ties that bind - sep 11

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3. A certain number of temporary but substantive King’s commissions in the Indian Army to selected candidates nominated partly from civil life and partly from the Army. 4. A certain number of King’s commissions to Indians on qualifying as cadets at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. For this purpose ten Indian gentlemen will be nominated annually during the War for cadetships. 53 Eleven commissioned officers were granted the King’s commission shortly afterwards. By 1923, the figure had risen to just twenty three – far short of the 200 that Indians had hoped for. 54 Nonetheless, the First World War was a catalyst for dramatic political and military change in the latter phase of the Raj, speeding up ‘Indianisation’. 55 Supporting the troops: the Indian Comfort Fund There was a clear sense within the Indian Army of the need to show respect and sensitivity for soldiers’ feelings. The men were so far from home that it was important to pay particular consideration to their religious needs. If nothing else, these comforts would help them acclimatise to their new environment faster than would otherwise have been possible. Religious figures therefore featured as much as possible in the regiments, routinely blessing the men, their weapons and colours before battle. Commanding officers also developed close relationships with these religious figures who, although officially acting in only a pastoral capacity, were in fact vital catalysts in maintaining morale and developing inter-regimental solidarity. Nonetheless, arriving in the trenches for the first time was an overwhelming experience. These conditions were exacerbated by an exceptionally sharp winter in 1914, coupled with poorly built trenches that often caved in. The men were also desperately under-equipped, and not suitably clothed for the winter rain, snow storms or icy conditions in which they found themselves. To help Indian soldiers adjust to these demanding conditions, the Indian Soldiers’ Comfort Fund (ISC) – a civilian charity – was established in October 1914 in England to supplement the official military provisions already being made for Indian men. 56 Primarily based in hospitals, the ISC administered care to Indian patients, supplied them with comforts, financial assistance and clothing, while also liaising with German and Ottoman officials when Indian troops were captured and taken as prisoners of war. The fund was led by British officials who had previously served in India, such as Sir John Hewitt, former Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces. He served as chairman of the fund and was supported largely by former members of the Indian Civil Service, as well as Indians living in England. Lord Curzon, a former Viceroy, also supported the initiative by temporarily loaning his London residence to the ISC so they could transform it into their campaign headquarters. They collected donations from the general public, whose assistance helped the Indian Corps in France and Mesopotamia. Around £150,000 was raised through private donations and another £45,000 from businesses – a figure which the historian Gordon Corrigan suggests exceeds £5 million in real terms today. 57 During the first twelve months of conflict, the ISC sent over 78,000 pairs of socks, 12,000 balaclavas, 85,000 handkerchiefs and 850,000 envelopes; along Muslims in the World Wars 53 Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, July 22, 1918, Vol. 108, cc1429-31 54 CAB/24/52, National Archives, London. 55 Pradeep Barua, Gentlemen of the Raj: the Indian Army Officer Corps, 1817-1949 (London, 2003) 56 Papers of the Indian Soldiers Fund established to provide comforts and clothing for Indian troops and prisoners of war in France and Mesopotamia during the First World War, Mss Eur F120, IOR, BL, London. 57 Corrigan, Sepoys in the Trenches, p.199 policyexchange.org.uk | 21
Ties that Bind 58 Ibid. Also see, Mss Eur F120, IOR, BL, London for a more thorough breakdown, although Corrigan consolidates the figures helpfully in his book. 59 Censor of Indian Mails, 1914- 1918, L/MIL/5/828/25, IOR, BL, London 60 Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, May 18, 1915, column 1044 22 | policyexchange.org.uk with 40 gramophones, 130 footballs, 125,000 pounds of sweets and a staggering 22,000,000 cigarettes. 58 As with the preparation of food, special care was taken to ensure that religious artefacts and scriptures were handled in accordance with religious laws. A letter from the ISC to Colonel Strachey at the India Office said: ...we have, during the past few months, received from India very large consignments of religious literature suitable for Mohammedans, for Sikhs and for Hindus......In the case of the Qurans and the Granth Sahibs we took extreme precautions, in connection with the packing of these religious volumes, to ensure the susceptibilities of our Sikh and Mohammedan soldiers should not be offended. For the Qurans we employed the Secretary of the “All India Moslem League” in London, and the Maulvi of the Mosque at Woking, to do the packing and despatch. 59 Muslims were sent copies of the Quran of which there were around 900 in total, along with an additional 1400 extracts of key verses. Sikhs were given copies of their religious books too, as well as a steel bracelet, kara, comb, kirpan, and dagger, khanda – which they are required to wear at all times by Sikh religious law. These items came from Sheffield mills. Much of the money for this came from the ISC fund; but a large part was also donated by leaders from India, such as the Begum of Bhopal. Of course, communal violence was a constant feature of political life in India and the government was concerned that these rivalries might be replicated in military life. According to Gordon Corrigan, proselytising among soldiers was therefore banned and they were not permitted to change religion. Providing for the spiritual welfare of soldiers on the frontlines was not just a cynical ploy to ensure their continued support. The ISC continued to campaign vociferously on behalf of all Indian soldiers – including those captured by the enemy – and was keen to supply them with humanitarian assistance where possible. Lord Curzon raised the question of their treatment in Parliament: We have in this country a Committee, with which I am closely associated – the Indian Soldiers’ Fund – which has raised, and which distributes, large sums of money for the sending out of comforts to our Indian soldiers at the Front and for the relief of the wounded at home. In our efforts to ascertain what we could do for the prisoners, we have since the beginning of the war succeeded in procuring only one list of Indian prisoners from the Prisoners of War Help Committee, a list which contained a little over 300 names. Apart from that we have been dependent entirely upon stray pieces of information which have reached us in letters from officers who are themselves prisoners in different parts of Germany. In such cases – lamentably few, as I admit they are – we have done what we could to send out relief and to provide remittances of money to these unhappy men. [...] surely this obligation is one which ought not to rest on a private Committee, necessarily imperfectly supplied with information, but ought to be undertaken and discharged by the India Office itself. [...]Amid the great issues with which we are dealing this matter may seem of small importance, but in India, it is of great importance indeed. I feel that I may, therefore, in addressing this appeal to the noble Marquess, address it, not merely to his humanitarian instincts, which alone, I think, would impel him to move, but to the larger interests of the State which are directly involved. 60
Page 1 and 2: Ties that Bind How the story of Bri
Page 3 and 4: 2 | policyexchange.org.uk About the
Page 5 and 6: 4 | policyexchange.org.uk Appendix
Page 7 and 8: 6 | policyexchange.org.uk Executive
Page 9 and 10: Ties that Bind 3 See: http://www.cp
Page 11 and 12: Ties that Bind 17 Stolen Valour: Ho
Page 13 and 14: Ties that Bind 12 | policyexchange.
Page 15 and 16: Ties that Bind 27 Omissi, The Sepoy
Page 17 and 18: Ties that Bind 16 | policyexchange.
Page 19 and 20: Ties that Bind 41 Ibid. p.28 42 Ibi
Page 21: Ties that Bind 47 Geoffrey Bennet,
Page 25 and 26: Ties that Bind 64 Punjabi Musalman
Page 27 and 28: Ties that Bind 74 Omissi, Sepoy and
Page 29 and 30: Ties that Bind 84 The Comrade, 7 No
Page 31 and 32: Ties that Bind 90 Ibid, p.5 91 Ibid
Page 33 and 34: Ties that Bind 107 Ibid. 108 Supple
Page 35 and 36: Ties that Bind 128 Ibid. 129 Ibid.
Page 37 and 38: Ties that Bind 146 Ibid., p.90 147
Page 39 and 40: Ties that Bind 159 Punjabi Mahomeda
Page 41 and 42: Ties that Bind 166 Ibid., p.129 167
Page 43 and 44: Ties that Bind 181 CAB/24/54, Natio
Page 45 and 46: Ties that Bind 187 India’s contri
Page 47 and 48: Ties that Bind 191 Judith Brown, Mo
Page 51 and 52: Ties that Bind 211 Ibid, p.55 212 I
Page 53 and 54: Ties that Bind 224 Omissi, Sepoy an
Page 55 and 56: Ties that Bind 238 Ibid, pp.70-72 2
Page 59 and 60: Ties that Bind 265 CAB/66/58/25, Na
Page 61 and 62: 270 The Gallup Coexist Index 2009:
Page 63 and 64: Ties that Bind 278 Note that Al-Muh
Page 65 and 66: Ties that Bind 286 http://www.times
Page 67 and 68: Ties that Bind 299 Hans Wehr, A Dic
Page 69 and 70: Ties that Bind 308 http://www.dohad
Page 71 and 72: Ties that Bind 315 http://web.archi
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Ties that Bind 321 http://web.archi
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Ties that Bind 329 http://www.indep
Page 77 and 78:
Ties that Bind 340 Keynote Address
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Ties that Bind 350 http://www.publi
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Ties that Bind 364 Humayun Ansari,
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Ties that Bind 390 Ibid, p. 49. 391
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Ties that Bind 406 Policy Exchange
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Ties that Bind 419 http://www.musli
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Ties that Bind 435 Ibid., p.606 436
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439 London Gazette, 3 July 1945, ht
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96 | policyexchange.org.uk Bibliogr
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Ties that Bind 98 | policyexchange.
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