Researching an Indian Soldier Question

[matthew14]

Hey, I just got the victory medal of Sepoy (Private) Muhd Wali, 1109, of the 46th Punjabis Battalion. I am having troubles researching him, due to the lack of info on the Indian Library website. Any tips? Thanks!

[Sepoy]

I am afraid that if he is not a casualty or received a gallantry award, there is very little to be found. There are certainly no service papers available on line for the ordinary rank and file.

It is worth checking the National Archives Medal issue cards (not the Ancestry ones) as there are some Indians included especially if they received General Service Medals for Iraq, Kurdistan etc. They also have the medal rolls for the GSMs etc but these will be one line entries.

Some Indian Army Other rank service papers recently came to light in Pakistan, but apparently are in a very fragile condition. It would be great if someone digitalised these. I am not aware of anyone having any luck finding such paperwork at the Indian National Archives in New Delhi. (If they did, I would be on the plane tomorrow!)

The main resource for Indian records is the Indian Office Library at the British Library in London. They do have some casualty rolls for the Great War listing the wounded etc, but I find the place difficult to work in and their copy charges are very high with no cameras being allowed. To my annoyance their list of Indian POWs at Kut Al Amara had been misplaced or lost when I last visited (I had visited specifically to order a copy of this document!).

It is always worth viewing the war diary at the National Archives to see what the 46th were up to.

Indian Army Officers can be researched using Indian Army Lists of which a few are on line.

Hope this helps

Sepoy

[matthew14]

Thanks. I guess it will remain one of life's greatest mysteries...

[Steven Broomfield]

Until May 1917 the 46th Punjabis were at Nowshera. They then spent a few months on the Frontier in the Derajat Frontier Brigade, before returning to Nowshers.

In Feby 1918 they left Karachi, proceeding to Suez, eventually joining the 30th Brigade of the 10th (British) Division. Returned to Multan in Jany 1919.

(All from Chris Kempton's "Duty & Fidelity").

[Michael Johnson]

The 46th had 126 fatalities, of which 43 were attached to other regiments, including the 26th, 43rd, 51st, 82nd, 93rd. The majority were with the 26th, which suggests that the 46th may have sent a company.

Michael