WWI martyrs: Britain apologises for racism

London, April 22

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Entrenched prejudices, preconceptions and pervasive racism of contemporary imperial attitudes meant that nearly 50,000 Indian soldiers who died fighting for the British Empire during the World War I (WWI) were not commemorated the same way as other martyrs, finds a new review released on Thursday.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) found that an estimated 45,000-54,000 casualties, predominantly Indian, African, Egyptian and Somali personnel, were commemorated unequally. A further 1,16,000 casualties were not commemorated by name or possibly not commemorated at all.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace made an apology on behalf of the government in the House of Commons. — PTI

50K Indians had died

Nearly 50,000 Indians died fighting for the UK Empire during the World War I, but weren’t commemorated the same way as other martyrs, finds report.