The Indian Contingent

Search the Ranks

This database includes 2238 names of soldiers of Force K6. 65 of these are British, 6 are French and 2167 are Indian. One of the British names is a woman. Out of a total of 4227 men in Force K6/The Indian Contingent, this is over half.

If you find something that you think is wrong, please let us know. If you find something that relates to your family, please let us know. And if you have more information, please let us know.

My thanks are due to my daughters Alex and Hannah for helping me type in long lists, and to Omer Tarin in Abbotabad, who went through the whole list with me one evening, pointing out the likely origin of each soldier from their name.

Notes on the data

The information listed in the database is, in most cases, first name and ‘surname’, ser vice number, rank and unit. In some cases such basic information is missing or unclear. In many cases there is additional information in the ‘notes’ field.

Wherever possible I have given the source of the information.

I have generally assumed that any given soldier only had one service number, given to him at time of enrolment. There are a few examples when it is recorded that a sepoy changed his service number, for example Blacksmith Abdullah of 42nd Company changed his number from 740028 to 798984 (DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/5/42). Sometimes service numbers were mis-typed by the unit clerks (who must have been extremely busy) so you will find two numbers for some sepoys. In one case I found two separate men in the Reinforcement Unit (RU) with the same service number: 176838 – Tailor Abdul Ghani and Bootmaker Abdul Razaq.

My assumption is that numbers which are close together means that those men enlisted at the same time and place. There are long sequences of consecutive numbers on the list, for example 180624 -29 and 780951 – 57.

Search the Ranks

  • Forename(s) ?Manda
    Surname
    Service Number 176774
    Rank Driver
    Unit 32 Company
    Notes 29/4/42 to hosp DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Abdulla
    Surname
    Service Number 799217
    Rank Water carrier
    Unit 7 Company
    Notes July 42 posted to RU after 21 days hospital DGIMS 8/9/3/1941
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Service Number 60263
    Rank Saddler
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Service Number 65129
    Rank Carpenter
    Unit 29 Company
    Notes 3/1/42 joined 29 coy from RU DGIMS 8/9/6/41
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Service Number 174896
    Rank Driver
    Unit 3 Company
    Notes July 42 on leave DGIMS 8/9/2/1941
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Service Number 783179
    Rank Driver
    Unit 42 Company
    Notes 20/7/42 on leave DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/5/42
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Service Number 740028 or 798984
    Rank Blacksmith
    Unit 42 Company
    Notes summer 42 to IGH DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/5 14/8/42 to RU from 42 coy after 21 days in hospital DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/42 Sept 42 change of service no DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/5/42
  • Forename(s) Abdullah
    Surname
    Rank Jemadar
    Unit 29 Company
    Notes 2/2/42 joined 3 coy from RU DGIMS 8/9/2/1941 13/10/42 to Rhyl for gala night, IDSM WO 179/5908
  • Forename(s) Abduzar
    Surname
    Service Number 181108
    Rank Driver
    Unit 32 Company
    Notes 14/1/42 3rd class English cert DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Abuzar
    Surname
    Service Number 170781
    Rank Troop Daffadar
    Unit 22 Company A Troop
    Address Hathiya Pain, Bishan Daur, Jhelum (now Dewan e hazoori)
    Notes L/WS/1/1516: "Keen propagandist and praised by Germans for brutality in recruitment. Always considered 100% reliable by Germans. Not known to have committed sexual crimes on prisoners" Wrote to Mrs Bell from Stalag VIIIB Fauji Akhbar 9/8/41 ‘held out for some time before finally yielding to persuasion’ by Germans L/PJ/12/763 F155 DGIMS 8/9/4/41 Stalag 8B, Red Cross 'man of confidence' WO 224/27 father was maula Baksh WO 106/5881
  • Forename(s) Afsar
    Surname
    Service Number 780342
    Rank Driver
    Unit 7 Company
    Notes 9/9/42 to IGH DGIMS 8/9/3/1941
  • Forename(s) Ahmed
    Surname
    Service Number 170178
    Rank Driver
    Unit 29 Company
    Notes Aug 41 to IGH DGIMS 8/9/6/41
  • Forename(s) Akbar
    Surname
    Service Number 175110
    Rank Lance Naik
    Unit 3 Company
    Notes 3/2/42 3rd class English cert DGIMS 8/9/2/1941 14/7/42 prmoted Naik DGIMS 8/9/2/1941 5/8/42 5th NCOs English course DGIMS 8/9/2/1941
  • Forename(s) Alam
    Surname
    Service Number 174952
    Rank Driver
    Unit 42 Company
    Notes 3/8/42 on leave DGIMS 1942/3/4/F/5/42
  • Forename(s) Amir
    Surname
    Service Number 49146
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company B Troop
  • Forename(s) Asghar
    Surname
    Service Number 173674
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company A Troop
  • Forename(s) Ashraf
    Surname
    Service Number 24134
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company D Troop
  • Forename(s) Aurangzeb
    Surname
    Service Number 181367
    Rank Bellows boy
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Address Rawalpindi
    Notes 26/2/40 admitted BMH Marseille from RU WO 167/1435 From Rawalpindi, died 13/3/42 age 18, buried Brecon CWGC died of TB WO 177/2262
  • Forename(s) Azad
    Surname
    Service Number 172319
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company A Troop
  • Forename(s) Aziz-ul-Rahman
    Surname
    Service Number N 1380
    Rank Nursing sepoy
    Unit IHC
    Notes 27/12/39 att BMH Marseille WO 167/1435 2/6/40 transferred to 22 coy
  • Forename(s) Aziza
    Surname
    Service Number 48714 or 38714
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company D Troop
    Notes WO 344/360
  • Forename(s) Babu
    Surname
    Service Number 783159
    Rank Driver
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Bakar
    Surname
    Service Number TB – 24512
    Rank Farrier
    Unit 22 Company
  • Forename(s) Baneres?
    Surname
    Service Number 174763
    Rank Lance Naik
    Notes Dec 1940 Attended MT training course at Perham Down L/WS/1/355 folio 21-22-23
  • Forename(s) Barkhurdar
    Surname
    Service Number 23158
    Rank Daffadar
    Notes 7/4/41 due for promotion, request repat
  • Forename(s) Basanta
    Surname
    Service Number TB 41247
    Rank Sweeper
    Unit 22 Company
    Address Garhshankar city, Hoshiarpur
    Notes Hexley praised him repeatedly Movements of No 22 Animal Transport Company Sept 41 Mrs Bell got letter from him Fauji Akhbar pic 8390
  • Forename(s) Bhag
    Surname
    Service Number 782086
    Rank Driver
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Bhartu
    Surname
    Service Number 175899
    Rank Sweeper
    Unit 25 Company
    Notes 18/8/41 1 week leave DGIMS 8/9/5/41
  • Forename(s) Bhola
    Surname
    Service Number 30343
    Rank Lance Naik
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Bhola
    Surname
    Service Number 171122
    Rank Driver
    Unit 32 Company
    Notes 21/12/42 rejoined from leave DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Boota
    Surname
    Service Number 60269
    Rank Saddler
    Unit 3 Company
    Notes 14/7/42 recommended for Long service and good conduct medal with gratuity WO 179/5881
  • Forename(s) Boota
    Surname
    Service Number 172992
    Rank Driver
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 29893
    Rank Driver
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Notes Sept/Oct 1940 -‘return to the unit requested’ WO 179/5883
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 29949
    Rank Daffadar
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Notes 4/1/43 joined 4-week English course for VCOs and Daffadars WO 179/5881 pic 6209
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 30093
    Rank Lance Naik
    Unit 25 Company
    Notes Received letter from POW camp WO 179/5881 41 3 week PT refresher course 'very good' DGIMS 8/9/5/41
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 52652
    Rank Driver
    Unit 32 Company
    Notes 17/9/42 discharged IGH DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 174774
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company B Troop
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 177253
    Rank Driver
    Unit 22 Company B Troop
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number 780344
    Rank Driver
    Unit 7 Company
    Notes 6/1/42 passed 3rd class English cert DGIMS 8/9/3/1941
  • Forename(s) Bostan
    Surname
    Service Number TB 28644
    Rank Driver
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Notes 2/6/40 transferred to 22 coy
  • Forename(s) Chandki
    Surname
    Service Number 173255
    Rank Sweeper
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Notes 27/12/39 temp att BMH Marseille WO 167/1435
  • Forename(s) Chanoo
    Surname
    Service Number 30163
    Rank Driver
    Unit 29 Company
    Notes 30/9/41 discharged IGH DGIMS 8/9/6/41
  • Forename(s) Chanu
    Surname
    Service Number 174326
    Rank Driver
    Unit 32 Company
    Notes 13/6/42 to hosp, discharged 22/6 DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Chhailu
    Surname
    Service Number 742339
    Rank Water carrier
    Unit 3 Company
    Notes 15/7/42 to IGH DGIMS 8/9/2/1941
  • Forename(s) Chuni
    Surname
    Service Number 63803
    Rank Sweeper
    Unit 29 Company
    Notes April 42 in rear party from Bryngwyn to Nantmor WO 179/5912
  • Forename(s) Dadu
    Surname
    Service Number 64077
    Rank Lance Naik
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Dhari
    Surname
    Service Number 178293
    Rank Sweeper
    Unit Reinforcement Unit
    Notes 31/12/39 posted to 32 coy from RU WO 167/1435 8/6/42 to RU after 21 days in hosp from 32 coy DGIMS 8/9/7/41
  • Forename(s) Dilawar
    Surname
    Service Number 780361
    Rank Driver
    Unit 7 Company
    Notes July 42 on leave DGIMS 8/9/3/1941
  • Forename(s) Dina
    Surname
    Service Number 708408
    Rank Driver
    Unit 3 Company
  • Forename(s) Ditta
    Surname
    Service Number 26781
    Rank Lance Naik
    Unit 22 Company D Troop
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An incredible and important story, finally being told.

- Mishal Husain

The author

Ghee Bowman

Ghee Bowman was born in England in 1961. After careers in the theatre, education and the voluntary sector, he returned to university in 2014. He is married with two grown-up daughters, and lives in Exeter.

‘The Indian Contingent’ is his first book. His father WE Bowman wrote the noted spoof climbing book ‘The Ascent of Rum Doodle’.

Ghee is a story-teller, Quaker and a leader in the Woodcraft Folk, a voluntary youth movement for children and young people.

Acknowledgements

reproduced from the book ‘The Indian Contingent’

This book grew from my PhD at Exeter University, so I should first thank the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership who funded me. My supervisors Gajendra Singh and Padma Anagol gave first-class guidance and advice. Nicola Thomas has been a great encourager. My fellow PhD students have been wonderful: especial mention to Sonia Wigh, Cristina Corti for the maps and Sophy Antrobus for reading my drafts and being a chum. The University Pakistani Society were great for networking and the Digital Humanities Lab helped with digitisation of photos. This book was written on the top floor of the University Library, and all the library staff deserve medals.

I have built this story on the work of archivists and librarians in five countries, who provided access to my bread and butter (original documents) and have been friendly, helpful and supportive. Thanks to all of them, with a special mention to Jo Meacock at the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow.

The Indian Military History Society, through its journal Durbar, was a great source of contacts, and Chris Kempton provided useful input. The ‘Indian Armies of WW2’ Facebook group has answered many questions.

Around the UK I have listened to many stories about the boys of K6. Paritosh Shapland’s story is in many ways at the centre of this book, and he has been very generous with his time and his resources. Yaqub Mirza’s family gave me a great lift right at the end. Betty Cresswell told me of her family’s relationship with Uncle Gian, and kindly shared her photo album with me. The late Giovanna Bloor shared everything she knew. I will cherish the memory of a day spent in her cottage under the Cnicht mountain. Paul Watkins, Mark Ashdown, Geoff Sykes and Trilby Shaw helped me along the way. Hamish Johnston drove me around the Highlands and was a great source of information. Colin Hexley was very generous with material about his father, and Shirley Sutherland introduced me to him and others in Golspie. John Barnes and Peter Wilde in Dornoch, Joan Leed, Donny MacDonald and Marlyn Price in Lairg, Marion Smith, Catriona Spence, David & Sheena Macdougall in Kinlochleven, Stewart Mackenzie, George Milne and Donald Matheson in Loch Ewe were all very helpful and welcoming. In Glasgow, Nadeem Bhatti introduced me to the Colourful Heritage project and its staff Saqib Razzaq, Shazia Durrani and Omar Shaikh. In Woking, Mohammad Zubair gave me one of the best interviews ever, Zafar Iqbal aided my networking, the mosque was very welcoming and Rabyah Khan helped get me started. Katherine Douglass introduced me to the lovely people and the extraordinary story of Etobon.

I stand on the shoulders of giants. Rozina Visram is one such – anyone writing on the South Asian presence in Britain is in her debt. I shared beers and laughs with Lloyd Price, and treasure the friendship we developed in India. Many thanks to Yasmin Khan for writing the foreword.

I am a white British man writing a story about South Asians, which throws open many possibilities of cultural misunderstandings and errors. I am grateful to Sandhya Dave, Nazima Khan and colleagues at the Global Centre in Exeter for giving me confidence and helping me learn to step around a thorny area.

My time in Pakistan would have been fruitless without Major General Shahid Ali Hamid. He offered warmth, hospitality and boundless contacts. I am forever in his debt. My friend Omer Salim Khan (Omer Tarin) was supremely hospitable and generous during my visit to Abbottabad, and even more so afterwards, commenting on the draft manuscript. Jawad Sarwana drove me round Karachi and introduced me to the wide and warm family of General Akbar, and Imran and his daughter Mahin were particularly generous with time and photos. Zeenut Ziad gave me two interviews, when her parrot would let her. Khizar Jawad was incredibly helpful in Lahore. Brigadier Asim Iqbal of the Army Service Corps gave a late rush of help. Above all, Jenny, Marcel and Luqman ensured I had a safe secure base in Islamabad, Sabur was a wonderful fixer who seemed to know everyone in the Potohari villages, Waheed drove us round those villages and Waqar Seyal was a fantastic translator and interpreter. In India, Shachi and Naveen made me welcome and helped me with my first steps in Hindi/Urdu and Rana Chhina at the United Services Institute in Delhi was extremely helpful.

For permission to use quotes, thanks to Hackett Publishing Company for the quotation from Philip Ivanhoe’s translation of Daodejing of Laozi, and to HarperCollins India for the two quotations from Raghu Karnad’s Farthest Field.

I appreciate that I haven’t included all the great stories that I heard during my research. If I’ve missed yours out, apologies. If I haven’t heard it yet, please get in touch. All errors in memory or interpretation are entirely mine.

Three people helped and inspired this writing process. My father Bill Bowman showed the way. Clare Grist Taylor believed in me and this story and gave many practical tips. My editor at The History Press, Simon Wright, was always encouraging, constructive but firm.

Three other people made it possible. My daughters Alex and Hannah helped enter hundreds of names in the database, encouraged me and (in Hannah’s case) did translations from French. Above all, my thanks and love go to my wife Rebecca. She has supported me and fed me all the way through. A wiser partner would be impossible to find.

{

This book needs to be on the national curriculum. The kind of story that brings us together. It would be the perfect tribute to those who fought for our freedom.

- Adil Ray, actor, writer and broadcaster

Force K6

Website credits

Technical consultant
Alex Michel-Bowman

Urdu translation
Waqar Ahmed Seyal

Hindi translation
Sonia Wigh