Thousands of forgotten Punjabi WW1 soldiers recognised for first time
The update corrects decades-old omissions after researchers traced the soldiers through handwritten registers preserved in Lahore.
- On Monday, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission added 9,909 British Indian Army names to its official casualty records, marking the largest database update in more than eight decades.
- UK-Based Punjab Heritage Association volunteers digitized fragile handwritten registers preserved at the Lahore Museum, uncovering thousands of names previously missing from official commemoration records.
- Most soldiers died from injuries away from the battlefield and were denied war graves status under British Indian Government rules; newly recognized servicemen include about 40 per cent Muslims, around 25 per cent Sikhs, and 25 per cent Hindus.
- Researchers contacted descendants including Sunney Palahey, who discovered his great-grandfather Kesar Singh in the records, while Jasmin Basra identified her great-great-grandfather, creating emotional links to family history.
- Around 1.4 million men from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh served in the British Indian Army during the First World War, and the CWGC update now honors their contribution to the broader history of the British Empire.
14 Articles
14 Articles
9,909 forgotten WWI Indian Soldiers Commemorated in UK - The Tribune
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has added 9,909 men previously omitted from commemoration records, recognising them as casualties of the First World War who died of injuries away from the battlefield.
Thousands of forgotten Punjabi WW1 soldiers recognised for first time in landmark update of war records
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has undertaken its most significant records update in more than eight decades, adding nearly 10,000 British Indian Army soldiers who died during the World War One to its official casualty database.A total of 9,909 servicemen from pre-partition India will now receive formal recognition after researchers uncovered their names in historical documents.The discovery represents the largest expansion of CWGC recor…
The Economic Times
National HeraldThousands of forgotten World War I Indian soldiers commemorated in UK
A research project has officially recognised 9,909 Indian soldiers missing from World War I records. These servicemen from pre-Partition India, who fought for the British Indian Army, were previously uncommemorated due to historical omissions. This initiative, a collaboration between CWGC, UK Punjab Heritage Association, and the University of Greenwich, ensures that the fallen soldiers are now acknowledged.
CWGC adds 9,909 forgotten Indian First World War soldiers to UK records
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has added 9,909 previously unrecorded Indian First World War soldiers to its rolls. The correction addresses a century-old omission and restores recognition to families and shared history.
Forgotten Indian WWI Soldiers Recognised After More Than 80 Years: Report
Nearly 10,000 forgotten Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army in World War I have finally been recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission after more than 80 years, as historic registers in Lahore reveal their names and restore long-denied honour to families across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
