16.4.2

The Story of Ganga Singh

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The Story of Ganga Singh

Ganga Singh was a Sikh from Punjab who fought in the First World War for the British. He overcame significant adversity and later became the only non-white member of the British War Cabinet.

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Who was Ganga Singh?

  • Ganga Singh was a Sikh from Punjab which was part of British India.
  • He was a descendant of the Rajput royal family and was the first Indian prince to fight for the British Empire overseas.
  • He was an experienced solider and later became the only non-white member of the British War Cabinet.
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Where did Ganga Singh fight?

  • His regiment first arrived from India in Marseilles in August 1914. He offered his services to the British Government following the outbreak of war.
  • He fought in the first Battle of Ypres, a strategic point along the Western front for both armies.
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What does the story of Ganga Singh show?

  • It shows how he was expected to fend for himself and sometimes struggled to understand his officers with the language differences.
    • For example, he was unsure whether another officer had said he was near Paris or Persia at one stage.
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Singh's regiment was poorly equipped

  • The regiment Singh fought in was poorly equipped and did not have any grenades, unlike the Germans facing them.
  • Instead, they had to use makeshift jam jars filled with dynamite.
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Despite adversity, Singh was valuable

  • Despite all the adversity Singh and his regiment faced he was still able to make a valuable contribution to the fighting for the allied armies.
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Singh's legacy

  • Following the Battle of Ypres, Singh was awarded the Indian Order of Merit for his heroic fighting.
  • Once the war had ended Singh was the only Indian to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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