Transition: India's Struggle in the World Wars Both With and Against the British

Lalit Khambhayata On 1st September 1939, World War II began with a spat between Germany and Poland. There was no disposal for five years. Then Britain and its allies decided to launch a massive attack. The place of attack was the Normandy coast of France. France was then under German occupation. The attack known as 'Operation Overlord' is well known in history, also known as 'D-Day'. Although not involved in World War II, Indian soldiers fought on the side of the British. Here too the Indian troops were in the field but not with the British but against them. Indian soldiers were there on the side of Germany! Because, those soldiers were members of Azad Hind Army. Army Commander Subhash Chandra Bose signed a treaty with Hitler and sent four and a half thousand soldiers to help him. Few cases of Indian soldiers fighting alongside or on behalf of the British are known in history, but the fact that Indian soldiers fought alongside Germany against the British is almost forgotten. In 2017, a film called 'Dunkirk' came out. There was nothing special to be understood in the film, which presented a chaotic goto in the name of a historical war film, but it was understood that Indian soldiers fought on the 'Dunkirk' front as well. Of course, director Nolan didn't really care about that. Another historical event in which the soldiers of Azad Hind Army fell heavily against the British was in the battles known as 'Battle of Kohima' and 'Battle of Imphal'. The Azad Hind Army was entering India from the northeast along with the Japanese Royal Army. It was calculated that if the British lost there, Delhi would be occupied by Azad Hind Foz. That chapter called 'Battle of Kohima' started on 8th March (1944), ended 80 days later on 18th July. Finally, the Japanese were defeated, so the Azad Hind Army also had to retreat. For the British, not 'Waterloo' or 'Normandy' or 'Battle of Atlantic', but 'Battle of Kohima' was ironclad. * * * While preparations for the Second World War were underway on the European front, the British authorities in India fell into a fund-raising frenzy. Enmity was between European countries (especially between Britain and Germany). India had nothing to do with it. A world war requires money, troops, other help. For that, the then Viceroy of British India, Linlithgow, built the embankment before the water. A bill was passed that the British government would advise the various princely states on what to do in case of war when necessary. It will change the laws of the princely states. The British Parliament can pass any order and the Viceroy can enforce it. The intention was clear that at the time of war, vehicles, grain, money etc. could be sent to the front from India. Even after the start of the war, Linlithgow made an offer, known in history as the 'August Offer', meaning 'You help them now, we will liberate India after the war.' * * * At that time the assembly of kings was known as 'Narendra Mandal'. Many Narendras supported the war even against the will of their people. The intention of a princely state behind this was to ensure that the British did not interfere unnecessarily with their subjects. Then again, someone intended to be good to the British. * * * The Maharao of Kutch sent 400 soldiers to help the British. Maharao Vijayraj Khengar also made a condition that my soldiers would stay away from blows. So those soldiers were assigned other tasks in the war. Like taking care of injured prisoners, standing guard, acting as a guide, doing administrative work etc. For those who are fighting in any war, they have to do many things other than fighting. Ghanshyam Singh Jadeja was the hero of that squad working in Multan. The soldiers of Kutch were tasked with helping Netaji Subhash Bose's Azad Hind Army. The British were basically exploitative minded. In the war, that mentality did not remain without coming out. A Kutch soldier who uttered 'Jai Hind' was punished. Soldiers from Kutch served along the border at Multan (then part of India, now in Pakistan). It was extremely cold here. The British used to punish a soldier who uttered 'Jai Hind' by spending the night in an open shed in winter. If necessary, the work of handling bricks was also assigned in cold, open deal. The soldiers were so respected that they were allowed to write letters. Also, two soldiers named Madhavalal Bhatti and Nur Mohammadbhai were also awarded medals for excellent performance. * * * Weapons are most needed during war. India had to help that too. During the World War, the British urgently needed a 'Torpedo Training School'. A 'torpedo' is a submarine-launched, water-borne weapon designed to blow up a ship floating in water. It can be said to be a type of missile that moves in sea water. It requires training to use. For this, Rosi Bandar near Jamnagar was selected to start the training school. Jam Digvijay Singh of Nawanagar (ie Jamnagar) allocated 30 acres of land for a token rent of one rupee for the school. As per British military tradition, the 'Torpedo' school was started with the name 'HMIS (His Majesty's Indian Ship) Valsura (a fish of the sea)' prefixed with the Queen's name. It was named after the British Queen and the inauguration was entrusted to Jamnagar Maharani Gulabkunwarba. The training school, which opened on 15th December 1942, provided training in the handling of 'torpedoes' as well as how to exchange radio messages in war. The war ended in 1945. The country got independence in 1947. After that, the British were no more. The Government of India took over the military base and renamed it 'INS (Indian Naval Ship) Valsura'. Management handed over to the Navy. Valsura is still there today and houses the Naval Electric School. The hospitality of Jamnagar Maharaj during the Second World War is not unknown now. Germany launched the first invasion of Poland during the World War. Destitute children of Poland wandered from place to place. Digvijay Singh, who had made friends in Poland earlier, gave shelter to 500 Polish children. A special camp was prepared at Balachdi near Jamnagar and the children were kept there. He was taken care of till the end of the war. After the war ended, those children went to their homeland and started institutions including schools in the name of Jamsaheb in Poland to clear the debt of the king. Was there anything left of the First World War? India's freedom struggle intensified during World War II. During the First World War (1914-1918) the situation was somewhat calmer. So even then, many Indian kingdoms sent a large number of soldiers to the European front. The number of those soldiers goes up to lakhs. Apart from the big princely states of the country, the leading princely states of Saurashtra like Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Dhangdhra, Jamnagar, Jasdan, Morbi, Porbandar also shook hands. At that time, the British also gave honorary military positions to many kings, royals, and princes, so that the atmosphere of war was maintained. Also, some royals were true warriors and were ready to fight on any front. Maharani Nandakuvarba of Bhavnagar also started a weekly called 'British and Hindi Vikram' to record the exploits of World War I. Mani Shankar Ratnaji Bhatt (Kant) also wrote regularly in it. Raniba's intention was to get the true information of the war to the people. So this weekly letter was distributed free of cost. In the history of Limbdi state, Dr. Mugatlal Bavisi writes: 'After the outbreak of the First World War, Thakor Dolatsingh ordered the citizens of Limbadi State that as long as the fighting continued, every citizen of the state should pray for the victory of the British in his shrine.' Also, during the war, the king also took care that no pamphlet-newspaper-book was printed against the British government.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Shashi Tharoor in his book 'An Era of Darkness' has given a detailed history of looting by the British. According to it, there were dozens of instances from 1860 to World War II when Indian soldiers were sent to foreign lands for no reason. China (1860), Ethiopia (1867-68), Somalia (1890, 1903-4)… Indian soldiers have also lost their lives fighting for the British.

Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).