Lord Chelmsford placed before his
Council "in studiously considered outline, a summary of what India has
done during the past two years." Omitting his references to what was
done under Lord Hardinge, as stated above, I may quote from him:
On the outbreak of war, of the 4,598 British officers on the
Indian establishment, 530 who were at home on leave were
detained by the War Office for service in Europe. 2,600
Combatant Officers have been withdrawn from India since the
beginning of the War, excluding those who proceeded on service
with their batteries or regiments. In order to make good these
deficiencies and provide for war wastage the Indian Army
Reserve of Officers was expanded from a total of 40, at which
it stood on the 4th August, 1914, to one of 2,000.
The establishment of Indian units has not only been kept up to
strength, but has been considerably increased. There has been
an augmentation of 20 per cent. in the cavalry and of 40 per
cent. in the infantry, while the number of recruits enlisted
since the beginning of the War is greater than the entire
strength of the Indian Army as it existed on August 4, 1914.
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