Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-18
ENGLAND'S INDIAN
TROOPS NOTED FOR
STRIKING COURAGE
Will Reinforce British in
France - Complement of
100000 Ready for Serv-
ice.-"Bobs" Praises 10y
atty.

Britain's native forces In India, some
of whom are to be brought to France
to reinforce the British army, number
10000 men, with whom about 10000 white
soldiers are mingled, so that no large
lorce of natives is left alone at any
point. The natives are organized into
forty regiments of cavalry and 154 bat
talions of infantry, each having seven
teen British and sixteen native officers.
The native officers are all company or
squadron officers, the British occupying
the higher positions. Each cavalry regi-
ment is divided into four squadrons, and
each Infantry battalion into four double
companies
AS furtner precoution against native
troops breaking out into mutiny, there
is no native artillery, except twelve
mountain batteries
The backbone of the native army is
composed of Sikhs and Gurkhas, the two
elements favored in recruiting and espe-
cially relied on by the British officers
III the early days the native troops were
mainly Sepoys, from the Hindu prov
ince Of Bengal. 1t was the Sepoys who
mutinied In 1851 and masaacred many
Britons. The Sikhs. who had been con-
quered in the Punjab war only ten years
before helped to subdue the Sepoys at
that time, and have been dependable
troops ever since.
SIkHS NATURAL FIGHTING MEN.
~he Sikhs are generally tall and we'll
built. and natural fighting men. The
Sikh. says the Encyclopedia Britannica.
"is 4 fighting man and his best Qualities
are shown in the army. which IS has
natural pro esson. Hardy. brave ard
slow-Witto d. obedieu. to discipline, at
tacAeu TO iIIS O..IGeEe ..e iudnes .ne uncSL
soldier of the east In victory he retains
his s.eadness, and in defeat he VIII de
al his post Iather than vie d."
There are only 200 uOu Skhs in India
out of the 800 900 900 peop.e there, but
there are 10000 Sikhs in the British army
There Is no Sikh tribe. but the name sig
nities a religion, an offshoot from Brah-
manism dating from the fifteenth CEN
tury. The Sikhs are found in three tribes
In the Punjab and the Northwest Presi-
dency. They are fatalists and their faith
Is a higher type than Brahmanism.
GURKHAs ALL RIFLEMEN.
The Gurkhas are little fellows. but |
splendid fighters as their record in the
Afghan wars will show. They are not
from India proper. but from Nepal, an in !
dependent state in the Himalayas north
east of India. Nepal has been friendly
TO the British for many years and the
Gurkhas are not discouraged from en- /
listing in the British army. Nepal has a |
standing army of her own, $1,000 strong |
There are 20 900 of them in the army of
india, in ten regiments OF two battaIions
Zach. all rifemen. They are the descend
ants OF Brahmans who We're d. WI from
he plains of India by the MOsems CEN
ures ago, and their faith is a form of
The other native troops of India are
picked men from the northern part Of
he country. Those of the south are
10 longer worked with as army male
al. Outside of the Sikhs and Gurkhas
he native regiments are of different
aiths and are brigaded with white
roops.
PRAISED BY ROBERTS.
Lord Roberts, who wrote a book on
'Forty-one Years In India" speaks
lighly OF the native troops as they are
low organized. though he did not think
much OF the SepOys of early days
Il have a thorough belief in and ad-
niration for Gurkhas, Sikhs Dogras,
eajputs Jats and selected Mohometans.
nys "Bobs" in his book II thoroughly
ppreciate their soldierly qualities Bri- /
AIDED with British troops l would be
roud to lead them against any European
nemy"
The Sikhs are especially noted for their
eviction, and one OF them made shield
I his body to save Lord Roberts I'm one
[ the Afghan battles.