Health Effects of WW1

World War One had profound consequences in the health of the troops. There were about 60 million military personnel who went to war between 1914 to 1918. Out of 60 millions - 8 million were killed, 15 million were seriously injured and 7 million were permanently disabled. Germany lost 15.1% of its active male population, Austria-Hungary lost 17.1%, and France lost 10.5%. In Germany civilian deaths were 474,000 due in large part to food shortages and malnutrition.

By the end of the war, famine killed 100,000 people in Lebanon, 5 million to 10 million from Russian famine. By 1922, there were between 4.5 million and 7 million homeless children in Russia as a result of World War I. By 1930s, the northern Chinese city of Harbin had 100,000 Russians and thousands emigrated to France, England, and the United States.

In Australia, the effects of the war on the economy were no less severe. The Australian prime minister, Billy Hughes, wrote to the British prime minister, Lloyd George, "You have assured us that you cannot get better terms. I much regret it, and hope even now that some way may be found of securing agreement for demanding reparation commensurate with the tremendous sacrifices made by the British Empire and her Allies." Australia received ₤5,571,720 war reparations, but the direct cost of the war to Australia had been ₤376,993,052. 416,000 Australians served in the war and 60,000 were killed & 152,000 were wounded.

In 1914, louse-borne epidemic typhus killed 200,000 in Serbia. Russia had about 25 million infections and 3 million deaths from epidemic typhus (1918 to 1922). In 1918, a major influenza epidemic spread around the world and flu pandemic killed at least 50 million people.

Indian Victoria Crosse recipient soldiers - WW1

Indian Victoria Crosse recipient soldiers

 

Name	Unit	Place of Action	Date of Action
Khudadad Khan	129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis	Hollebeke, Belgium	1914
Darwan Negi	39th Garhwal Rifles	Neuve Chapelle, France	1914
Gabar Negi	BB03939th Garhwal Rifles	Neuve Chapelle, France	1915
Mir Dast	55th Coke's Rifles	Wieltje, Belgium	1915
Chatta Singh	Garhwal Rifles	Battle of the Wadi, Mesopotamia	1916
Lala	41st Dogras	El Orah, Mesopotamia	1916
Shahamad Khan	89th Punjab Regiment	Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia	1916
Gobind Singh	Garhwal Rifles	Peizieres, France	1916
Badlu Singh	14th Murray's Jat Lancers	River Jordan, Palestine	1918

WW1 - Indian Soldiers - Manta Singh

Manta Singh was born in the Punjab, northern India. Soon after leaving the school, he joined the 2nd Sikh Royal Infantryin 1907.  By August 1914, when the German army invaded Belgium and France, Manta held the rank of Subedar, and his regiment was part of the Indian Expeditionary Force sent to France

In March 1915 the Allies attacked Neuve-Chapelle and broke through the German front line. On the first day of the battle, British and Indian troops captured the town. British and Indian troops suffered 13,000 casualties in three days fighting. About 20 per cent of the Indian contingent – were killed in heavy fighting, and Manta Singh was injured in action after helping to save the life of an injured officer, Captain Henderson

Manta Singh was sent back to England, to a hospital in Brighton. The doctors told him that he would have to lose both his legs, as they had become infected with gangrene. Manta refused to think about going back to India with no legs – what use would he be to his family? Unfortunately, he died from blood poisoning a few weeks later. He was cremated in a ghat, according to Sikh beliefs.

In the Second World War, the sons of both of Manta Singh and In the Second World War, the sons of Manta Singh and Captain Henderson
served side by side and became lifelong friends served side by side and became lifelong friends.

In 1993 Manta Singh's son, Lt Col Assa Singh Johal, was part of a delegation of the Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association that visited the Indian war memorial at Neuve-Chapelle. Assa Singh said, "It was a moving visit of great sentimental value to us. We were able to remember and pay homage to the fallen in foreign lands."

Indra Lal Roy - Indian Soldier - WW1

Indra Lal Roy was India's only officially accredited air ace of the First World War, destroying 5 aircrafts in 170 hours of flying time, achieving ten 'kills' prior to his death in action in July 1918.

Roy was born in Calcutta on 2 December 1898. He was educated in England and was attending St. Paul's School in Kensington (since 1911) when war broke out in August 1914, then aged just 15.

In April 1917 Roy enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and was given a commission as 2nd Lieutenant on 5 July 1917. Within a week Roy was training at Vendome. Roy was assigned to 56 Squadron at the end of October 1917 after Gunnery practice.

While on a sortie in December 1917 over France and Germany, Indra Lal Roy's aircraft was shot down by Germans in 'No Man's Land'. After lying unconscious for three days, he was picked up by British troops and sent to a British military hospital in France. He was given up for dead and sent to the mortuary. At the mortuary, however, he regained consciousness.

Following a spell of recuperation - during which time he occupied himself sketching aeroplanes, many of which have survived - Roy underwent further remedial training in England. Nevertheless pronounced medically unfit Roy was successful in getting the verdict reversed before returning to France on 19 June 1918.

Assigned to George McElroy's 40 Squadron "Laddie" Roy amassed ten air victories (two shared) in a short period from 6-19 July, including three in a single day in under four hours, 8 July. Three days following his last victory, on 22 July 1918, Roy was killed in action, shot down in flames in the skies above Carvin while fighting German Fokker D.VII aircraft belonging to Jasta 29.

Roy was awarded a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in September 1918. To this date he remains the sole Indian air ace. He is buried at Estvelles Communal Cemetery.

Indra Lal Roy’s nephew Subroto Mukerjee was also a fighter pilot who became the first Indian Chief of Air staff of the Indian Air force.

 

WW1 - Indian Soldier - Badlu Singh

Badlu Singh

 

Badlu Singh was a Hindu Jat born in Dhakla Village, District Haryana, India. He was born on 13^th January 1876 and died in action on 23^rd September 1918

He was a Rissaldar (commander of a risala - mounted troop) in the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, attached to the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)

The 29th Lancers were sent to France, part of the 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division. They served, at times, in the trenches as infantry before being withdrawn to fight in Palestine.

Badlu Singh died in action and he was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. His VC is displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum.
 

"Risaldar Badlu Singh was attached to 29th Lancers when "on the morning of the 23rd September 1918, his squadron charged a strong enemy position on the west bank of the river Jordan, between the river and Kh. es Samariyeh village.

On nearing the position, Risaldar Badlu Singh realised that the squadron was suffering casualties from a small hill on the left front occupied by machine guns and 200 infantry.

Without the slightest hesitation he collected six other ranks and with the greatest dash and total disregard for danger, charged and captured the position, thereby saving very heavy casualties to the squadron.

He was mortally wounded on the very top of the hill when capturing one of the machine guns single handed, but all the machine guns and infantry had surrendered to him before he died.

His valour and initiative were of the highest order."  London Gazette of 27th November, 1918

He was cremated where he fell but his name is inscribed on the Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial in Egypt.

Leigh Memorial Uniting Church - Parramatta

Leigh Church is located in the heart of Parramatta. Leigh Memorial embraces a family and community focused, multicultural and inter-generational approach to worship, with a program that includes morning and evening services and dynamic learning, social and creative opportunities for everyone. Leigh Church is named after the first Methodist minister, The Revd. Samuel Leigh (1785-1852). He arrived in Parramatta in 1815. In 1821, a chapel was opened in Parramatta and a large building was built in 1839.

In 1883 a tender was circulated for the design of the present church, “to have a spire, organ chamber, galleries and two vestries”. The walls were specified to be of brick and stone, the fittings of kauri and the size to accommodate 650 persons. The total cost was not to exceed £5,000. Leigh Memorial Church was opened in 1885. In 1905 the building was modified under the supervision of Messrs.

Leigh Memorial Uniting Church (formerly Methodist)
119 Macquarie Street, Parramatta NSW 2150

Private Roland Walter Lofts - WW1

Roland Walter Lofts was born on 11th November 1898 in Parramatta. He is son of Edwin Arthur and Fanny E Lofts of Harris Street, Granville. Ronald was a draughts man before enlisting at the age of 18. He was enlisted on 17th October 1917. His service number is 4861. He sailed for the front on 19th December 1917 travelling to England via Egypt, Italy and France. After undergoing a period of training in England he went over to France in July and was with his Battalion, the 4th Pioneers, near. Amiens. His parents received word from the military authorities that he had on 8th September severely fractured his ankle. Writing from the Kitchener Hospital, Brighton, Private Lofts informed his people that ‘he was making a good recovery and hoped to be back in France before long'. He served in France and came back to Australia on 5th February 1919.