Impact of French Culture on Indian Soldiers during the Great War

When the Great War broke out in 1914, India was the first among the colonies to send battle-ready, trained army to Europe. Two Indian divisions arrived in Marseilles from September 26, 1914 onwards. The infantry units were withdrawn from Europe in 1915 and sent to Middle East. Only the cavalry units and some auxiliary units remained in Europe until 1918 and took part in major campaigns there. When the war began, the Indian Army included 152,496 combat soldiers of this 100,000 were classified as coming from Punjab.

Since majority of the soldiers came from province of Punjab, they were able to experience the rich culture of Europe, which had a major impact on their life. They brought back new ideas to their homeland, culminating in changes to their lifestyle and social customs.

The Punjabi soldier spent comparatively more time in France than in England. They experienced the French culture and were impressed by their distinct customs and social interactions. Fewer Punjabi soldiers had the opportunity to see England because the wounded soldiers were confined to hospitals or their environs in Brighton, Brockenhurst or Milton. As patients, they were mainly treated and cared for by the British; however, they were restricted in their movements and spent most of their time in the precincts of the hospitals.

Punjabi soldiers wrote back home to their families from France with favourable comments and enthusiastic description of the place. They would refer to France as ‘Paradise’ in their letters. When the soldiers arrived in Marseilles, France, they were given a heroes’ welcome, were greeted by the crowd, who chanted ‘vive la Indi’ (long live India). Throughout the war they came in contact with civilians, who treated them with courtesy, friendliness and as equals. The Indian soldiers would stay in French homes, where they were treated with dignity, like family, offered wine and food that was served to other members of the household. Their welcoming attitude and cordially was heart-warming to the Indian soldiers.

The Punjabi soldiers observed that the French women accepted them on a footing which was friendly and dignified. They wrote of caring and compassionate attitude of the French women to both French and Indian men alike. Some men claimed that French women readily fell in love with them and there was possibility of a few marriages. It would be interesting to investigate how many of these brides actually came back with their husbands to India.

The Punjabi soldier made interesting observation about females in France. They noted the willingness of French women to work hard: perform household chores and agricultural tasks and to carry on bravely despite the absence of or death of their husbands. They were impressed with the education of both men and women, who were knowledgeable and well informed of current affairs.

One Jat soldier wrote the following, “I know well that a woman in our country is of no more value than a pair of shoes, and this is the reason why the people of India are low in the scale… When I look at Europe, I bewail the lot of India. In Europe every one, man and woman, boys and girls, are educated… You ought to educate your girls as well as your boys…”

The soldiers were impressed by the agricultural practices of the French, their comparatively high standard of living, cleanliness, the set pair of goals, the willingness to do menial work and the custom of saying ‘Marci’ (Thanks), by acknowledging their help and good will.

The exposure to French society, its personal relations, its education, its economy and its technology was the factor in the wartime experience which most clearly made Punjabi soldiers to become agents for change in their own society. In 1917, a Jat Risaldar wrote, “My prayer is that you will give up your foolish customs and extravagant expenses and if you love your country you will get others to follow your example.”

Before the cavalry left France in the spring of 1918, a Sikh cavalryman wrote, “If God spares me to return, I intend to start new customs. Look, in our country people ruin themselves over marriages 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… The very best custom in this country is that a man chooses his own wife, and a woman her husband.”

The experience of war and having stayed and lived with the French made a positive impact on the lives of Punjabi soldiers. They seemed to have brought back innovative ideas, made cultural and social changes in their society and paved the way for modernization. This is evident as Punjabis were better educated, successful in agriculture, were economically prosperous and had a modern outlook to life.

Based on the Essay “An Historical Study of the Punjabi Soldier in World War I” by DeWitt C. Ellinwood, Jr. from the book ‘Punjab Past and Present — Essays in Honour of Dr. Ganda Singh’ by Harbans Singh and N. Gerald Barrier