The Empire at war: British and Indian perceptions of empire in the First World War

Abstract

This thesis discusses the relationship between the British and Indian soldiers in World War One. The first two chapters discuss the British officers. Chapter One shows how British commanding officers viewed the Indian soliders. Chapter Two shows how some lower-ranking British officers, due to combat experience and proximity to the Indian soldiers, changed their perceptions of people from India and the British empire. Chapter Three discusses the reaction of the Indian soldiers to combat in the trenches of the Western Front.