History
Second World War
Participants
Indian subcontinent
Overview
The Indian subcontinent (present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – henceforth referred to, for convenience, as 'India') contributed the largest volunteer army in history to the Allied cause during the Second World War. Out of a population of some 384 million, over 2.5 million servicemen and women, every one of them a participant by his or her own choice, gave their services.
Most of this mighty number served in the Indian Army – 700,000 of them in the 14th Army in Burma, representing nearly three-quarters of its strength. Indians served in the North African campaign against the Germans, in Eritrea and Abyssinia against the Italians; in the Middle East, Iran and Iraq; in the Far East; in Italy, where they took part in some of the bloodiest fighting at the siege of Monte Cassino and elsewhere.
Many Indians took to the seas – 30,000 joined the Royal Indian Navy, and many thousands served as merchant seamen.
The air service attracted a large number of Indians. 55,000 joined the Royal Indian Air Force as flyers or ground staff, while several enterprising airmen came to Britain to serve with the RAF.
Indian women took part in their hundreds of thousands, either as WRINS (Women's Royal Indian Naval Service) or WACS (Women's Auxiliary Corps: Indian), or as nurses, munitions workers and many other forms of service.
In addition, it is estimated that some 14 million Indians took part in other forms of war work.
The price paid by the Indian subcontinent for its service was heavy. 36,092 volunteers were killed or reported missing. 64,354 were wounded, and almost 80,000 had to endure captivity as prisoners of war.
No fewer than 30 Victoria Crosses – the highest award for bravery and devotion to duty – were awarded to members of the Indian Army.
Around 112,000 Gurkhas from Nepal fought with Allied troops during the Second World War, winning ten Victoria Crosses of which 19 were won by Indians.
