| The Indian Army in the time of the British Raj
(1857–1947)
- See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post-partition) army of
the Republic of India.
Administrative Name
The Indian Army is the name for the Indian Armed forces of that country; the meaning of that name changed over
time:
| 1857–1894 |
The Indian Army meant the "army of the government of India" and included British and Indian (sepoy) units. |
| 1895–1902 |
The Indian Army was a collective term for the armies of the presidencies; the Bengal Army, Madras Army and Bombay
Army. |
| 1903–1947 |
Following Kitchener's reforms:
- The Indian Army was "the force recruited locally and permanently based in India, together with its expatriate
British officers."[1]
- The British Army in India consisted of British Army units posted
to India for a tour of duty, and which would then be posted to other parts of the Empire or back to the UK.
- The Army of India consisted of both the Indian Army and
the British Army in India.
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History
The Indian Army was formed after the Indian Mutiny in 1857 by
the British.
Prior to this time the British East India
Company had their own army units, paid for by their profits.
During the days of British rule, the Indian Army proved a very useful adjunct to British forces not only in India but also in
other places, particularly during World Wars I and II.
Internal Security
North West Frontier
Afghan Wars
see also The Great Game European influence in Afghanistan
World War I
In World War I the Indian Army saw extensive service including:
World War II
During World War II the Indian Army became the largest all-volunteer
force in history, rising to over 2.5 million men in size. These forces included airborne forces. On October 18, 1941 the 151st Parachute Battalion was formed from
soldiers serving in the Indian Army. Later this unit was joined by the 152nd (Indian) and 153rd (Gurkha) Parachute Battalion.
Particularly notable contributions of the Indian Army during that conflict were in the campaigns in Burma, Middle East,Africa, Italy; see also British Eighth Army, First and Second Battles of El Alamein and the Battle of Monte Cassino.
See also the Indian National Army
Post World War II
Following the war, the British formations that had been part of the Army of India were withdrawn. Upon independence the
British Indian Army was split: most units went to the Indian Army,
four Gurkha regiments were transferred to the British Army, (they formed the
Brigade of Gurkhas and were stationed in Malaya,) and the remainder of the army went to the Pakistan Army.
References
- Oxford History of the British Army
External links
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