Poignant memorial to the lion-hearted

BANGALORE - BACK & FORTH
Poignant memorial to the lion-hearted
Deccan Herald

The poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote The Charge of the Light Brigade, after the ‘madness of the Crimean War’. He praises the soldiers who fought bravely and nquestioningly. . "Their's not to make reply, Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die."

The defeat and death of Tipu Sultan in the Mysore campaign on 4 May 1799 signaled a major turning point in the history of India. When the East India Company moved to Bangalore in 1803, a slew of employment opportunities attracted local people. A life as a sepoy became easily one of the most sought after career. It meant a guaranteed salary, rations, shelter, and other life-long benefits. However, there was always the danger of being killed in battle.

By the mid-19th century thousands of youngsters were recruited as mercenaries in the John Bull private army. When the Crown took over the reins of power from the Company, the mercenaries became soldiers in the Great Britain and Ireland army. By 1903, they were allotted to brigades and divisions, and deployed in various conflicts. Indian soldiers fought in every major operation in World War I.

Allied forces

In November 1914, for instance, the Allied forces enlisted the British Indian Army in their efforts to halt the Germans in Europe. Later, the same soldiers were diverted to the Middle East to protect the Anglo-Persian Oil Company’s installations in Mesopotamia, the present day Iraq.

Britain was dependent on this oil for its large navy and military machine – more so in the war against the Germans. The Turks however ruled over that ‘land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates’ – something they had done since 1534. Over the years they had dominant control of the oil in the region and their supply. Britain’s earlier attempts to gain control of the Ottoman land and the oil-fields, flopped with horrific consequences. The British army put up its arms in surrender.

It became a matter of honour and challenge for the British generals. It was clear that ‘Johnny Turk had to go, no matter what’. That objective was achieved when regional Commander-in-Chief, Lt Gen Sir Fredrick Stanley Maude came on the scene. The tough and brilliant military man famously changed the Mesopotamian scene within a year to one of victory and celebration.

Clever offensive

In a devilishly clever offensive, that began in December 1916, Sir Fredrick took his men including a large band of efficient and courageous Indians, across the river Tigris. The Turks who had entrenched themselves along the shores were taken by surprise and systematically routed. Soon white flags appeared. The British recaptured Kut-el-Amara, and marched on to take other parts of Mesopotamia including Baghdad, and the oilfields in the area.

Indian troops

According to Memorial Gates Trust, some 6,75,000 Indian fighting troops served in this campaign, as well as hundreds of thousands of auxiliary troops. Without the work of the Indian auxiliaries on the railways, posts and telegraphs, Indian currency and stamps, and other essential services which were available for the campaign, and for everyday living, “the Allied forces would never have enjoyed the victory they achieved”.

Victory had its price. Thousands were killed, hundreds of thousands were wounded and crippled. The dead are remembered today in the many obelisks, cenotaphs, memorials and war monuments that one sees all over India.

In the Bangalore military station there are several such stone monuments with elaborate motifs, flowery writings and regiment names, mascots listing the dead in wars.

A common sight in Bangalore’s downtown area is the impressive monument at the intersection of Brigade and Residency roads. It was erected by the comrade soldiers in memory of the 61st King George’s Own Pioneers, British and Indian Officers, Non Commissioned Officers of the 1st Madras Pioneers for those soldiers who fell in the Great War (1914-18), in East Africa, North West Frontier, Burma, China, and Mesopotamia. There are references to the events at ‘Sholinger, Carnatic, Mysore, Seringapatam, Seetabuldee, Nagpure, Ava, Pegu, Baluchistan, Kilimanjaro, and Kutalamara’. It is a grim, poignant reminder of soldiers who died fighting for a ‘cause’.

The poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote The Charge of the Light Briga de, after the ‘ madness of the Crimean War’ . He praises the soldiers who fought bravely and unquestioningly. . "Their's not to make reply, Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die."