Contributions of Commonwealth troops in World War One

On 4 August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany. World War One (WWI) was truly the first global conflict and nearly 80 British colonies and dominions – now the Commonwealth – sent soldiers from five different continents: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America.

Over three million soldiers and labourers from the Commonwealth served alongside the British Army in WWI, with the highest total from undivided India (which today comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.)

[Source: The British Empire during World War One, BBC]

Over one million men from ethnic minorities served in World War One.

• Further reading: Imperial War Museum, The role of Empire and Commonwealth troops during the Battle of the Somme

Although soldiers from Commonwealth countries were generally treated well and were allowed to practise their religion and eat according to their beliefs, there were instances of discrimination. For example, the BBC reported that these soldiers were not allowed to train as officers and white English nurses were not allowed to treat Indian soldiers.

Soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment were not given the opportunity to fight as equals alongside white soldiers and their participation was largely limited to ‘labour’ duties.

Units with black soldiers recruited from across the Commonwealth were barred from fighting on the Western Front because of concerns that “allowing colonial soldiers to fight alongside and against white Europeans would undermine British colonial rule.”

After WWI ended, there were inequalities identified in the way in which what is now the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorated the dead of the British Empire. A 2021 report estimated that “between 45,000 and 54,000 casualties (predominantly Indian, East African, West African, Egyptian and Somali personnel) were commemorated unequally” and that “a further 116,000 casualties (predominantly, but not exclusively, East African and Egyptian personnel) but potentially as many as 350,000, were not commemorated by name or possibly not commemorated at all.”

Thousands of soldiers from the Commonwealth were awarded medals for their gallantry in World War One.

Those from the Indian subcontinent won 13,000 medals, including 12 Victoria Crosses, for their actions during WW1.

Men from the West Indies won 81 medals for bravery, whilst 49 were mentioned in despatches.

African troops were awarded 166 decorations for bravery.

• Further reading: Kingston upon Hull War Memorial 1914-1918, The Commonwealth and Ireland during WW1

World War One ended on 11 November 1918, on what is now known as Armistice Day. During the four and a half years of the war, more than 500,000 military personnel from the Commonwealth countries were killed, as well as over 800,000 British personnel. These figures include those who went missing, those who fell in combat, those who succumbed to disease, and accidents, and those who died of their wounds in military hospitals.

India suffered the greatest number of casualties (74,051), followed by Canada (65,003), Australia (62,337), and New Zealand (18,070) and South Africa (11,694).