Edward VIII visit of India while a Prince: Bombay, Poona, Baroda, Jodhpur and Bikaner (1922)

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The future Edward VIII visits his Empire, with Indian royalty, elephants, palaces and temples.

Ten years after King George V's Coronation Durbar in India, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), extensively toured India and Burma (Myanmar). The Prince of Wales is welcomed at the Gateway of India in Bombay (Mumbai) with a guard of honour, and received by Indian royalty at a durbar. He visits Poona (Pune), the Gaekwad of Baroda, and Rajput royalty in Udaipur, amid spectacular palaces and elephants. He meets the Maharaja of Jodhpur and goes on a pig-sticking hunt; finally, he visits the Maharajah of Bikaner, amid the Camel Corps.

The Prince's India visit seems intended to familiarize him with the outposts of Empire - often more resplendent and exotic than back home - to underline his power over Indian royalty, and get a taste of Indian hospitality. The scenes of pig-sticking and child marriage may be troubling to modern viewers. The intertitles are deferential to British royalty, sometimes with patronizing comments on the natives. This is one of a series of films shot during the tour by George Woods-Taylor; a compilation film was released under the title Our Greatest Ambassador.




India was a major contributor for the Britain in the WW1. Approximately 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in World War One - and more than 74,000 of them lost their lives. Huge supplies were sent to these soldiers fighting for the HM King. During the war, the Indian army fought the German Empire in East Africa and on the Western front. Their divisions were also active in Egypt, Turkey, and Mesopotamia, where they confronted the army of the Ottoman Empire. A part of the army remained in India as a protector of the North West Frontier.



Indian soldiers guarding Baghdad railway station shortly after the city’s capture in March 1917
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46148207

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France 24 documentary on WWI Indian soldiers liberating France

In today's Perspective interview, we sit down with award-winning filmmaker Vijay Singh. His latest movie tells the little-known story of 140,000 Indian soldiers who fought on the Western Front in World War I. The docu-feature tells the story of one French woman who is trying to trace her Indian roots.



Indian cavalry in France, 1914-15



Those who served in the Indian Army and other Indian forces hailed from across Undivided India – including territories that are now in Pakistan and Bangladesh – and also from Nepal. Although more than half the army was drawn from Punjab others came from many ethnic groups and classes, including Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, Jats, Garwhalis, Pathans, Rajputs, Dogras, Gurkhas, Bengalis, Mahars, Kachins and Anglo-Indians.

Indians from the overseas diaspora also served in units of other forces including those of New Zealand and Canada. Indians served at sea and also in the air, in the fledgling flying services. They earned more than 9,200 decorations for bravery including 11 Victoria Crosses.

The CWGC commemorates some 74,000 who lost their lives while serving with Indian forces between 1914 and 1921. Many were cremated in accordance with their faith and their names are inscribed on memorials which can be found from Brighton to Basra, Cape Helles on Gallipoli, to Egypt and eastern Africa.

The Neuve Chapelle Memorial was built by the CWGC on ground where Indians fought in March 1915. It honours the efforts of the Indian Army across the Western Front and commemorates some 4,700 soldiers and labourers who died in France and have no known grave.

The India Gate Memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, stands at the eastern end of the Rajpath in Delhi. As well as serving as a national memorial to all Indian service personnel, it bears the names of 13,300 who died fighting around the North-West Frontier during the Third Afghan War (1920-1) and have no known grave.

The Menin Gate in Ieper, Belgium, bears the names of more than 400 members of Indian forces who died in Flanders and who have no known grave. Each night at 8pm, the Last Post is sounded beneath the memorial in honour of all those who died around Ypres during the war.