The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-05
INDIAN TROOPS IN EUROPE
Great Britain's Lineup of Rajputs,
Sikhs, Mahrattas and Ghurkas

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many and the importation of French
African troops into the field, have
given amazing aspect TO the inter
national war. Germany now is OPP
posing English, French, Belgians,
Russians, Hindus and Africans.
The remarkably short time after
the beginning Of war in which the
British Indian troops were seen
crossing Canada from the Pacific to
the Atlantic, astonished the Ger
mans. 1t indicated that the Asiatic
soldiers were on their way about the
same instant that war was formally
declared by Great Britain.
England, if necessary can pour in
to France from India, 23S, 900 train
ed men, of which 5000 are trained
British troops. including some of the
| crack regiments of the Royal Army,
the remainder being Indian soldiers,
fit comrades on the firing line of
Frances Rurcos and Spahis.
According to the official figures, the
strength of the Indian army already
on it's way to the front is, infantry
1872 900; cavalry $4,000; artillery,
1000; engineers etc.. 5000.
The main strength of the Indian
army is it's infantry, Brahmans, Raj
puts, Jats, Sikhs, Punjabis, Dogras,
Mahrattas and Ghurkas. of all castles
and several religions, Mohammedan,
| Hindu, Buddhist, all are warriors who
will lay down their lives for the Brit
ish and the dark skinned regiments
of the Indian army are a fighting
force hard to stop.
| Though all arrangements for Of
tense and defense in the present
great war have been kept profoundly
secret, it is probably that the order
to bring the Indian troops to France
was not given without long and care
full thought on the part of the War
Office.
To take the army out of India
would leave that vast empire open to
attack from without and mutiny
from within. There is always talk
of uprisings in India. 1t was finally
decided, though that there was nc
immediate prospect of internal strife
in India, and the lineup of the al
lies made it improbable that any for
eign attack would have to be resist
ed. With Germany as 'Englands on
ly enemy and the Kaiser pretty much
occupied at home and in China with
deemed almost certainty that moth
ing could occur in India that would
require the presence of troops there
Among the most interesting a.
we'll as the most formidable fighting
outfits in the Indian army are tbs
Ghurkas. There are ten regiment
of the Ghurkas rifles. These littl'
fighters who come from the region o
Nepal and trace their descent from
the Rajputs, would rather fight thai
eat. In appearance they are deceiv
ing. They are short stocky littl
men, of somewhat the appearance o
the Japanese, only bit heavier. The
wear perpetual grins on their face
and the grins do not come off whe
l they go into a fight.
II The Ghurkas were conquered
| 1914 by the British after years c
| fighting and have become loyal sui
| jects of England. When the Ghurk
regiments were first made a part {
the Indian army they did not seer
to take we'll to organized method
of warfare. 1t was not until the arm
authorities allowed them to max
their national weapon, the kukri,
long curved knife, part of the
equipment that the Ghurkas regaine
their prestige as fighters. Their il
: structors never could make them us
the bayonet
. In close quarters the Ghurka wi
| throw away his rife and take to h
N knife, which he uses with tellir
u effect. When charged by cavalry tt
Ghurkas stand up and fire at I'll
M horsemen until they come withi
= close range. Then the natives drC
i to the ground. AS the cavalry pass
NJ over them, the little indians are l
j and busily at work harrassing Il
horses and clinging to stirrups, sta
bling the riders
This method of fighting is not u
III liIza Of sT11ranc MI
also play 'possum" when charged
heavier enemy. The Ghurka
like the Scotch Highlanders, use ba
pipes and they carry their pipes wi
them when they go into battle.
If the German infantrymen con
in contact with the Ghurkas, it
likely they will receive the surpri