Forgotten Heroes: The Commonwealth Soldiers in the World Wars and the Freedom They Never Got

When we think of the two World Wars, we often picture British and American troops braving the trenches and battling on distant shores. But what’s often overlooked is that these battles were fought not only by men from Europe but by millions of soldiers from across the British Commonwealth. From the tropical heat of the Caribbean to the plains of Africa, the deserts of the Middle East, and the forests of Southeast Asia, soldiers from across the empire answered Britain’s call to arms. In fact, it was often in Britain’s darkest hours that these Commonwealth troops held the line.

The irony is rich, though: these soldiers were asked to risk their lives to protect the ideals of freedom and democracy while being denied those very rights in their homelands. They fought loyally, and they sacrificed immensely. Yet, even today, the sacrifices of Commonwealth soldiers remain woefully underrepresented in British war memorials and often go unmentioned in popular narratives of the wars.

In World War I, more than 4 million soldiers from the Commonwealth served under the British flag. This included over 1.3 million Indian soldiers, who formed the largest volunteer army of the war, alongside thousands of African, Caribbean, and Pacific islander troops. In WWII, these numbers swelled even further, with more than 2.5 million Indians and tens of thousands of soldiers from Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean joining the fight.

These men were deployed everywhere: some defended Europe, others served in North Africa, and many fought in the brutal jungles of Burma and the Far East. There was one particularly grim posting, though, that many Commonwealth troops couldn’t have anticipated—the United Kingdom itself. Not only did Indian soldiers learn that British weather was a battle in itself, but they discovered that after all that effort stealing spices, the Brits barely even cooked with them.

When Britain entered World War I, its empire spanned across continents. Indian soldiers, for instance, found themselves on the Western Front in Europe, a freezing, muddy contrast to the warm climates of Punjab and Bengal. Over 70,000 Indian troops lost their lives in the Great War. They fought in some of the war’s bloodiest battles, including Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, and Gallipoli, where Indian, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers endured catastrophic losses together.

The story of Khudadad Khan from Punjab captures the loyalty and bravery of these soldiers. He became the first Indian to receive the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military award, for holding his position under relentless German fire. His bravery allowed his comrades to retreat safely—a story honoured in India but sadly overlooked in British war narratives.

By the time WWII began, nationalist movements across the Commonwealth were gathering strength, especially in India. Indians, Africans, and Caribbean soldiers increasingly questioned why they should fight for British “freedom” when they themselves were living under colonial rule. Despite this, more than 2.5 million Indians alone volunteered to fight, joined by tens of thousands from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, and the Pacific.

Commonwealth soldiers found themselves fighting in every corner of the globe. Indian soldiers braved the jungles of Burma, where diseases, monsoons, and hidden Japanese forces turned every step into a hazard. Australian troops fought famously in Tobruk and El Alamein, holding back Rommel’s Afrika Korps. West African troops supported campaigns in Italy, while Caribbean soldiers guarded British bases and helped defend Britain’s coastlines and airbases.

A particularly harsh reality was the treatment of African and Caribbean troops. Often relegated to manual labour and denied the full rights and pay that their white counterparts received, they faced racism and harsh conditions. And yet, they persevered, proving themselves just as skilled and determined as any other soldiers on the battlefield.

Despite their enormous contributions, Commonwealth soldiers remain largely absent from the UK’s many war memorials. Walk through London, and you’ll pass countless statues of British generals, famous battles, and rows of nameless British “Tommies.” Yet, in a curious case of selective memory, the soldiers from Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia, who fought and died in these same battles, are barely represented.

There are a few commemorations, like the African and Caribbean War Memorial in Brixton and the Commonwealth Memorial Gates in London, but these are few and far between. It’s ironic, really; Britain had no trouble shipping these soldiers halfway across the world, but it seems a lot harder to dedicate a few statues in their honour.

The paradox that Commonwealth soldiers faced was stark. While they were told they were fighting to defend liberty and democracy, they knew that their own rights were restricted under colonial rule. This disconnect was especially troubling for Indian soldiers, as they returned home to find the British still imprisoning leaders of India’s independence movement and suppressing demands for self-rule. The Quit India Movement in 1942, which called for an end to British rule, was crushed even as thousands of Indian soldiers were fighting under the British flag.

Perhaps one of the most poignant symbols of this tension was Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian nationalist who, frustrated with British rule, formed the Indian National Army (INA) with Japanese support to fight against the British. Bose’s story reflects the complex feelings of many Indian soldiers—torn between loyalty to their units and a deep-seated desire for their country’s independence.

Today, the story of Commonwealth soldiers is beginning to gain some recognition. Indian soldiers like Naik Yeshwant Ghadge, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in Italy, are celebrated in India but still remain unknown to many in the UK. Similarly, the contributions of West African and Caribbean regiments are being rediscovered by historians and commemorated in community projects.

The story of Commonwealth soldiers is a reminder that history is not just about who won or lost, but about who fought, why they fought, and what they fought for. It’s a story that the UK, in particular, should embrace more fully, not only to honour those brave men but to acknowledge the complex legacy of empire.