What is the Heliopolis Memorial for Indian soldiers who fought in World War 1?

What is the Heliopolis Memorial for Indian soldiers who fought in World War 1?

Subject :History

Section: World History

Context:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay his respects at the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial in the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt, where the names of nearly 4,000 Indian soldiers who fought in Word War 1 in Egypt and Palestine are commemorated. The Heliopolis Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery also commemorates 1,700 Commonwealth soldiers who died in World War 2.

Significance of Heliopolis war memorial:

• Heliopolis War Cemetery, which includes two relocated memorials – the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial and the Heliopolis (Aden) Memorial, is a war cemetery & memorial in the Heliopolis district of Cairo in Egypt for Commonwealth (Colonial British Empire) personnel of British Indian Army who died in World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII).
• The Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial is part of the larger Heliopolis Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.
  • This memorial commemorates the memory of 3,727 Indian soldiers who died fighting in various campaigns in Egypt and Palestine in the First World War.
• The original Port Tewfik memorial had been unveiled in 1926 and was situated at the entrance to the Suez Canal.
• Port Tewfik is now known as Port Suez. The memorial was destroyed in the Israeli-Egyptian War of 1967 by retreating Egyptian soldiers and a new memorial bearing the names of the Indian soldiers who died in the First World War campaign in Egypt and Palestine was erected in Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in 1980.
• While the original memorial, which comprised a central column and two roaring lions crouching to attack, did not include any names of Indian casualties, these names were made part of the new memorial at Heliopolis.

Role of Indian Army in West Asia in First World War:

• The Indian troops played a key role in securing the Suez Canal in Egypt and in Palestine, where Indian cavalry participated in the Battle of Haifa, commemorated in New Delhi in a war memorial.
• Indian soldiers also played a key role in Mesopotamia in the First World War.
• Indian regiments that are commemorated at the war memorial:
• A large number of Indian Regiments belonging to the Indian Army, as well as to the State Forces of the princely state, are represented in the memorial.
• The regiments are:
  • 42nd Deoli Regiment, 58th Vaughan’s Rifles (Frontier Force), 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles, 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force), 1st Battalion 50th Kumaon Rifles, Jodhpur (Imperial Service) Lancers, 3rd Sappers and Miners and many more.
• Risaldar Badlu Singh, who was awarded the highest British war time gallantry award, Victoria Cross, posthumously, is commemorated at this war memorial. He had died in battle and was cremated in the field.
  • Risaldar Badlu Ram belonged to the 14th (Murray’s) Jat Lancers and was attached with 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) and died fighting on September 13, 1918. The memorial lists him as the son of Lal Singh, of Dhakla, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Punjab.
• The names of some of the personnel who died in this theatre of operations and who are commemorated are:
  • Sepoy Nazara Singh of 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force), son of Mihan Singh, of Sabra, Kasur, Lahore, Punjab.
  • Sepoy Nikka Singh of 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force), son of Nihal Singh, of Nathana, Moga, Ferozepore, Punjab.
  • Havildar Narayan Singh of 1st Battalion 50 Kumaon Rifles, son of Nar Singh, of San, Pithoragarh, Almora, United Provinces.
  • Sepoy Gurcharan of 1st Battalion Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides Infantry (F.F.) (Lumsden’s), son of Isar, of Tia Mal, Dehra, Kangra, Punjab.
  • Sowar Aidan Singh of Jodhpur (Imperial Service) Lancer, son of Ram Singh, of Parhiyaee, Phalodi, Jodhpur, Rajputana.
  • Sapper Bhaguji 3rd Sappers and Miners, son of Mahadeo Kevte, of Mali Wada, Ahmednagar, Bombay.
  • Major Mohammad Yusuf Ali Khan of Patiala (Rajindra) Lancers, son of Maihme Khan, of Mahmad Pur, Nabha, Punjab.