'Shared history': India, Belgium and the forgotten World War 1 soldiers of Flanders Fields

The gesture is a small, sweet reminder of the ties between the two countries, and of shared history that began more than a century ago in the fields of Flanders Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who is on a three-day official visit to India, had a unique gift planned for his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. It was not an award or an artefact, but chocolate.Indian forces on their way to the Front in Flanders. (Indian Embassy in Brussels)The gesture was a small, sweet reminder of the ties between the two countries — and of a shared history that began more than a century ago on the battlefields of Flanders.During a media briefing, De Wever said he had planned to present Modi with a fitting gift — a sculpture of India Gate made entirely out of the finest Belgian chocolate. However, the sculpture did not survive the journey to India.“I had actually planned to present to Prime Minister Modi a fitting gift — a sculpture of India Gate entirely made out of the best Belgian chocolates. But unlike the real India Gate, which has stood for almost a century, the chocolate version didn't even survive the journey to India,” he said.“Chocolate is excellent for diplomacy, but not excellent for diplomatic travel, we noticed. But no worries, we have a backup in Belgium, and one way or another, I will get it to Prime Minister Modi in one piece,” he added.De Wever said he chose India Gate “deliberately” because it symbolises the shared history between India and Belgium and carries a “deep message”.Indian Army in the Ypres Salient - World War – I (1914-1918)More than a century ago, soldiers from India travelled thousands of miles to fight and die on Belgian soil. Their story is carved into the stone of Ypres and Neuve-Chapelle — and remains part of the shared memory of two continents.When the First World War erupted in the summer of 1914, the Western Front quickly descended into a stalemate of trenches, mud and machine guns. With British forces suffering heavy losses, Britain turned to troops from across its empire for reinforcements.Indian forces on their way to the Front in Flanders. (Indian Embassy in Brussels)August 6, 1914 - the day it all beganThe Indian Army’s involvement on the Western Front began on August 6, 1914, when the War Council in London requested two infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade from the Viceroy’s government, initially to be sent to Egypt.However, on August 27, the British government decided that the Indian divisions should be sent immediately to France, as the British Expeditionary Force continued to suffer heavy losses following the Battle of Mons.According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, about 138,000 soldiers from India were sent to Europe during the war, with many deployed in the Ypres Salient and at Neuve-Chapelle in France in 1914-15.The Indian Corps was subsequently formed, comprising two infantry divisions — the Lahore Division (3rd Indian Division) and the Meerut Division (7th Indian Division). The Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade was added later.Also Read: After 2 atomic bombings and a WWII radio message, Japan surrendered in 23 minutesThe Lahore Division landed at Marseille in late September 1914 and travelled north through Orléans. For many Indian soldiers, Europe was a completely new and unfamiliar environment. The French population nevertheless greeted them warmly, although language and cultural differences made communication difficult.Indian soldiers arriving on double –decker buses (Indian Embassy in Brussels)On October 22, 1914, the Ferozepore Brigade entered the trenches of the Ypres Salient. The 57th Wilde’s Rifles was the first Indian battalion deployed into battle. On the same day, the first Indian casualty of the war on the Western Front was recorded: Naik Laturia of the 57th Wilde’s Rifles, son of Phehu of Tikar, Hamirpur, Kangra, Punjab. He is now commemorated at the Menin Gate.More Indian troops continued to arrive. Achiel Van Walleghem, a priest in Dikkebus, recorded in his diary that Indian troops were transported throughout the night of October 22-23 in English double-decker buses.Many of the soldiers had never seen snow and were unprepared for the harsh Flanders winter, where they fought in waterlogged trenches.The losses were severe. In the final two days of October 1914, the 57th Wilde’s Rifles lost 300 of its 750 men, who were killed, wounded or taken prisoner.Indian soldiers trying to keep warm in their trenches, winter 1914 (Indian Embassy in Brussels)Second battle of YpresIn April 1915, German forces prepared a new offensive at Ypres using chlorine gas. The Second Battle of Ypres began on April 22, 1915, with Indian units among those holding the line during some of the first large-scale gas attacks of the war.On April 23, the First Army, to which the Indian Corps belonged, was ordered to prepare the Lahore Division for movement.The Indian troops were exhausted after marching for 24 hours through a sometimes hilly landscape along cobbled roads made slippery by rain. They were given only a short break at Boeschepe, near the French-Belgian border.The Lahore Division, which had come under the command of the British Second Army led by Horace Smith-Dorrien, was warned about the use of chemical gas. Soldiers were advised to place a handkerchief or flannel over their mouths, with instructions recommending that the cloth be soaked in urine.Indian soldiers wearing gas masks, September 1915 (Indian Embassy in Brussels)Departure of the Indian CorpsAfter the departure of the Indian Corps in 1915, Indian troops were no longer present in large numbers on the Western Front. However, Indian units continued to appear in Flanders from time to time until the end of the war.The deployment of Indian troops at Ypres in 1914 and 1915 represented a significant sacrifice. For many, it was their first experience of fighting on European soil, in an unfamiliar land and under brutal conditions.In late April 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres, Indian troops were also among the first to be exposed to chemical warfare.The sacrifice of the Indian Corps is commemorated at the Menin Gate in Ypres, where Indian and Belgian histories meet, and at the memorial to Indian soldiers at Neuve-Chapelle.In 2002, at the request of the Government of India, a separate Indian Memorial was erected on the lawn south of the Menin Gate. On March 12, 2011, the original monument was replaced by a replica featuring the Indian national emblem.Menin Gate, Ypres (Indian Embassy in Brussels)More than 9,000 members of the Indian Expeditionary Force died in France and Flanders, from battle injuries as well as the harsh winter conditions they endured.What India Gate representsIndia Gate in New Delhi also carries the memory of the sacrifice made by Indian troops during World War I. It commemorates the thousands of Indian soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the British Indian Army during the war.Names of Indian soldiers on the walls of Menin Gate (L); Indian Memorial at Ypres (R) (Indian Embassy in Brussels)De Wever said the chocolate sculpture was designed to highlight that history.“On the sculpture, the chocolate version, we enlarged a part of the inscription that commemorates Indian soldiers who fought and fell in Flanders Fields during the First World War. More than a century ago, Indian soldiers travelled thousands of miles to fight on Belgian soil, and we have not forgotten this,” he said.“We have not forgotten their courage and their sacrifice. It is a part of our history and of our shared history, and it reminds us that peace can never be taken for granted,” he added.Karishma Ayaldasani is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, where she works with the digital team on fast-moving breaking stories from India and around the world. She enjoys covering national and global news, focusing on delivering updates quickly and clearly so readers can make sense of what’s happening as it unfolds. Comfortable in high-pressure newsroom settings, she regularly contributes to live blogs, explainers and real-time coverage. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the digital team at The Indian Express, worked with the social media team at Firstpost, and spent time as a creative strategist at Clematis Advertising. Outside of work, she likes exploring different art forms and unwinds with music. With over three years of experience in fast-paced newsrooms, she brings curiosity, clarity and consistency to her work.Read MoreWorld War IIndia GateTriviaGet the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.