Printed leaflet, 'Comforts for our Indian Troops', 1914 (c)

Indian soldiers were serving on the Western Front as early as October 1914. Shortly after the outbreak of war, the Lahore and Meerut infantry divisions of the Indian Army were shipped to Europe. They took part in the fierce fighting around Ypres. The war in France and Belgium was totally different from the fighting they had trained for in India. Many of the Indian troops arrived dressed in lightweight tropical khaki drill - so the cold winter of 1914-15 was particularly tough for them. In response, appeals were launched in Britain to collect warm clothing for the soldiers at the front.

From a collection of papers of the family of General Sir Stanley de Burgh Edwards; mainly letters 1859-1977.