Indian Army
The official (British) Indian Army was formed in 1895. Prior to this date there were three separate Presidency armies (which after 1861 were sometimes unofficially referred to as the Indian Army).
Indian Army regiments can be viewed here.
See also
- Armies in India - an overview
- Chronological list of Wars and Campaigns
Records
There are India Office records in the British Library, reference IOR L/MIL/14. The records include Indian Army Records of Service IOR/L/MIL/14/239/1-72481 c1901-1947. The closure period for these files has been set at 75 years from the date of entry of the serviceman/woman into the service. The files are opened on an annual basis. On 1 January 2010, files relating to persons joining the service in 1934 were opened. A complete alphabetical index to the opened files is now available on open access in the Oriental and India Office Collections Reading Room at the British Library
Naval and Military Press has published the Indian Army List 1919, a four-volume comprehensive list of the Indian Army during the Great War. It includes its British officers and gives details of ranks, promotions, background, honours and awards of all who served in India and other theatres
Indian Army Officers 1939-1945 from World War II Unit Histories & Officers
National Army Museum
The National Army Museum in London has the following guide on its website:
- Information Sheet No 1: Researching soldiers of the East India Company’s Armies and the Indian Army.
The collection at the NAM includes the card index by Hodson and Percy Smith which includes details of officers who joined the Indian Army from Sandhurst, warrant officers and some Emergency Commissioned Officers of the Second World War. The NAM collection also includes 3,400 questionnaires completed in the 1960’s, 70s and 80s by former India Army Officers about their careers and families.
External Links
Wikipedia:
- British Indian Army (1895-1947)
- List of Indian Army Regiments 1903
- List of Indian Army Regiments 1922
- Indian Army during World War II
Other:
- Indian Army 1902 orbat.com
- Center for Indian Military History from Orders of Battle(orbat.com) is an index page which has links to articles such as “British-Indian Army: Imperial Service Troops 1888-1918” “Indian Infantry Regiments of World War I: 1st Brahmans through 30th Punjabis “, “Indian Army, 1939” and the “British Indian Army”. The page History also has some links about the Indian Army pre 1947 which do not appear to be included in the previous index page.
- For the King-Emperor The Indian Army during 1901-1939. Photos, histories, profiles etc.
- "British colonial experience in Waziristan and its applicability to current operations" by Matthew W Williams,2005 from Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library
- "The Indian Army in Africa and Asia 1940-1942 Implications for the planning and execution of two nearly- simultaneous campaigns" by Major James Scudieri, 1995 from Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library
- BBC website World War 2 People's War Stories involving the Indian Army and Stories in the Category India
Recommended Reading
- A Matter of honour : an account of the Indian Army, its officers and men. By Philip Mason (London: Cape, 1974) Review in FIBIS Military Reading List
- India’s Army by Donovan Jackson (pub 1940) Review in FIBIS Military Reading List