Indian troops sail from Egypt to Marseille
- Category:
- Military
- Front:
- Western Front
- Date:
- 19 September 1914
- Author:
- Natalia
- Tags:
- British India, Great Britain, Egypt, France
On 19 September 1914 the first units of Indian Expeditionary Force A set out from Egypt for France. They were brigades of the Lahore Division, which a few days earlier, after a long voyage from India, had arrived at Suez.
The stay in Egypt was short. The soldiers sailed through the Suez Canal or went by rail to the Mediterranean ports, mainly Alexandria, where they were re-embarked on transports. The convoy, escorted by warships, sailed across the Mediterranean to France. For the time being only the Sirhind Brigade remained in Egypt, guarding the canal.
On 26 September the first transports put in at Marseille. The inhabitants greeted the sepoys and Gurkhas with tremendous enthusiasm, because their arrival meant long-awaited reinforcements for France. In October they were joined by the Meerut Division, and the two formations made up the Indian Corps, which went into action in Flanders that same autumn.
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Meanwhile
(04)Elsewhere in the same days.
- 19 September 1914 · War at seaFrench fleet bombards KotorOn 19 September 1914 French battleships shelled Austro-Hungarian batteries at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, covering the withdrawal of their own cruisers.
- 19 September 1914 · AfricaSouth African troops occupy LüderitzbuchtOn 19 September 1914 troops of the Union of South Africa landed unopposed at Lüderitzbucht. The invasion of German South West Africa had begun.
- 19 September 1914 · AfricaBritain and France guarantee the integrity of Belgium's coloniesOn 19 September 1914 Britain and France assured Belgium that it would keep its colonies after the war, above all the Belgian Congo.
- 19 September 1914 · DiplomacySecret agreement between Russia and RomaniaIn autumn 1914 Russia, in a secret agreement, recognised Romania's claim to Transylvania and part of Bukovina in return for Bucharest's benevolent neutrality.
Related events
(04)The same battle, people or subject.
- 9 September 1914 · Middle EastIndian troops arrive at SuezIn September 1914 the first units of Indian Expeditionary Force A reached Suez. Some stayed in Egypt, while the rest sailed on to France.
- 2 October 1914 · Middle EastIndian Expeditionary Force "E" is formedOn 2 October 1914 Indian Expeditionary Force "E" was formed in Egypt. Indian troops were to defend the Suez Canal against the Turks.
- 2 November 1914 · Middle EastIndian Expeditionary Force "F" sails for EgyptAt the beginning of November 1914 three new Indian brigades sailed from India for Egypt. They were to defend the Suez Canal against the Turks.
- 16 November 1914 · Middle EastIndian Expeditionary Force "F" in EgyptOn 16 November 1914 the 29th Indian Brigade, the first part of Force "F", came ashore at Suez. It soon took up positions on the Suez Canal.