For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Indian Ambulance corps and Mahatma Gandhi

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net;

dr.yogendragandhi@gmail.com

Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

Indian Ambulance corps and Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi worked three times in Indian Ambulance corps in South Africa and London. He honoured three medals for it. As a major sergeant of it he served for humanity. Dr. Booth, Head of St. Aidan's Mission, Durban, he supervised a small charitable hospital founded by Indians. In 1899, during the Boer War, Dr. Booth helped to train the Indian Ambulance Corps. The Hon. Mr. Harry Escombe, Premier of Natal in 1897, invited at his When the ultimatum was presented by the Transvaal, some of them thought it was a time when they should sink all differences, and, as they insisted upon rights and privileges as subjects of the Queen, do something to prove their loyalty. Very few of them could handle arms, although, if the Ghoorkas or the Sikhs had been there, they would have shown what they could do in the way of fighting. They that is the English-speaking Indians came to the conclusion that they would offer their services to the Colonial or Imperial Government, unconditionally and absolutely without payment, in any capacity in which they could be useful, in order to show the Colonists that they were worthy subjects of the Queen. They called a meeting, and at that time there was so much enthusiasm shown that almost everyone present put their names on the list as willing to serve, and from that list they had chosen suitable men. He asked Dr. Prince to examine them to know how many were fit to serve on the battlefield.

Dr. Prince passed 25, and they sent the list of names to the Government, but got the reply that at that time their services could not be accepted. Shortly after this, ambulance classes were started by Dr. Booth and they had been attending his lectures almost every night. The Government had intimated that they required 50 to 60 Indians to go to the front, and on the Protector coming to him, he said that they were ready at a moment’s notice to do whatever was needed of them, and that, without remuneration of any kind. The Colonial Secretary, however, did not think the work suitable for them, and on hearing this, Dr. Booth wrote to the Colonial Secretary and gave him an idea of the work they could do; Dr. Booth was then kind enough to go with him to Maritzburg, where they saw Bishop Baynes and, also, Colonel Johnston. The latter thought they would do admirably to act as leaders for the Indians engaged as bearers. Their dream had been realized, and although, unfortunately, they were not to be engaged in the fighting line, he hoped they would be able to discharge their duties well. To Dr. Booth they were very grateful for what he had done, and he also had offered his services gratis to the Government, and was going with them that night. 1

Of the tickets received by me by virtue of your order for 5 1st class tickets, 20 2nd class tickets and 20 3rd class tickets in connection with Indian Ambulance Corps, I return herewith I unused 1st class ticket and 10 unused 3rd class tickets. Of the 10 3rd class tickets used, 3 were used as from P. M. Burg, as 3 bearers joined us at that station. The numbers of the 3 tickets were 9303, 9290, 9285. I duly reported this matter at P. M. Burg before taking in the 3 bearers. 2 I received your letter asking me to contribute notes or the doings of the Indian Ambulance Corps at Spearman’s Hill when we were all in the thickest of the work. Some of us had, besides taking charge of stretchers, to look after the provisioning, etc., of the Corps, getting hardly time to sleep or eat. Hence my inability to acknowledge your note which, I trust, you would excuse understandingly. But even if time had permitted, I would have refrained from writing the notes on the strength of the advice of a valued English friend who, soon after he saw my notes in the Advertiser on the doings of the Corps in the Colenso tight, thought that there should be very little said by the Indians themselves of their work done in connection with the war and that their part was merely to do without speaking. Since then I have so far resisted all temptations to write anything about the work for publication. 3

I notice that the Queen’s Chocolate for the soldiers and volunteers is being now distributed. I do not know whether this chocolate is to be distributed among the Ambulance Corps formed in the Colony. But whether it is or not, I have been asked by the Indian Volunteer Leaders (about 30), who joined the Indian Ambulance Corps without pay, to request you to obtain the gift for them, if possible. It will be greatly appreciated by them and prized as a treasure if the terms under which the gift has been graciously made by Her Majesty would allow of its distribution among the Indian leaders. 4 General Sir William Olpherts is reported to have said: While fully sharing the enthusiasm for the bravery of our troops fighting in South Africa, I think that sufficient attention has not been called to the devotion of the Indian dhoolie-bearers who do their work of mercy on the battlefields. Under the heaviest fire they seek the wounded, fearing nothing, although without means of defence. These Indian fellow-subjects of ours are doing in Natal a work which requires even more courage than that of the soldier. Since sending my last contribution, I have been twice to the front; and though what General Olpherts said of the dhoolie-bearers could not be said of all the Indian Ambulance Corps, I have no doubt that the Corps has done a work that was absolutely necessary, and that would do credit to any Ambulance Corps in the world.

I referred in my letter, dated October 27th, to the unconditional offer, without pay, of the English-speaking Indians of Durban to do service on the battlefield. Since then, events have happened which resulted in its acceptance. It was anticipated that the battle of Colenso would claim not a few lives, and that the safe carrying of the seriously wounded would be a grave problem, as the limited number of European ambulance bearers would not be equal to the required strain. General Buller, therefore, wrote to the Natal Government, asking them to raise an Indian Ambulance Corps, which would not be required to work within the range of fire. The managers of the various plantations (which control much Indian labour), as well as the leaders of the Indian community, were approached by the Government, and the response was prompt. A Corps of over 1,000 Indian stretcher-bearers was formed in less than three days, the bearers receiving 20s per week as against 35s per week received by the European bearers. It is worthy of mention that the sturdy band of leaders began their work under exceptionally happy auspices. the late Mr. Escombe, who was sometime Prime Minister of Natal and represented the Colony at the Conference of Colonial Premiers at the time of the Diamond Jubilee, gave a reception in his house to the volunteers, where the Mayor of Durban, Mr. Pakeman of the Johannesburg Leader, and other ladies and gentlemen were invited, and in his address which was his last public utterance spoke words of encouragement to them, and generously observed that Natal could not forget the loyal services that the Indian community in its own way was rendering to the Colony and to the Empire. The Mayor also spoke to the effect. Later, in the same evening, Mr. Rustomjee of Durban gave a dinner-party in honour of the leaders going to the front, when all the prominent Indians representing different divisions sat at the same table. The Corps reached Chieveley at about 3.30 p. m. on December 15, and as soon as they were detrained, the bearers were given their Red Cross badges and ordered to march to the field hospital a distance of over 6 miles. The conditions under which this Corps worked were possibly somewhat more arduous than is usual. Wherever they went, they carried rations for a month or a fortnight, as; the case might be, including firewood, and, at first, without wagons or a water-cart. The Chieveley district is extremely dry, and there is hardly any water to be found within easy distances.

The roads all over Natal are rugged and more or less hilly. On reaching the field hospital, we heard of the battle at Colenso. We saw the wounded being brought by the ambulance wagons and the European bearers from the base of operations to the field hospital, and the men as well as the leaders fully realized the situation. Before the tents could be pitched (I mean the tents for the leaders and not for the bearers—the latter had to sleep as they could, in the open, in some cases even without blankets), or the men could have anything to eat or drink, the Medical Officer wanted over 50 wounded men carried to Chieveley station. By 11 o’clock at night, all the wounded the Medical Officer could get ready were taken as directed, and it was only after that time that the Corps could get a meal. After this, the Superintendent of the Corps went to the Medical Officer and offered to carry more stretchers, but he was thanked and told to keep the men in readiness at 6 o’clock next morning. Between that time and noon, over 100 stretcher cases were disposed of by the men. While they were returning from their work, orders were received to strike camp and March to Chieveley immediately to entrain there for Estcourt. This was, of course, a retreat. It was wonderful to see how, with clockwork regularity, over 15,000 men with heavy artillery and transports broke camp and marched off, leaving behind nothing but empty tins and broken cases. It was an extremely hot day for marching this portion of Natal is treeless as well as waterless. The Corps commenced its march at noon under these trying conditions. On reaching the railway station at about 3 o’clock, the station-master informed the Superintendent that he could not say definitely when he could place the carriages I mean open trucks in which the men were to be packed like sardines at his disposal. The European Ambulance men and the Indians had to remain about the station yard till 8 p.m. The former were then entrained for Estcourt, and the latter were told to shift for the night as best they could on the veldt.

Tired, hungry, and thirsty (there was no water available at the station except for the hospital patients and the station staff), the men had to find means of satisfying both hunger and thirst, and of obtaining some rest. They brought dirty water from a pool about half a mile from the station, cooked rice and by midnight, after partaking of what was, under the circumstances, regarded as an excellent repast, wanted to sleep. Practically the whole of General Buller’s Cavalry passed by during the night, and the men had very little rest. Next day the men were closely packed in the trucks, and, after five hours’ waiting, the train proceeded to Estcourt where, in a violent storm, exposed to the sun and wind, without shelter, the Corps had to remain for two days, after which orders were received to temporarily disband it. General Wolf-Murray had officially recognized the services rendered by the Corps. On January 7th, the Corps was reformed and preceded to Estcourt, this time under somewhat better auspices, in that the nine hundred and odd bearers also were provided with tents. Fully a fortnight elapsed, however, before actual work was commenced. The interval was passed in drilling the men and their leaders under the indefatigable Dr. Booth, who volunteered on the same terms as the leaders (i.e., without any remuneration) to accompany the Corps in the capacity of medical officer.

The drill consisted in teaching the bearers how to lift the wounded, and to place and carry them on stretchers. They were taken long distances over extremely rugged ground. All this training was found to be of inestimable value, and none too strict. Thus, fitted as the Corps was more or less for military discipline, it did not find it difficult, when the orders were received at 2 a.m., to entrain for Frere at 6 o’clock in the morning, to break camp, load the two wagons and march to the station within three hours. From Frere a distance of 25 miles had to be covered on foot before the headquarters at Spearman’s Camp could be reached. I shall let the special correspondent of The Natal Witness speak of the experiences and trials of this journey. Early in the afternoon, heavy clouds began to bank upon the horizon, and at half past three, a storm seemed imminent. Meanwhile the wagons had arrived and been loaded up. The start was not auspicious. At the first dip between the station and our camping ground, the leading wagon stuck fast and half an hour elapsed before it could be extricated. By that time, a terrific wind had arisen, which appeared to be blowing the threatening thunderstorm away from us to the southward.... In less than three-quarters of an hour, the wind suddenly veered, bringing the storm back with tremendous force) and hail along with it....The hail certainly ceased after a while, but the rain continued in a steady downpour.

At length, it was decided to halt and wait for the wagons, and the rain having now stopped, although the clouds gave evidence of more to follow, ovens were made out of ant heaps, at which we endeavoured (for the most part, unsuccessfully) to dry our sopping garments. At 8 o’clock, just as we were becoming partially dry and recovering our spirits under the influence of the fires, down came the rain again in tropical torrents. All the time, a bitter wind blew, and for discomfort our situation could scarcely have been excelled. The leading wagon had got stuck in a drift from which, owing to the awful state of the road and weather, the combined spans of oxen (32) had been quite unable to remove it.... The next morning, fifty stretchers went out to the temporary hospital. Here Major Bapty, Secretary of the Principal Medical Officer, sent word to the leaders that it was optional for them to take the stretchers or not to the base at Spion Kop, about two miles on the other side of the river, as it was within range of the Boer guns, and he could not be sure that they would not drop a shell or two on the pontoon bridge. This preliminary was due to the fact that the men were told, as I have said before, that they would have to work without the line of fire. But the leaders and the men were quite ready not to mind the risk and go to the base and undertake the work. By evening almost all the wounded were brought to the stationary hospital, the bearers often having to make three or four journeys from the temporary hospital to the base. Full three weeks were thus passed in almost continuous work, emptying one hospital after another, chiefly the stationary hospital.

During the time five journeys were made to Frere, the men three times carrying the wounded the whole distance of 25 miles in a single day, and twice taking them up at or near the little Tugela Bridge at Springfield from the European bearers. The Corps had the honour of carrying some officers of note Major-General Wood gate being among them. It was freely remarked each time the “light-footed, elastic-stepped” bearers covered the whole distance of 25 miles with their charge, under a trying sun and over a difficult road, that they alone could perform the feat. Says the special correspondent of The Natal Witness: One hundred miles in five days may be accounted fairly good walking for a man unburdened with any weight but that of his own carcass and clothes. When the wounded have to be carried on stretchers for nearly half that distance, and the greater portion of the remainder is traversed by men Iaden with heavy kit, such marching, I think, will be acknowledged as very creditable work. Such is the feat lately performed by the Indian Ambulance Corps, and one that anybody of men may be proud of. Thus honoured and thus satisfied with the thought of having done its duty, the Corps was again temporarily disbanded but recent events go to show that its services may not be needed again. The Indian merchants had supplied the leaders with large quantities of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and tobacco for the wounded, and these were freely distributed among them. Of course, they were very much appreciated, especially as no cigarettes, etc., could be had in or near the camp. The leaders and the bearers were by no means satisfied with having carried their charge safely and well to their destination; but, at each stopping place during the long marches, even neglecting their own comforts, they left no stone unturned to attend to the wants of the wounded, e.g., helping them to tea and fruit often doing so with their own money, or from their own rations. Nor is this the only part the Indian community has taken in the war.

All the leaders who went without pay were not capable of maintaining their dependents during their absence. The Indian merchants, therefore, started a fund which contributed to the support of the families of such leaders as needed it, and at no inconsiderable cost fully equipped the volunteers. In order to still more effectively identify themselves with the patriotic wave, and to show that they are capable of sinking their differences in the face of a common danger, they have subscribed a respectable sum of £65 to the Durban Women’s Patriotic League, a local organization formed for the purpose of providing medical comforts for the wounded soldiers and volunteers, some of which latter are violent anti Indian Colonists the Indian ladies have come forward to prepare pillowcases and handkerchiefs for the same purpose, out of cloth furnished by the Indian merchants. Thus speaks The Natal Mercury anent the subscription: This gift of money for the Women’s Patriotic Fund, especially for the purpose of assisting in the care of the sick and wounded volunteers at the front, is a very acceptable and eloquent expression of the feeling of the Indian people. It is not enough, in their minds, to succor the large mass of Indian refugees, as they are doing in an open-handed manner, but they must bestow this added contribution, we believe, as a token of their devotion to the Queen-Empress and to the country in which they have come to reside.

Nothing can better show the real feeling that animates this portion of our population, who too often has very little said on their behalf, than such a display of loyalty. The Indians have entirely taken on their shoulders the maintenance of thousands of Indian refugees not only from the Transvaal but also from the upper districts of Natal which are temporarily in the hands of the enemy. This fact has so much impressed the Colonial mind that the Mayor of Durban made the following public acknowledgement: They knew full well that many of the Indian nationality had been compelled to leave their posts and come down here as refugees. They had had a large number arrived, and the Indians had borne the expense themselves. For that he sincerely thanked them. It derives, at the present moment, a peculiar importance. The Central Committee in London have cabled withdrawing their support from the able-bodied European refugees, confining it solely to women and invalids, and the matter is now taxing to the’ utmost the resources of the Refugee Relief Committee in Durban. It may not be amiss to mention also a few instances of individual sympathy for the soldiers. An Indian woman who lives on the daily sale of her fruits is reported, on the soldiers landing at the Durban wharf, to have emptied the whole contents of her basket into Tommy’s truck, saying that was all she could give that day. We are not told where the noble-hearted woman found her food for the day. Similarly, several Indians, in an outburst of enthusiasm are reported to have showered cigarettes and other delicacies on Natal’s fighters from over the waters. When the joyful news of the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith was flashed across the wire, the Indians vied with the Europeans in their patriotic zeal to celebrate the occasion by decorating their stores, etc. They also held, on the 14th instant, a meeting. The Hon. Sir John Robinson, K.C.M.G., the first Prime Minister of Natal under Responsible Government, was invited to preside on the occasion, and he very kindly accepted the invitation. Over a thousand Indians from all parts of the Colony and over sixty leading European citizens attended the meeting. 5

You have shown your patriotism and brought honour to yourself and your country by joining the Indian Ambulance Corps as a leader and have thereby rendered service both to your own self and your motherland. It will, therefore, behoove you to look upon that as a reward in itself. But I have a feeling that you enlisted partly out of regard for me and to that extent I am beholden to you. I cannot compensate you for it in terms of money as I have no power to do so. But I have not forgotten your act of regard for me and, as a memento for the assistance you gave me in serving the motherland at a critical juncture; I offer you the gift of my services, which please accept. I hope you will make such use of them as you can. I promise to take up without fee any legal work that I can do in Durban for you or for your friends to the extent of £5 during the course of a year from today, while I remain in South Africa and do not leave for India. 6

Our London contemporary, India, has fallen into the error of accepting official figures in connection with this Corps, although it has in its own files the correct figures. The whole of the medal-giving regarding this Corps has been unfortunately bungled up. We may, therefore, state the facts once more for general information. The Corps was formed at first for service at the battle of Colenso. It then consisted of over 25 leaders, not sirdars, and over 600 bearers. The leaders did not receive any pay what so ever their uniforms were paid for by the Indian merchants. After a short service, the Corps was disbanded. When the first move to Spion Kop was attempted, Colonel Gallway ordered that the Corps should be re-formed. There were about 30 leaders and at least 1,100 to 1,200 bearers. The Corps was on active service this time for 6 weeks and performed surprising marches, doing as much as 25 miles per day, carrying the wounded. Its work has been specially mentioned by General Buller in his dispatches. Why only eight clasps have been distributed no one knows Everyone of the leaders is entitled to them, and if the War Office intends to distribute medals among the men, as it certainly ought to, we would undertake to find almost all of them. A complete record was then kept of the names of the bearers, together with their addresses, and it should be in possession of the Superintendent of the Corps. We have not said much about the manner in which the medals have been distributed, because we are anxious that the leaders who worked should not connect themselves with any reward. They undertook the work as a labour of duty, pure and simple, and they should be ever ready to take such duty up again, irrespective of recognition of merit. 7

Thanking the organization on behalf of the Corps, Mr. Gandhi said that what the Corps had done was only its duty. If the Indians really wanted to show their appreciation of the work of the Corps, they should try through the Government to have a permanent Corps set up and should also exert themselves to improve their physique in order to qualify for admission. He said that if, for any reason, the traders could not enlist, other educated Indians as well as the servants and clerks of traders could easily do so. From experience gained during the fighting, he could say that the whites treated the Indians very cordially, and distinctions based on colour had ceased to exist. If a larger Indian Corps was formed on a permanent footing, such fellow-feeling would increase, and it was likely that in the process white prejudice against Indians might altogether disappear. He therefore very strongly recommended the formation of such a Corps. 8

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