Inglorious Muslims of British Army - Part 1

 When I found that Muslims of subcontinent were offered extra seven rupees (100% increase from 7 to 14 Rupees) to fight the World War. It cut deep. For seven rupees in 1942 which equals Rs 23,863 in 2026 is still much less an amount to fight and potentially die for an Empire in foreign lands to liberate them from potential Nazi takeover while these soldiers hailed from enslaved Indian Subcontinent. So what kept them going?

There are strong parallels to our times. What kept me going for two decades? Trivia: I can’t help questioning and I kept getting in trouble for asking these questions. Even the kindest of teachers threw me out of their classes for my questions, no wonder, ‘System’ did the same. So, back in the day, I needed a job for ailing father and four young sisters. Whether I was a patriarch by design or not, it didn’t matter as circumstances made me one from very early age much before my teens. I guess I needed those seven rupees as well. 

But when I delved deeper in to researching the reasons why Muslim Indians opted to go fight in foreign lands for foreign masters, the answer came in a different way, shape and form then my initial skeptic approach thought it to be. 

Total 3 Mn Muslims fought for the Empire in both WWs.

Muslim Punjab Regiment was known as the backbone of British Army. Some of those Muslims are buried in Walkings (UK) and Normandy (France)  Muslim Cemeteries.They took frontlines in Al Amein, while colonial officers commanded from behind. They were vanguard on D Day at Normandy but you only know Inglorious Bastards & Private Ryan because they have been glorified by Hollywood.

On conclusion of war, for The Empire it was liberation & victory celebrations and for Indian Muslims they returned to be slaves again - Did Victoria Cross of Sub Khudadad Khan mean anything to villagers of Dab in Chakwal? Though he became Baba-e-Baluch Regiment later to keep alive the colonial legacy.   

Those fought side by side as Comrades in Burma found their homeland burning in Civil War & at the cusp of division. 

Let’s first look at the numbers:

WWI

400,000 Muslims from subcontinent 1/3 of the 1.5 Mn strong Indian contingent as young as 15 yrs old - child labor was not in fashion then. 

89,000 died, 50,000 injured most bodies never recovered. 

WWII

600,000 to 1,000,000 (one million) Muslim from subcontinent nearly 1/3 of 2.5 Mn

Almost 30,000 died, nearly 100,000 injured & 67,000 taken POWs. 

 Staggering numbers, aren’t they? Apart from few names which is necessity for post war optics like Sub Khudadad Khan, Sepoy Ali Haider of 13 FF and Noor Inayat Khan (Muslim Lady Espionage Officer) who was executed by the German Nazi SS at the Dachua concentration camp on September 13, 1944, shot in the back of the neck after enduring months of brutal torture and solitary confinement by the Gestapo- what a remarkable story; more than hundred thousand Muslims (mostly Punjabis) remain obscure, unrecognised and unsung. 

Question remains- what was their motivation? What kept them going? Now should we revere them? 

Answers in next part. 

Happy Sunday.