Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial

The Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial, located in France, stands as a tribute to the 4,742 Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, the memorial features a circular enclosure centred on a tall pillar topped by a lotus capital, and carved with representations of the Star of India and the Imperial Crown. One half of the enclosure consists of panels of names of the dead, while the other half is open.

The memorial was unveiled by F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, on 7 October 1927. Marshal Ferdinand Foch, who gave a speech at the unveiling, promised to watch over the graves of the fallen. In his speech, he told the attending Indian troops to return to the East and proclaim how their countrymen delivered the land from the grip of a determined enemy.

In April 2015, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi visited the memorial. He wrote in the visitor's book, "I am honoured to pay homage to the Indian soldiers here at the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle. Our soldiers who fought in foreign lands in the Great War, have won the admiration of the world for dedication, loyalty, courage and sacrifice. I salute them."

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons