Punjab’s former chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh has been commissioned to write a historical account depicting the Indian soldier’s role and contribution during World War One to be published in time for the first centenary of what is accepted as one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.
Roli Books of Delhi has asked Capt. Singh to put together the new book after the success of his latest work on the Anglo-Sikh Wars, The Last Sunset: The Rise & Fall of the Lahore Durbar, which is reportedly already into a fourth reprint ahead of its European release planned in the United Kingdom this September.
Evidently all fired up with the new project, the former chief minister said he has begun research into what he believes will eventually “set the record straight.”
“Tens of thousands of Indians fought the war across Europe as part of the British Indian forces but their contribution was never adequately acknowledged. This is precisely why India, which was then under British colonial occupation, seldom finds mention in currently documented accounts of WW I,” Capt. Singh told this newspaper.
Notably, the British Indian Army comprised 1,61,000 soldiers and a majority of these men saw action in various parts of Europe from 1814 to 1918 when the hostilities in Western Europe ended.
In fact Capt. Singh’s own regiment — the 2nd Sikh — spent the duration of WW I on the battle front in France.
“In fact my paltan (regiment) won its first Victoria Cross in WW I. One of our officers, Lt. G.J. Smythe was decorated for his part in the fighting at Flanders which left over a Million soldiers dead in less than a week,” he said.
“Even though a hundred years have passed, it can never be too late to acknowledge valour. And I intend to ensure that the Indian soldier is respectfully credited,” Capt Singh said.
Besides the Last Sunset, which has now also been translated and slated for an early release in its Punjabi avatar — Aakhri Lamhean di Daastaan: Lahore Durbar di Chadhat te Pattan, Capt. Singh has authored two earlier books on military history — Lest We Forget on the Sikh Regiment and A Ridge Too Far on the 1999 Kargil War.