Overview

'Essential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today' Michael Morpurgo 1.5 million Indians fought with the British in the First World War - from Flanders to the African bush and the deserts of the Islamic world, they saved the Allies from defeat in 1914 and were vital to global victory in 1918. Using previously unpublished veteran interviews, this is their story, told as never before.

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9780349141848

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An extremely wide canvas covering not only France and Flanders but also the Middle East and Africa as well as Italy, Romania, Germany and Switzerland... Morton-Jack really gets under the skin of his subject and his narrative is masterful. This is not a book which can easily be put down once started and is a must read for anyone with an interest in the complexities, subtle relationships and contribution of the Indian Empire during the First World War * Bulletin of the Military Historical Society * George Morton-Jack draws on a monumental storehouse of material to recreate the role played by Indian soldiers in the Great War. From the dangerous missions they undertook as double agents to the ordeals they endured as prisoners of war, Morton-Jack shows the Indian soldiers as playing a decisive role in the fortunes of the war * Livemint (India) * A brilliant work of scholarship, and, into the bargain, a very exciting read [with] wonderful photographs and maps. Morton-Jack brilliantly and vividly shows how, in the Great War, Indians . . . probably rescued the whole Allied cause in the west in 1914 . . . Rather than present the Indians at war simply as loyal victims, Morton-Jack is sensitive to the tense, conflicted nature of Indian servicemen's undoubted commitment to the Allied cause * Spiked Review * A splendid book . . . comprehensive and distinctive . . . A multi-layered, rigorously researched and empathetically interpreted account of the Indian contribution to the Great War * Hindustan Times * Magisterial and yet immensely readable . . . George Morton-Jack skilfully presents the reader with the first comprehensive telling of the Indian story and places it in a global context . . . This is the book for anyone interested in an authentic broad-based account of the role played by India and its soldiers in the defining conflict of the twentieth century * India Today * This book is essential for devotees of WWI military history and those fascinated by the complexities of empire * Publishers Weekly * Readable, important, and fills a gap that should have been dealt with long ago -- Professor Sir Michael Howard, author of The First World War One of this year's most enlightening reads . . . Written with brilliant verve from the perspective of the Indian soldier and using almost entirely new information, it fits the Indian experience superbly into the overall Great War narrative -- Andrew Roberts * BBC History * One of the most interesting and informative works yet published on the Indian Army during World War I * History of War * A highly detailed look at India's global effort in their (mostly) patriotic devotion to the empire . . . World War I fans will appreciate the broad look * Kirkus * Fascinating . . . George Morton-Jack writes with the compassionate heart of a poet and the cold eye of a historian seeing the vast canvas of the ages. We owe him gratitude for bringing light to a deserving but neglected part of world history; those of us with an interest in South Asia are forever indebted to him -- Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic studies, American University The Indian Army's role in World War I is perhaps the least understood dimension of that global conflict. Although the centenary of the war sparked off some interest in the stories of these soldiers, there has been no sustained examination of their experiences. Army of Empire fills this void in our historical understanding admirably and comprehensively. Widely researched and vividly written, George Morton-Jack's account of the Indian Army's crucial contribution to the Allied victory is unlikely to be surpassed any time soon -- Srinath Raghavan, author of India's War Fascinating * BBC History Magazine * An outstanding book that brings to life the experiences of Indian soldiers in all of the theatres of WWI, from German colonies in China and Africa to the Middle East and the Western Front. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, George Morton-Jack restores the Indian Army to its rightful place in the history of the Great War -- Eugene Rogan, author of The Fall of the Ottomans Revelatory . . . fluent and colourful . . . This book describes the war as a worldwide conflict involving a million Indian soldiers [and] shows how crucial they were to Allied success -- Andrew Lycett * Telegraph * Absorbing and welcome . . . explores a remarkably diverse fighting force of 1.5 million men of all castes and creeds . . . This book is a fitting testament to the sacrifices they made * Observer * Beautifully written . . . essential to a proper understanding of the war and of our world of today. A much needed book * Michael Morpurgo *

Author Information

George Morton-Jack is a British historian, and he lives in London.

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