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Subedar Muhummad Azim Khan (Punjabi Musli, 57th Wilde’s Rifles, 29) to his father Captain Kurban Ali Khan, Khan Bahadur (Rawalpindi District, Punjab) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WW1 soldiers with stretcher (Courtesy: Imperial War Museum) |
[Urdu] Kitchener’s Indian HospitalBrighton 10th June 1915 I now expect to return to the front at any moment, as I am quite recovered. If I return I shall be the only one of the original native officers left. In fact the 57th Regiment exists no longer. There are not thirty men left of the original number.* There is only one British officer left with the Regiment – a lieutenant who has lately come from India. So that until I actually see you again I do not consider myself alive. Do not concern yourself too much about me. I do not think of myself at all now. Fighting is now to me nothing more than an ordinary game. I am never put out. Everything is in the hands of God. As He has kept me in safety so far, so I hope He will continue to do so. The fighting is going on with great violence, more violently than previously. My regiment has been in trenches at Neuve Chapelle for one and a half months. Believe me, there is no doubt [that] this war will last another two years. That power will win which has the longest purse. As our Sirkar is the richest of all, we hope it will win. The news one sees in the papers is not at all true. I see one thing in the Indian newspapers and another in the papers here. The English newspapers are much more reliable and truthful than the Indian. Much light can be gained on the true state of affairs from the newspapers here. It is a great pity that you do not learn the real state of affairs. I will fight to the end for my King, and will have no hesitation in sacrificing my life. * By this stage, his comment would not be much of an exaggeration. Previous Page |
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