'57th Rifles - Dogras Rajputh [sic] Fait à Lapunoye', 16 January 1915

Pen and ink with charcoal drawing, heightened with chalk, signed and dated lower left 'P Sarrut 16-1-1915', by Paul Sarrut (1882-1969), 1915.

A group of soldiers of the 57th Wilde's Rifles, part of the 3rd (Lahore) Division. In 1914 the unit included two companies of Dogras as well as two companies each of Pathans, Sikhs and Punjabi Musalmans. In this sketch, one of the sepoys plays a double flute, often played in Rajasthan, which is sometimes called an Algoza.

Paul Sarrut served in the French Army during World War One (1914-1918) and was posted to the British Army as a Military Liaison Officer and interpreter for the French, Indian and British troops on the Western Front.

The 57th Wilde's Rifles formed part of the 7th (Ferozepore) Infantry Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division. The Indian Army Corps started to arrive in Marseille in late September 1914, and from 1 October 1914 Sarrut sketched their arrival, life in camp and departure for the Western Front. In 1915 Sarrut moved up to the front and continued to sketch the Indian soldiers there. The Indian corps was sent to Mesopotamia in November 1915.

After the War, Sarrut had a selection of his drawings engraved and issued as a portfolio, 'British and Indian Troops in Northern France, 70 War Sketches, 1914-1915', published by H Delépine of Arras, France, in about 1920.