Researching a Soldier who Served in the Indian Army in the First World War
Below are a series of guides and articles to help you research a soldier who served in the Indian Army during the First World War. Researching an Indian soldier who served in the ranks is very difficult and impossible if you do not know his regimental number. If you know the soldier’s regimental number I’d recommend starting with my guide to Indian First World War medals. My article on Sepoy Wazir Chand shows how a service history can be built up providing some basic facts are known.
Begin with the following Guides
- Indian First World War Medals: A guide to medals awarded to Indians during the First World War.
- Indian Army Ranks: A description of Indian Army ranks.
- Indian War Diaries: How to find the correct war diary for an Indian unit.
- Applications for a Permanent Commission in the Indian Army: How to find an officer’s application for a permanent commission in the Indian Army between 1916 and 1918.
- Indian Army Enlistment Dates: In most cases, especially with infantry and cavalry regiments, if you know a soldier’s regimental you can work out when they joined that unit.
Guides to Indian units which served in the First World War
- Indian Cavalry Regiments of the First World War: A guide to every Indian cavalry regiment which served in the First World War.
- Indian Infantry Regiments of the First World War: A guide to every Indian infantry regiment which served in the First World War.
- Gurkha Regiments of the First World War: A guide to every Indian infantry regiment which served in the First World War.
- Indian Mountain Batteries of the First World War: A guide to every Indian Mountain Battery which served in the First World War. Coming soon!
Guides to Confidential Reports held at the British Library
- Confidential Reports Staff College Camberley: Confidential Reports of British Officers of the Indian Army who successfully passed the Staff College between 1882 and 1909.
- Confidential Reports Indian Labour Corps: Not the reports themselves but a list of British officers who had reports submitted while serving in France in 1918.
- Confidential Reports Indian Army Clothing Department: Confidential Reports of the British Officers who served with the Indian Army Clothing Department between 1904 and 1916.
Researching those who served in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers
- Particulars of Officers who Served in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers: There are five volumes held at the British Library which contain information for officers who served in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers.
- Indian Army Reserve of Officers Applications 1916 – 1918: Learn how these important documents held at the British Library can help your research.
- Indian Army Reserve of Officers Wills: The wills of British soldiers who were commissioned into the Indian Army Reserve of Officers are held at the British Library.
The following guides will help you to find even more information
- Indian Army Abbreviations and Acronyms: A list of the most common abbreviations relating to the Indian Army during the First World War.
- The Indian Army List: Learn how to use the Indian Army List to research either a British or Indian officer, or British Warrant Officer who served in the Indian Army. Also my guide to the Imperial Service Troops Army List for Indian officers who served with the Princely States.
- Sepoy Wazir Chand: The life and death of a Sepoy in the 20th Punjabis in Mesopotamia during the First World War. An example of how you can use a handful of known facts to build up a service history of an Indian soldier.
- Books about the Indian Army: A selection of books I would recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the Indian Army during the First World War.
- Indian Army Distribution Lists: Find out where in India or Burma (Myanmar) an Indian Army unit was stationed during the war.