Since 1919, a remarkable collection of books has sat quietly on the shelves of Lahore University in Pakistan. Known as the Punjab Register, these volumes record the wartime service of more than 320,000 Punjabi soldiers who served in the British Army during the First World War.
In all, over 1.4 million men from the Indian subcontinent—today’s India, Pakistan and Bangladesh—served across France, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, East Africa, Palestine and Egypt. Yet thousands of their stories have remained hidden for more than a hundred years. The registers contain nearly 10,000 records of men who were killed or wounded but had never been fully commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Now, in the Commonwealth Graves Commission’s largest update in over 80 years, these invaluable records are being digitised and added to its online database, ensuring that thousands of forgotten soldiers will finally receive the recognition they deserve.
There is also a local connection. Among those recorded is Sepoy Mihan Singh, of Nariala village in Punjab, who was wounded while serving with the 4th Prince Albert Victor’s Rajputs during the Mesopotamian campaign. His great-grandson is Tan Dhesi, Labour MP for Slough since 2017 and current Chair of the Defence Committee.
History is still uncovering forgotten stories – and sometimes, they are much closer to home than we realise.
This is one of the defining images of the Indian Army’s service on the Western Front during the First World War. Photographer: Lt. Ernest Brooks.