'Terriers' in India: British Territorials, 1914-19

Join Professor Peter Stanley as he discusses the 50,000 British Territorials who served in India during the First World War.

In 1914, three divisions of Territorials, citizen soldiers, volunteered to go to India to free up the regular garrison for service on the Western Front and at Gallipoli.

These 'Terriers' believed Lord Kitchener had 'promised' that they would later return to Europe to fight the Germans. In fact, many of them remained in India until late 1919. Others went from India to fight the Turks in Aden, Mesopotamia and Palestine, and to fight on India's North-West Frontier.

The service of these 50,000 Territorials, about 15,000 of them from Hampshire, was little-known at the time and soon forgotten.

Professor Stanley shares their story, drawing on previously unused sources in national collections, county archives, regimental records and, above all, their own letters, diaries, memoirs and photograph albums.

The last of the 'Terriers' returned home exactly 100 years ago: it is time to remember their service.

Formerly Principal Historian of the Australian War Memorial, Peter Stanley is one of Australia's most active military-social historians. He is the author of 'Terriers' in India and Research Professor at the University of New South Wales, Canberra.

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