CONDITION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS IN BRITISH ARMY AFTER THEY WERE CAPTURED IN THE WAR OF KUT AL AMARA

Year 2019, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 53 - 68, 31.12.2019

Osman Akandere

Abstract

During the First World War, the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire had to
fight many fronts because of its geopolitical importance and breadth of its
territories. One of these fronts was Iraq and specifically in the region of Kut
and Imara. Conflicts in this region changed the course of history. The clashes
here clearly resulted in the victory of the Ottoman forces. The victory of
Kutü'l-Amare, as the Turks call it, was one of the most important victories won
by the Turkish Army during the First World War. Defeating the British Army
which sought to occupy Baghdad not only increased reputation and glory of The
Turkish Army, but also caused losing prestige of the British Army.

The Great Britain, which had emerged from the Industrial Revolution and
gained many colonies, wanted to secure the colonial India where had rich
mineral resources. Therefore, she tried to control the route which was from the
Mediterranean to India. It also known as the “Imperial Road” in 20th century.
In line with these ambitions, she made various plans to occupy to the Ottoman
territories. Indeed, the Persian Gulf was occupied before the Ottoman Empire
entered the war. Accordingly, a division including Indian soldiers were landed
in Bahrain for this purpose in October 1914. Afterwards, she invaded to Basra
and started to move towards Baghdad.

Since Kurna as a strategic place where the Euphrates and the Tigris meet
was seized by the British forces, Süleyman Askeri Bey was sent to Iraq by Enver
Pasha, who was a Minister of War and Deputy Commander, in order to maintain
effective fight against the British and liberate Basra.

Süleyman Askeri Bey, a commander of Iraq, believed the achievement of
unconventional warfare methods. Therefore, he tried to fight against the
British with supports of volunteers of Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa. His attack which was
supported by 10.000 volunteers Arab mujahid to liberate Basra was stopped by
the British forces in January 1915. It was suffered serious casualties. Indeed,
he also was injured. Even though his first attempt was unsuccessful, he began
to preparation to cut return ways of British forces in Kurna and capture Basra.
In April 1915, he started to collect his troops around Nasıriyye in the Valley
of Euphrates. In the meantime, it was received instructions from Istanbul in
order to supply deficient weapons and ammunition from military troops in the
region.

The military landing operation from from the Persian Gulf to the North
resulted in heavy losses in the conflicts in Selman-ı Pak and started rapid
British withdrawal process. The commander of British forces, General Townshend,
retreated 150 kilometers in a week and reached the castle of Kut. British
troops that took refuge in the Kut Castle. The castle was besieged on the 5th
December, 1915.

The Turks besieged the British troops here and forced them to surrender.
There were a total of 13,309 people; 204 Indian officers, 6,988 Indian
privates, 3,248 non-combatant assistants, 5 British generals, 272 British
officers and 2,592 British privates.

The British soldiers, captured by Ottoman soldiers in Kutü’l Amare, were
an Indian division, and most of them were Indian. The population of the Indian
division was 13,309, there were only 2,900 British officers and soldiers. The
rest of them were Indian. Among these Indians, there were about 200 Muslim
soldiers, from Punjab. Some of the Muslim Indian soldiers escaped during  the siege of the Kutü’l Amare and joined the
Turkish Army. some of those who tried to escape to the Turkish side were shot
by the British, and those who were arrested were executed.

On the afternoon of April 29, the Turkish troops under the command of
Major Nazmi Bey sang the national anthems and entered Kutü’l Amare. With the
joy and cheer of the people in Kut town, they raised the Turkish flag to the
government mansion. British soldiers who had undergone individual health
checks, afterwards they were given some food. Turkish soldiers were very kind
and respectful to General Townshend, who surrendered with all his soldiers. His
sword was returned to him, so his military honor was not damaged. Iraqi Group
Commander Halil Pasha himself was very kind to Townshend, shook hands with him
and had lunch together in his tent.

Indian Muslim soldiers in the British Army were reluctant to fight
against the Ottoman Empire, the Muslim Turks, the soldiers of the Caliph in
Iraq. Because there are many holy places for Shiite Muslims in Iraq and these
places are close to the war zone, especially Shiite Muslim Indian soldiers did
not want to fight in this region. In fact, between 1914 and 1916, three Indian
regiments rebelled in order to not fight against the Turks in Iraq. Their
dissatisfaction and reluctance derived from Pan-Islamist propaganda in the
North West India before the war.

The Ottoman Empire kept the officers and soldiers of the allied states
in camps in accordance with the international law. Indian Muslim officers and
soldiers who were taken prisoner in Kutü'l Amare battles due to their religious
identity were treated in a different way. In spite of non-Muslim British
captives and other religions of Indian religions, they were more freed in their
host cities. They were allowed to wander freely in the cities, engage in social
activities and even come together to read the Qur'an and create masjids to worship.
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Mudros Armistice signed on 30
October 1918, British and Indian Muslim prisoners in the hands of the Ottoman
Empire were released and began to return to their countries.

This study focuses on the sixth Indian Division which was taken captive
in Kutü'l Amare and the captivation process of General Townshend and his
British and Indian soldiers. It seeks to put forward the factors affecting the
positive results of the relations of Turks with Indian Muslims at an unusual
time. In this study, memories, secondary sources and archival documents were
used.

Keywords

Kut Al Amara, English forces, Ottoman state, Indian Muslims

KUTÜ’L AMARE’DE ESİR ALINAN İNGİLİZ ORDUSUNDAKİ HİNTLİ MÜSLÜMAN ASKERLERİN DURUMU

Abstract

Birinci
Dünya Savaşı’nda Osmanlı Devleti askerleri, hem jeopolitik hem de sahip olduğu
toprakların genişliği dolayısıyla pek çok cephede savaşmak durumunda kalmıştır.
Kutü’l Amare Zaferi, Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nda Türk Ordusu’nun kazandığı en
önemli muvaffakiyetlerden birisiydi. Bağdat’ı fethetmek için yola çıkan İngiliz
kuvvetlerinin teslim alınması, Türk Ordusu’na itibar ve şan kazandırdığı gibi
İngiliz ordusunun prestij kaybına uğramasına sebep olmuştu.

Kutü’l
Amare muhasarasında teslim olan İngiliz kuvveti; 5 General, 272 İngiliz subayı,
2592 İngiliz eri, 204 Hint subayı, 6988 Hint eri, 3.248 muharip olmayan
yardımcı sınıflardan hizmet erleri olmak üzere toplam 13.309 kişiden
oluşmaktaydı.

Kutü’l
Amare’de esir alınan İngiliz askerleri bir Hint tümeniydi ve askerlerinin çoğu
Hintli idi. 13 bin kişilik Hint tümeninde subay ve er olarak yalnız 2.900
İngiliz vardı. Geri kalanı Hintli idi. Bu Hintliler içerisinde çoğu Pencap
Bölgesi’nden yaklaşık 2.00 Müslüman asker bulunuyordu. Bu Müslüman askerlerden
bazıları Kutü’l Amâre’de muhasara altındayken kaçarak Türk ordusuna katılmıştı.
Kuşatma boyunca bu ilticalar sürmüş, Türk tarafına kaçmaya çalışanlardan
bazıları vurulmuş, yakalananlar idam edilmişti.

Bu
çalışmada temel olarak Kutü’l Amare’de esir alınan İngiliz 6. Hint Tümeni ve bu
tümenin komutanı General Townshend’la beraber esir düşen İngiliz ve Hintli
subay ve erlerin esir alınış süreci ve bilhassa Hintliler arasında bulunan
Müslüman askerlere karşı takip edilen esaret politikası ele alınmış ve
incelenmiştir.

Keywords

Kutü’l Amare, İngiliz Kuvvetleri, Osmanlı Devleti, Hintli Müslüman Askerler, Esaret Politikası

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