I've been looking through some of the old topics and I see quite a few posts from people lamenting that their nation's achievements in WW2 are overlooked. As a Canadian, I can certainly sympathize with these sentiments, but for the moment I'd like to discuss another nation whose contribution to Allied victory is perhaps the most overlooked of them all -- India.
India was not a "country" during the war years, per se. Although Congress and the Muslim League had made huge strides towards home rule, she was still more or less under British rule when the war erupted. The Indian army was immediately deployed and soon in action in east and north Africa, and later sent contingents to fight in Italy.
Closer to home, India provided the bulk of British forces fighting the Japanese -- not just on land but also at sea and in the air. Like their British counterparts, Indian troops suffered badly during the retreat through Burma in 1942, and later made up a huge proportion of William Slim's forgotten 14th Army.
Some sepoys, particularly those captured during the disasters of 1942, succumbed to Japanese propaganda about the liberation of Asia and threw in their lot against the British. But these defectors should not overshadow the huge contribution made by India to the defeat of the Axis; by 1945, the Indian forces numbered over 2.5 million, and over 100,000 Indians had been killed or wounded.
India's forgotten contributions
- Wm. Harris
- Member
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- Joined: 04 Mar 2003, 23:10
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Just a quick pointer to Indian Divisions formed in WW2
2nd Infantry served in Iraq from March'42
3rd Infantry served as part of 14th Army against the Japanese
4th Infantry, argueably the most well known of the Indian divisions given it's exploits in N.Africa & Italy, and eventually serving in Greece till 1946
5th Infantry served in East Africa & N Africa before returning via Palestine to India June'42. Served with 14th Army til the war's end
6th Infantry served in Iraq till November'44 where it was disbanded, though it's various Brigades saw action in against the Japanese till the war's end
7th Infantry served on the North West Frontier and with 14th Army.
8th Infantry served in Iraq and Italy, returning to India in July'45
9th Infantry fought against the Japanese with the Division being destroyed with the fall of Singapore in 1941
10th Infantry saw service in Iran,Egypt and Italy before the wars end.
11th Infantry as per 9th Infantry
12th Infantry served in Iran & Iraq only
14th Infantry fought soley against the Japanese
17th Infantry served within 14th Army for the whole war
19th Infantry served within 14th Army for the whole war
20th Infantry served soley against the Japanese
21st Infantry, formed as a ghost division for 44th Indian Armoured Division
23rd Infantry served solely against the Japanese
25th Infantry served in 14th Army
26th Infantry served in 14th Army
39th Infantry, known as Burdiv for it's actions in Burma during 1942, it became a training division in 1943
31st Armoured, saw service in Iraq,Syria and Egypt
42nd Armoured, never saw service and was amalgamated with 43rd Armoured to form 44th Armoured
44th Armoured saw service of a kind against the Japanese but mainly in Brigade sized units rather than as a full division. The division was eventually split up into Brigades, whence the 44th Armoured became
44th Airborne Division. This division saw action against the Japanese with it's 50th Parachute Brigade fought at Imphal and made an airborne landing at Rangoon in My 1945
In addition there were a number of Indep Armoured and Infantry Brigades
Andy H
2nd Infantry served in Iraq from March'42
3rd Infantry served as part of 14th Army against the Japanese
4th Infantry, argueably the most well known of the Indian divisions given it's exploits in N.Africa & Italy, and eventually serving in Greece till 1946
5th Infantry served in East Africa & N Africa before returning via Palestine to India June'42. Served with 14th Army til the war's end
6th Infantry served in Iraq till November'44 where it was disbanded, though it's various Brigades saw action in against the Japanese till the war's end
7th Infantry served on the North West Frontier and with 14th Army.
8th Infantry served in Iraq and Italy, returning to India in July'45
9th Infantry fought against the Japanese with the Division being destroyed with the fall of Singapore in 1941
10th Infantry saw service in Iran,Egypt and Italy before the wars end.
11th Infantry as per 9th Infantry
12th Infantry served in Iran & Iraq only
14th Infantry fought soley against the Japanese
17th Infantry served within 14th Army for the whole war
19th Infantry served within 14th Army for the whole war
20th Infantry served soley against the Japanese
21st Infantry, formed as a ghost division for 44th Indian Armoured Division
23rd Infantry served solely against the Japanese
25th Infantry served in 14th Army
26th Infantry served in 14th Army
39th Infantry, known as Burdiv for it's actions in Burma during 1942, it became a training division in 1943
31st Armoured, saw service in Iraq,Syria and Egypt
42nd Armoured, never saw service and was amalgamated with 43rd Armoured to form 44th Armoured
44th Armoured saw service of a kind against the Japanese but mainly in Brigade sized units rather than as a full division. The division was eventually split up into Brigades, whence the 44th Armoured became
44th Airborne Division. This division saw action against the Japanese with it's 50th Parachute Brigade fought at Imphal and made an airborne landing at Rangoon in My 1945
In addition there were a number of Indep Armoured and Infantry Brigades
Andy H