Thanks Rob, another superb article. I do remember my grandfather saying once that they always felt safer if there was a West African unit on their flank or nearby their Battery.
Excellent article Robert explaining the Commonwealth nations contribution to the 14th Army and arguably lessons which NATO could emulate, I have posted the link on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
It’s interesting, isn’t it? My feeling is that actually the Briton and the Indian in India rubbed along pretty well, in what was largely a joint enterprise. Most assumed that independence would come eventually. The noisy indecency clamours of 1942 were a Congress-inspired campaign by a small Cambridge-educated elite to set the terms for independence, not the wish or will of the majority. It is ever thus.
Thanks Pablo. Part of the settlement agreement on independence was an agreement for each country to continue to pay any pensions accrued during military service.
The ultimate DUKE victory. I wonder if in particular The Indian Army knew that (1) it would be easier to see us off the plot than Imperial Japan. And that (2) they knew that we knew the jig was up for empire. As you wrote in A War of Empires “Now the Indian, bending close to an English colonel over a map, straightened and said with a smile “OK George. Thanks. I’ve got it. We’ll take over all tasks at 1800.”
thank you, very detailed and informative. One thing I learned with surprise is that the Gambian forces served during WW2. Which is in my interest because I know the country (you'll find my articles about The Gambia). But have not heard of this fact in the collective memory of the Gambians. I digged further and found a detailed account here, including a personal story of a former soldier who is now over 100 years old and lives in Serekunda. I am curious to know whether Great Britain pays some monthly rent to those veterans. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/11/14/the-last-warrior-of-africas-forgotten-army-gambia-and-wwii
Thanks Rob, another superb article. I do remember my grandfather saying once that they always felt safer if there was a West African unit on their flank or nearby their Battery.
Excellent article Robert explaining the Commonwealth nations contribution to the 14th Army and arguably lessons which NATO could emulate, I have posted the link on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
Thank you David
It’s interesting, isn’t it? My feeling is that actually the Briton and the Indian in India rubbed along pretty well, in what was largely a joint enterprise. Most assumed that independence would come eventually. The noisy indecency clamours of 1942 were a Congress-inspired campaign by a small Cambridge-educated elite to set the terms for independence, not the wish or will of the majority. It is ever thus.
Thanks Pablo. Part of the settlement agreement on independence was an agreement for each country to continue to pay any pensions accrued during military service.
The ultimate DUKE victory. I wonder if in particular The Indian Army knew that (1) it would be easier to see us off the plot than Imperial Japan. And that (2) they knew that we knew the jig was up for empire. As you wrote in A War of Empires “Now the Indian, bending close to an English colonel over a map, straightened and said with a smile “OK George. Thanks. I’ve got it. We’ll take over all tasks at 1800.”
thank you, very detailed and informative. One thing I learned with surprise is that the Gambian forces served during WW2. Which is in my interest because I know the country (you'll find my articles about The Gambia). But have not heard of this fact in the collective memory of the Gambians. I digged further and found a detailed account here, including a personal story of a former soldier who is now over 100 years old and lives in Serekunda. I am curious to know whether Great Britain pays some monthly rent to those veterans. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/11/14/the-last-warrior-of-africas-forgotten-army-gambia-and-wwii