy close 14th murray september west bank palestine squadron charging strong enemy position realised heavy casualties inflicted small hill occupied machine guns infantry collected ranks entire disregard danger charged captured position mortally wounded hill capturing machine guns single handed guns infantry surrendered died aftermath information world war aftermath list regiments men shortage experienced officers officers having killed wounded war indian government started review military requirements protection internal security priority army india reduced troops indian battalions allocated roles field army infantry divisions cavalry brigades covering troops infantry brigades supporting arms act reserve force case invasion finally internal security troops infantry battalions aid civil power support field army required number cavalry regiments reduced infantry regiments converted large regiments battalions regiment plus training battalion numbered 10th included regiments single battalion regiments disbanded large regiments later disbanded economic reasons 20th burma rifles burma ceased governed india end world war end fighting involved war campaign operations finally outbreak world war operations india gate built commemorates indian soldiers lost lives fighting world war
Indian Army during World War I