20 replies to this topic

[Mithar]

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146

Sant Singh to his wife (from France?) – 18th Sept. 1915

We perish in the desert: you wash yourself and lay in bed. We are trapped in a net of woe, while you go free. Our life is a living death. For what great sin are being punished? Kill us, Oh God, but free us from our pain! We move in agony but never rest. We are slaves of masters who can show no mercy. The bullets fall on us like rain, but dry are our bodies. So we have spent a full year. We cannot write a word. Lice feed upon our flesh: we cannot wait to pick them out. For days we have not washed our faces. We do not change our clothes. Many son’s of mothers lie dead. No one takes any heed. It is God’s will that this is so, and what is written is true. God The Omnipotent plays a game, and men die. Death here is dreadful, but of life there is not the briefest hope.

I think the original in Gurmukhi must have been beautifully written. I wish I could read it in the original.

These letters are wonderful to read. My grand father fought in France and in the middle east during WW1. He was only a teenager at the time. Just wondering, but are these letters available to read in Punjabi? These letters in the form of a Punjabi book would be well received amongst Apne.

So much of History is written in the form of letters. Too bad people don't write letters anymore. emails have taken over. But writing letters was such a beautiful thing. I have preserved so many letters in my family going back to my grand father's time.

[dalsingh101]

Mithar, on 08 September 2011 - 12:45 AM, said:

So much of History is written in the form of letters. Too bad people don't write letters anymore. emails have taken over. But writing letters was such a beautiful thing. I have preserved so many letters in my family going back to my grand father's time.

That's really good. Maybe one day you can publish some of your family history based on these letters? Would be really good to show how concerns may or may have not changed over the generations!

[dalsingh101]

Right. These are the last extracts I’m going to post from the book. As you can tell, it goes a long way in helping us understand what was going on around the soldiers at ground level. Well worth a read.

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Itirza in Hoshiarpur District to Havidar Thuia (Rajput, 38th Dogras) in France – July 1915

In every village the war is the leading topic and chief affair, and you will not meet many men. Wherever you go there are two, three men engaged in recruiting duty. The rains have began and the crops have been sown.

Some marital problems are also evidenced as in these two examples:

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Qasim Khan (Punjabi Musalmaan of 36th Jacob’s Horse) from France to his father in Shahpur District – 7th Dec. 1915

....I am very grateful to you. God prolong your life. But I do not at all like what you say. Now I will tell you – never mind her. Do not think of her anymore. Let people say what they like, but give up thinking about her. If she gives you any further trouble about money, tell her to ask for money from her [new] master. I have nothing to do with it. When anyone asks me, I shall count out payment to them in such sort, that they will remember it all their lives... I shall make a report that he [Nur Khan] has dishonoured me, in that while I was away from here at war, he enticed away my wife and took her to his own house. His motive for doing so was this – that he might at his ease eat the money which is paid for by the government to the wives [of the men on service].

Some wives were unhappy with the absence of their men:

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429

To Dafadat Nasab Ali Khan (Pathan 9th Hodson’s Horse, France) from his wife in Hazara (NWFP)

If you want to keep your izzat then come back here at once; but what you are after is wealth. Have you got anyone except God who can run your house? Then why do you not return? Your mother has gone out of her mind and does not sleep at home, so I am alone all night. The winter and dark nights are ahead now and how can I, a lone women, stay by myself? If you agree, I will go to Darwaja. If you do not answer at once I will go to [illegible] and report the affair to the Officer commanding at the Depot, and you will be sent back with a flea in your ear. I go around begging the neighbours for water and wood, yet you never think if all this. You write that you have been made a lance dafadar. I don’t care a rap if you have been made a dafadar. If you were a man you would understand, but you are no man.

A few letters mention the kindness and stoicism of the French. The emotional reserve demonstrated by French women on the news of the deaths of loved ones must have been striking to the Punjabi men who would have been accustomed to witnessing wild shrieking by womenfolk in reaction to similar news.

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Sher Khan (Punjabi Musalmaan) to Raja Gil Nawaz, BA,LLB (Jhelum) – 9th Jan 1916

I have seen strange things in France. The French are a sympathetic and gracious people. Some time ago we were established for about three months in a village. The house in which I was billeted was the house of a well to do man, but the only occupant was the lady of the house, and she was advanced in years. Her three sons had gone to war. One had been killed, another had been wounded and was in hospital, and the third, at that time was in the trenches. There was no doubt that the lady was much attached to her sons. There are miles of differences between the women of this country and the women of India. During the whole three months, I never once saw this old lady sitting idle, although she belong to a high family. Indeed, during the whole 3 months she ministered to me to such an extent that I cannot adequately describe her [kindness]. Of her own free will she washed my clothes, arranged my bed and polished my boots – for 3 months. She used to wash my bedroom daily with warm water. Every morning she used to prepare and give me a tray with bread, butter milk and coffee......When we had to leave that village the old lady wept on my shoulder. Strange that I had never seen her weeping for her dead son and yet she should weep for me. Moreover, at [our] parting she pressed on me a 5 franc note to meet my expenses en route.


470

Sher Bahadur (Punjabi Musalmaan) to Raja Khan Alim Khan (Shahdara, Delhi) – 17th Jan. 1917 (Urdu)

I have seen such examples of fortitude and bravery amongst the French that I can hardly express myself. I saw one day a peasant ploughing, and a bicycle orderly came up to him and gave him a telegraph and went off. I asked the orderly what he had given him and he said it was a telegram telling him his son had been killed. The old man read the telegram and waited 2 or 3 minutes and then went on ploughing. I have seen many cases in which the old people have lost 3 or 4 sons and yet have remained unshaken by the blow. There is no wild lamentation as with us in the Punjab, nor do they get into the same state as us due to our ignorance.



Major Jivan Singh to his wife in Gurdaspur 7th Feb. 1917 (Urdu)

It is very wrong of you to work yourself up into a state of illness through anxiety for me. Just look at the people here. The women have their husbands killed yet they go on working just as hard as ever. It does one’s heart good to see them . May God teach our women to behave like them! You must let these words sink into your heart, you must be as brave as a man.

[dalsingh101]

This is very interesting Urdu letter sent by a Sikh police inspector in Panjab (Eshar Singh) to Jemandar (junior officer of infantry of cavalry) Jai Singh of the 6th Cavalry in France. It provides a clear insight into just how successfully colonial forces had entwined their own propaganda in relation to some men’s perceptions of the Sikh faith. Remember at this time, the Amrit ceremony used by the British for Sikh recruits interpolated vows of loyalty to the British monarchy. Despite the staggering simple mindedness on display here, it is worth remembering that other Sikh men, such as the Ghaddrites obviously didn’t swallow the imperialist version of Sikh identity.

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222 – From Punjab to France -19th Jan. 1916

We are all thinking of you and this is our prayer in the presence of the Almighty – that the Guru may bring you back with victory. You must know that you are very fortunate in that you have got a chance to defend your country and to serve the British government. You will remember that the British rule was foretold by our true leader Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru. It was established in India only for the protection and help of us Sikhs. It was on the voice of the Guru that the Eternal sent the English here. The blessings which this rule has brought to India is not concealed from you. The rise of the Sikhs is due solely to this power. But for this, the poor Sikhs would have brought their unhappy existence to an end in some crows’ pond [sic]. I shall be very pleased to hear of your valorous deeds. You are a brave soldier. Now it is time to display your manhood. Now is the time for loyalty. You are a true Sikh. By the Guru’s order you must remember the promise of the Almighty, who said:

Recognise the hero in him who fights for his faith; Though cut to pieces he will not quit his ground.
This for Sikhs is a religious war, because the war is directed against the [British] rule which our Guru established.

Contraband drugs seem to have been sought by at least some personnel. A number of letters request narcotics, providing advice on how to successfully hide the substances in packages. Presumably the availability of such substances was not unknown to the soldiers on the receiving end:

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Bir Singh (6th cav. Or 19th Lancers) to Jowala Singh (Ambala District, Panjab) – 28th Jan. 1916 (Urdu)

You say the parcel came back from Bombay. What sort of parcel was it? If you wrote ‘opium’ on it, do not do so again, but put ‘sweets’ or ‘dainties’ on it, and send off the opium. Have no fear; parcels are not opened on the way and cannot be lost. So keep sending the drugs. Let Indar Kaur be the sender. [Omissi makes the comment that this letter was passed which was unusual for requests for drugs, see below]



431

Kartan Singh (6th cav.) in France to Sirdar Ram Rakha Singh (Jullunder) – 6th Nov. 1916 (Urdu)

You say in your letter that the post master of Adampur had taken out some opium. What was the necessity of telling him? You should not have said a word on the subject to him, and should not have mentioned it in your letter. When you send opium you should not mention it, but should say you are sending a preparation for the beard and should send it off secretly. [The advice about the dispatch of opium was deleted from the letter by censors]



177

Naik Sarju (Brahmin) to Halvidar Suchut (Mhow, Indore, Central India); 20th hospital Merrut division. Oct 1915 (Hindi)

Please send me 1 seer of tobacco and in it enclose 5 tolas of charas and 2 tolas of opium. If you can do this, it will be a great favour. [Words deleted]

Open western style relationships witnessed by the soldiers, who were accustomed to the conservative, restricted nature of interactions between genders in Panjab are commented upon a few times. It appears as if some soldiers viewed the practice of choosing one’s own partner favourably as can be seen below.

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Dafadar Chanda Singh (France) to his wife Pertab Kaur in Lahore – 15 Feb. 1916

This [France] is a very fine country. The father and mother invite a visitor to kiss them. If he declines they are offended. Then all the family, men and women, indulge in indecent talk and are very much amused. In the presence of the father, one will say to two others ‘go sleep together’, and they will all laugh. It is indeed a very free and easy country. Nothing is prohibited, whatever may be done. In the presence of a father and brothers one [a man] will catch another [a girl] by the arm and lead her outside. They [the father and brother] will say nothing. They are quite at ease*.

*The censor remarks that the letter portrays a ‘curious picture’ which one may hope is hardly typical. The passage was excised from the letter as being calculated to convey a wrong impression and discredit our allies.


656

Teja Singh (2nd lancers) to Ganga Singh in Sialkot - 6th March 1918

If God spares me to return I intend to start new customs. Look, in our country people ruin themselves over marriage and lawsuits. In this country rich and poor, high and low, go to church together and worship, and there is no distinction between them there. In this country, moreover, people never spend money unnecessarily. In our country, the fools of people spend money for show and they ruin themselves over marriages and law suits. This is all due to ignorance. The very best custom in this country is that a man chooses his own wife, and a women her own husband, and there are no disagreements and troubles after marriage. The same custom used to obtain in our country formerly; but later it was set aside by the intrigues of the Brahmins.


334

Dafadar Teja Singh (9th Hodson’s Horse) to Sirdar Sadu Singh (NWFP) - 26TH June 1916

...As regards marriage, there is affection first between the two parties, who are never less than 18 years of age. After marriage there in never any discord between husband and wife. No man here has the authority to beat his wife. Such injustices occurs in India only. Husband and wife dwell together here in unity.

Maharajah Ranjit Singh’s granddaughter, Sophia, makes contact with the Sikh soldiers:

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Kartar Singh (Milford-on-sea) to Gurdit Singh (Raswind, Punjab) – 24th Feb. 1916

And my friend this is a photo of our King’s granddaughter - he who was king on the Sikhs, Ranjit Singh. She has distributed her photo amongst the Sikh brethren at the depoy [Milford] on the evening of the 23rd Feb. At five o’clock. [written on the back of a photo of a lady friend, signed Sophia A. Duleep Singh, 1916].

Comments about the education and treatment of daughters:

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448
Dafadar Ranji Lal (Jat) to Prem in Rohtak District, Panjab – 26th Nov. 1916 (Urdu)

Grandfather dear, I understand these things perfectly well, though they are still hidden from my revered elders. I know well that a women in our country is of no more value than a pair of shoes and this is the reason why the people are low on the scale. You educated Ramjas, and got him a situation, but you never thought of educating any of the girls. You said to yourself: “Ramjas will be able to help me in my old age, but the girls will get married and leave the house and will not be able to do anything for me.” I should like to write to my wife but she would have to get the letters read by somebody else and all the home secrets would come out. When I look at Europe I bewail the lot of India. In Europe everyone man, women, boy and girl is educated. The men are at the war and the women are doing the work. They write to their husbands and get their answers. You ought to educate your girls as well as your boys and our prosperity will be the better for it.


572
Ressaidar Bishan Singh (Jat) to Choudari Dobi Dyal (Jullunder) 28th Aug. 1917

My prayer to you is that you will give up your foolish customs and extravagant expenses, and if you love your country will get others to follow you example. All our eyes have been opened since we came to this country. There are no beggars and no poor here. The country produces less than ours. Why then are they so much richer? Because they do not waste money on marriages, funerals and birth ceremonies, and do not put jewellery on their children. The children in India go about in ragged, torn clothes and eat bread made of gram, and yet when they are married we spend thousands of rupees on the ceremony. Then comes the money lender with his decree and attaches the property, and we go out and wander about in search of employment to keep us alive. What we have to do is educate our children, and if we do not we are fools, and our children will be fools also. Give up bad customs and value your girls as much as boys.


655
Ishar Singh to Jassu Singh in Ludhiana – 4th March 1918

Do not worry yourself thinking as to how you are to marry the girls. I ask you, why are girls brought into this world? Consider, both girls and boys are brought into the world, and if the girls are neglected or killed off, these families that have boys had better kill them off too! ....Both are of the same value in God’s eyes, and one should devote the same amount of care to their bringing up, and should treat them in precisely the same way.

The lack of literacy and reliance on outsiders to write is mentioned thus:

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452
Jawand Singh to Sirdar Dur Singh (Amritsar) – 3rd Dec 1916

What you say about there being no letter writer handy is in no doubt correct. It is a well known saying that ‘the water carrier is always thirsty and the cobbler, ill shod’. The point is that the school is no more than ten paces from you, and yet you say you cannot find anyone to write a letter!

Some men contracted venereal diseases:

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509
Clerk Bhagat Ram in Jullunder (Hindu Panjabi) to Khan Shirin Khan (Remount Depot, Rouen, France) – 19th April 1917

Do not set your heart on those scentless and artificially lovely flowers [women]and do not become infatuated with their seemingly innocent appearance. Where, in God’s name, can you get in any temperate climate that delightful, beautiful thing which grows in the tropics? There [France] the outward appearance is cold; but within rages a fiery furnace. If you should be scorched in that flame, it would be difficult for you to escape*. But if you should be unfortunate, do not be like that wretched sowar who used to sit near your tent and bewail his condition. Rather, stand in the open, sword in hand, and call everyone to witness what the enemy has done. Do this and then there will be no delay in your getting the Victoria Cross (a cure).

**The French women look attractive, but have venereal diseases. If you catch one it will be hard for you to find a cure.

Sympathy to the Ghaddarites can be detected in this Urdu letter sent by a 3rd year Sikh student in Agra Chank.

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280
Kalwant Singh to Kot Dafadar Ghamand Singh (3rd Skinners Horse) - 2nd April 1916:

A terrible affair has taken place here. The Supplementary Lahore conspiracy case has been decided in a way that spells disaster to the Sikh people*. One hundred of our beloved Sikhs were sentenced to death, and our brother Nand Nir Singh got transportation for life. Now may the Guru help the Sikhs and rescue the drowning ones! It will be a long time before the Sikhs can raise their heads again! [Letter detained]

*The Lahore Conspiracy was an attempt by revolutionaries to subvert the discipline of the Indian army.

Men were under serious pressure to recruit back in Punjab:

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625

Zaildar Jawala Singh (Lyallpur) to Dafadar Kartar Singh (France)

May God grant speedy victory to King George, that the anxiety of hearts may be removed! I am in great trouble. My child of 8 months is dead, and your sister in law is dead, and thirdly I am threatened with dismissal from my position of both zaildar and lumbardar. If my life would depart, that would be the best solution of the difficulty! On the 29th Nov. , the Deputy Commissioner sent for me and gave me a month to finish my recruiting., saying that if I did supply the men in that time I should be dismissed from both my zaildarship and lumderdarship.

[dalsingh101]

Some interesting stats from Omissi’s study:

Indian army recruitment November 18 by province*:


(*These figures appear to refer to the provinces of British India only; but they seem to include recruitment to the Imperial Service Troops, as well as the Indian Army.

Province Combatants Non-combatants Total

Punjab 349,688 97,288 446,976
UP 163,578 117,565 281,143
Madras 51,223 41,117 923,40
Bombay 41,272 30,211 71,483
Bengal 7,117 51,935 59,052
NWFP 32,181 13,050 45,231
Bihar & Orissa 8,576 32,976 41,552
Burma 14,094 4,579 18,673
Assam 942 14,182 15,124
CP 5,376 9,631 15,007
Ajmer-Merwara 7,341 1,632 8,973
Baluchistan 1,761 327 2,088

Total: 683,149 414,493 1,097,642




Recruitment by class, Aug 1914 – Nov 1918


Punjabi Muslims 136,126
Sikhs 88,925
Gurkhas 55,589
Rajputs 49,086
Jats 40,272
Other Hindus 38,546
Hindustani Muslims 36,353
Pathans 27,857
Dogras 23,491
Brahmans 20,382
Ahirs 19,544
Gujars 18,296
Tamils 16,390

(Source VanKoski ‘The Indian Ex-soldier’)

Edited by dalsingh101, 07 October 2011 - 07:56 PM.

[dalsingh101]

When I read this one I can't but help cringe at the overt, unabashed sycophantic, straight simpleminded lullooness on display.......talk about taking the bait. forget the hook, line and sinker......this guys swallowed half the rod as well. What a dick.

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We are all thinking of you and this is our prayer in the presence of the Almighty – that the Guru may bring you back with victory. You must know that you are very fortunate in that you have got a chance to defend your country and to serve the British government. You will remember that the British rule was foretold by our true leader Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru. It was established in India only for the protection and help of us Sikhs. It was on the voice of the Guru that the Eternal sent the English here. The blessings which this rule has brought to India is not concealed from you. The rise of the Sikhs is due solely to this power. But for this, the poor Sikhs would have brought their unhappy existence to an end in some crows’ pond [sic]. I shall be very pleased to hear of your valorous deeds. You are a brave soldier. Now it is time to display your manhood. Now is the time for loyalty. You are a true Sikh. By the Guru’s order you must remember the promise of the Almighty, who said:

Recognise the hero in him who fights for his faith; Though cut to pieces he will not quit his ground.
This for Sikhs is a religious war, because the war is directed against the [British] rule which our Guru established.

Edited by dalsingh101, 05 December 2011 - 03:02 PM.