THE FORGOTTEN HEROES.

sidewinder

Active member
The Indian Army during World War II in 1939, numbered just under 200,000 menBy the end of the war it would become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men in August 1945. Serving in divisions of infantry, armour and a fledgling airborne force, they fought on three continents in Africa, Europe and Asia.
The Indian Army fought in Ethiopia against the Italian Army, in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia against both the Italian and German Army, and, after the Italian surrender, the German Army in Italy. However the bulk of the Indian Army was committed to the fighting the Japanese Army, first during the defeat in Malaya and the retreat from Burma to the Indian border. Then after resting and refitting the victorious advance back into Burma, part of the largest British Empire army ever formed. These campaigns cost the lives of over 36,000 Indian servicemen, another 34,354 more were wounded, and 67,340 became prisoners of war. Their valour was recognised with the award of 4,000 decorations and 38 members of the Indian Army were recipients of the Victoria Cross or the George CrossThe Indian Army was an experienced force, having fought in the Third Afghan War and two major campaigns in Waziristan, during 1919–1920 and 1936–1939 and in smaller disputes on the North West Frontier since World War I. There was no shortage of manpower to call upon

1940
In May 1940, agreement was reached between the British and Indian governments over the formation of another five infantry and one armoured divisions, which became the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th infantry and the 31st Indian Armoured Divisions. These new divisions were intended to be used in the defence of Malaya (9th Division) and Iraq (6th, 8th and 10th Divisions). The 3rd Indian Motor Brigade, from the armoured division, was to go to Egypt but the formation of the rest of the armoured division was put on hold, because of the shortage of armoured vehicles.
1941
In March 1941, the Indian government revised the defence plan for India. Concerned with what the Japanese were planning and the requirement to replace the divisions sent overseas, seven new armoured regiments and 50 new infantry battalions were needed for five new infantry divisions that were formed: the 14th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 34th and the two armoured formations 32nd Indian Armoured Division and 50th Indian Tank Brigade.
1942
With the previously formed divisions mostly committed overseas in 1942, the army formed another four infantry divisions (23rd, 25th, 28th, 36th) and the 43rd Indian Armoured Division. However events during 1942, and the Japanese conquests meant the 28th division was not formed and the units earmarked for it were used elsewhere. The 36th division uniquely, was created as a British Indian Army formation, but was formed from British brigades that had reached India from the Madagascar campaign and from Britain. The final division formed in 1942 was the 26th Indian Infantry Division, which was hastily formed from the various units in training or stationed near Calcutta.
After the perceived poor performance in battles in Malaya and Burma in 1942, it was decided that the existing infantry divisions were over–mechanized. To counter this the 17th and 39th divisions were selected to become light divisions, of only two brigades which would rely more on animal and four-wheel-drive transport.
By December 1942, agreement was reached that India should become the base for offensive operations. Support should be in place for 34 divisions, which would include two British, one West African, one East African and eleven Indian divisions, and what was left of the Burma Army.
1943
The plans for 1943 included the formation of another infantry division, an airborne division and a heavy armoured brigade. Only the 44th Indian Armoured Division was formed, by amalgamating the 33rd and 43rd armoured divisions. There was a change to the infantry division formation, when they received two extra infantry battalions as divisional troops.
A committee was set up in 1943 to report on the readiness of the army and suggest improvements. Its recommendations were:
The infantry should have first claims on cadet officers and educated recruits, the quality of officers and non commissioned officers (NCO) should be improved and there should be an increase in pay.
Basic training should be increased to nine months followed by two months' specialised jungle training.
The reinforcement system should be improved and drafts should include experienced NCO's
Infantry brigades should include a British, an Indian and a Gurkha battalion.
To assist in the jungle training of the infantry from July 1943, the 14th and 39th divisions were converted to training divisions.The 116th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of 39th Division, provided the specialised jungle conversion training. An infantry battalion would spend from four to six months with the brigade, before being sent to the front to replace a tired battalion in one of the fighting divisions. The brigades and units of the 14th Division provided jungle training for drafts of reinforcements for the Indian battalions already serving on the Burma front.
1944
The planned 44th Indian Airborne Division was finally formed from the 44th Armoured Division, leaving the 31st Armoured as the only armoured division in the army.The infantry division formation was changed again; they were now standardised with three infantry brigades each and three infantry battalions assigned as divisional troops.
The success of the 116th brigade in training for jungle warfare was recognised. From in May 1944, 116th Brigade trained units destined for the Fourteenth Army and 150th Brigade, which was converted from the Risalpur Training Brigade, trained units destined for the Southern Army. The 155th Indian Infantry Brigade was formed to provide training for units destined for the western theatres of war.:salute2:
 
No worries, I don’t mind being one of the mates. I’m not offended at all.


But yes; let’s get back on topic.

sidewinder; what happen after the war to those who had fought against the allies in the German or Japanese army
 
when the world war was coming to its end,at that time India was trying to achieve its long term goal-independence.after the war ended the war veteran's went on to join the national movement.as a matter of fact the Britishers made a promise to Indians before the war started that if India help's them in the war,they will leave India declaring it as independent nation.so,when the war ended all the war veteran's joint the movement against the Britishers.
when India achieved independence many war veteran's went on to join the Indian defense forces.best example is that of Marshal of the Indian air force ARJAN SINGH.the only surviving five star ranked officer in the Indian defense forces He entered the RAF College Cranwell in 1938 and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in December 1939. He led No. 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force into command during the Arakan Campaign in 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1944.
 
Thanks mate for sharing,its really interesting.i think the national movement also correlate with mutiny by navy at mumbai(can't remember date) which eventually led to independence.
 
Thanks mate for sharing,its really interesting.i think the national movement also correlate with mutiny by navy at mumbai(can't remember date) which eventually led to independence.
The Royal Indian Navy mutiny (also called the Bombay Mutiny) encompasses a total strike and subsequent mutiny by Indian sailors of the Royal Indian Navy on board ship and shore establishments at Bombay (Mumbai) harbour on 18 February 1946. From the initial flashpoint in Bombay, the mutiny spread and found support throughout British India, from Karachi to Calcutta and ultimately came to involve 78 ships, 20 shore establishments and 20,000 sailors.
The RIN Mutiny started as a strike by ratings of the Royal Indian Navy on 18 February in protest against general conditions. The immediate issue of the mutiny was conditions and food. By dusk on 19 February, a Naval Central Strike committee was elected.
Leading Signalman M.S Khan and Petty Officer Telegraphist Madan Singh were unanimously elected President and Vice-President respectively. The strike found immense support among the Indian population, already gripped by the stories of the Indian National Army.: The actions of the mutineers was supported by demonstrations which included a one-day general strike in Bombay. The strike spread to other cities, and was joined by the Royal Indian Air Force and local police forces. Naval officers and men began calling themselves the "Indian National Navy" and offered left-handed salutes to British officers. At some places, NCOs in the British Indian Army ignored and defied orders from British superiors. In Madras and Pune, the British garrisons had to face revolts within the ranks of the Indian Army. Widespread rioting took place from Karachi to Calcutta. Notably, the mutinying ships hoisted three flags tied together — those of the Congress, Muslim League, and the Red Flag of the Communist Party of India (CPI), signifying the unity and demarginalisation of communal issues among the mutineers.
The mutiny was called off following a meeting between the President of the Naval Central Strike Committee (NCSC), M. S. Khan, and Vallab Bhai Patel of the Congress, who had been sent to Bombay to settle the crisis. Patel issued a statement calling on the strikers to end their action, which was later echoed by a statement issued in Calcutta by Mohammed Ali Jinnah on behalf of the Muslim League. Under these considerable pressures, the strikers gave way. However, despite assurances of the good services of the Congress and the Muslim League widespread arrests were made. These were followed up by courts martial and large scale dismissals from the service. None of those dismissed were reinstated into either the Indian or Pakistani navies after independence.
 
None of those dismissed were reinstated into either the Indian or Pakistani navies after independence.[/QUOTE]

that's really a shame!
 
In defense forces we have code of conduct or else we can call moral protocol.what these rebellions did was that they broke their code of conduct.around the world every single army ,navy or the air force follow these code of conduct. well chap there is no room for indiscipline.so thats why they were not taken back.
 
AFRICA CAMPAIGN.
just before the declaration of war one Indian infantry brigade was sent to reinforce the British garrison in Egypt. In October 1939, a second brigade was sent and both were grouped together as the 4th Indian Infantry Division. By March 1940, two additional brigades and a divisional headquarters were sent to Egypt which became the 5th Indian Infantry Division.
Operation Compass (4th Indian and 7th Armoured Division) was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War. It resulted in British and Commonwealth forces pushing across a great stretch of Libya and capturing almost all of Cyrenaica, 115,000 Italian soldiers, hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces and more than 1,100 aircraft with very few casualties of their own.


The Allies success against the Italians forced the Germans to reinforce North Africa. The Afrika Corps commanded by Erwin Rommel attacked in March 1941. The 3rd Indian Motor Brigade, fought a delaying battle at Meikili on 6 April, which allowed the 9th Australian Division to safely withdraw to Tobruk.
Operation Battleaxe (4th Indian and 7th Armoured) in June 1941 had the goal of clearing eastern Cyrenaica of German and Italian forces; one of the main benefits of this would be the lifting of the Siege of Tobruk. The operation did not succeed losing over half of their tanks on the first day and only achieved victory at one out of three thrusts. On the second day, they achieved mixed results, being pushed back on their western flank but repelled a significant German counter-attack in their centre. On the third day, the British narrowly avoided outright disaster by successfully withdrawing just prior to a German encircling movement which would have cut them off from retreat.
Operation Crusader (4th Indian, 7th Armoured, 1st South African, 2nd New Zealand and 70th British divisions ) between 18 November–30 December 1941. The initial plan was to destroy the Axis armoured force before advancing its infantry. 7th Armoured were heavily defeated by the Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh. Rommel's subsequent advance of his armoured divisions to the Axis fortress positions on the Egyptian border failed to find the main body of the Allied infantry, which had bypassed the fortresses and headed for Tobruk, so Rommel had to withdraw his armoured units to support the fighting at Tobruk. Despite achieving some tactical successes at Tobruk, the need to preserve his remaining forces prompted Rommel to withdraw his army to the defensive line at Gazala, west of Tobruk, and then all the way back to El Agheila.
4th Division left the desert for Cyprus and Syria in April 1942. By May 1942, their 11th Brigade had returned attached to the 5th Indian fighting south of Tobruk.. Their 5th Brigade returned in June 1942, and fought at Mersa Matruh. The 10th Indian Infantry Division arrived from Syria, in time to take part in the Battle of Gazala May–June 1942, then held the Axis forces for 72 hours, in the First Battle of El Alamein permitting Eighth Army to safely withdraw. HQ 4th Division returned for the Second Battle of El Alamein, holding Ruweisat Ridge at the centre of the Eighth Army's line, made a mock attack and two small raids intended to deflect attention to the centre of the front.
Operation Pugilist (4th Indian, 2nd New Zealand and 50th Northumbrian divisions) was an operation in the Tunisian Campaign The object of was to destroy the Axis forces in the Mareth Line, and to capture Sfax. Pugilist itself was indecisive and failed to make a decisive breakthrough. It did, however, establish an alternative route of attack and thus laid the ground for Supercharge II, an outflanking manoeuvre via the Tebaga Gap.
[edit]East Africa


Indian artillery in action before the capture of Keren in Eritrea: East African Campaign (World War II)
The Italian conquest of British Somaliland started on the 3 August 1940, the 3/15th Punjab Regiment were amongst the forces on hand and the were quickly reinforced from Aden by the 1/2nd Punjab Regiment on the 7 August. After the battle of Tug Argan the British force were forced to withdraw, the 3/15th Punjab forming part of the rearguard. By the 19 August the British and Indian battalions were evacuated to Aden. British ground losses were 38 killed, 102 wounded, and 120 missing, compared to Italian casualties of 465 killed, 1,530 wounded, and 34 missing.
In December 1940, the 4th Indian Infantry Division was rushed from Egypt to join the 5th Indian Infantry Division in the Sudan. From February to April 1941, the Indian 4th and 5th Infantry Divisions took part in the Battle of Keren, By the end of the campaign the Italian forces had been cleared from Eritrea and Abyssinia 220,000 of them becoming prisoners of war.
 
Chicks can be mates as well.

While I think (and have lived that) the same, tell that to 92 of the other chicks.. wives included (with all due respect).

The some females that proved to be mates in my life history I can count on my two hands (but at least that, my male "friends" also only just so make the barrier, most of us will come to a "zilch" count indepüendent from gender). You wil find out about the difference instantly once you encounter yourself in deep **** (the word started with "s" and ended with "t", censoring (stupid from my POV) in place), an event like that will re-arrange your address agenda fairly rapidly (surprises included, at least in my case).

Rattler
 
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1944 japan

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operation crusader

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at keren sector
 
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A scout car crew of 6th Duke of Connaught’s Own Lancers, Indian Armoured Corps, chat with youngsters in San Felice, Italy, during the advance towards the River Sangro.

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Subadar (1st Lieutenant) Subramanian served with the Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners of the Indian Army and became the first Indian to receive the George Cross. He died on 24th June 1944 when he selflessly threw himself over a mine to protect others from the blast. For this act, Subramanian was posthumously awarded the George Cross on 30th June 1944. He was also awarded the India Service Medal.


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Three of the four Engineer brothers who served in the Indian Air Force.

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Indian Officer Cadets Parkash Nanda and Madhav Gururao Bewoor at Sandhurst.
 
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