Daffadars of the British Indian Army

[PAKISTANI-007]

 

[Crystal-Clear]

ghulaam.

 

[Pak_88]

ghulaam.

As were countless others. One may call a lawyer who pleaded his cases before the imperious British magistrates in the English legal system a traitor, but then, definitions vary.

For many it was merely a source of employment in an otherwise saturated job market.
Plus, independence seemed like a distant object, in any case. Mind you, the Lahore Resolution was announced six months after the start of WW2, and even then it seemed ludicrous. Utopian, almost. I remember talking to a particular veteran who'd fought in Burma, and he remarked that if the Japanese had invaded, things would have started from zero; we would have seen another imperial dynasty, probably razing India to the ground, and that wouldn't have done is much good.

Funnily enough it was MK Gandhi, later to become a vehement anti-British figure who urged the nation at the start of WW1 to "think imperially".

Many of these people ended up forming the nucleus of the Pakistan Army. The Indians were at a definite advantage at partition because they had more native officers. Capt Raja Muhammad Sarwar, NH, was a "ghulaam" as well, by that definition.

History is rarely black and white; it's grey.
Remember, even the Quaid wanted greater Indianisation in the forces (albeit in the officer ranks), so look at everything from the perspective of the times.

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These were simply native NCOs. Daffadars were equivalent to Havildars in other arms, and existed in the cavalry.
There were VCOs (Viceroy's Commissioned Officers) as well, and the ranks were from Jem to Sub-Maj/Ris-Maj. Both armies eventually decided to do away with the rank of jemadar, introducing Naib-Sub/Naib-Ris. They were (and invariably continue to be) addressed as "sahib" by commissioned officers and NCOs alike.
The VCOs had authority over Indian soldiers only, and had fewer privileges than British officers.

Indeed, one must put things in perspective: the British officers came from the landed gentry, were educated in public schools (e.g. Eton or Harrow), and were extremely rich (as is evident from the dizzying displays of silver in the messes of older units). There was once a time (pre-1871) when officers could purchase their commissions, and even after this practice ceased, the army remained a close shop.
Pair this with the VCOs, most of whom didn't have such a priveleged upbringing, and there was bound to be a gulf b/w the two.

The Indian army was eventually Indianised in the 1920s-1930s under the Montague-Chelmsford reforms/Govt of India Act 1919. In fact, a committee known as the "Indian Sandhurst committee" was set up with the purpose of establishing a military college in India along the lines of the erstwhile RMC, Sandhurst. The Quaid e Azam, coincidentally, was a part of this committee. The result came in the form of the IMA, Dehradun.

The army selected a number of Indians each year (ten, I believe) to undergo training at Sandhurst. These officers were subsequently attached to a British unit before serving in Indian units. They were known as KCIOs (King's Commissioned Indian Officers). They had all the same priveleges, pay, and authority of command as their British colleagues did.

 

[Sine Nomine]

Many of these people ended up forming the nucleus of the Pakistan Army.

Something which has brought countless problems for Pakistan,down the road from 1947 to date.

Daffadar ( Hindustani: दफ़्फ़दार ( Devanagari) ; Urdu: ( Nastaliq)) was the equivalent rank to sergeant in the cavalry of the British Indian Army, the next rank up from lance daffadar. The equivalent in other units was havildar. Like a British sergeant, a daffadar wore three rank chevrons.

 

[Pak_88]

Something which has brought countless problems for Pakistan,down the road from 1947 to date.

'Twas always thus, and always thus shall be.
Created problems, undoubtedly, but were integral as well.
History is grey.

 

[third eye]

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Thank you for sharing pictures of glorious paintings by Maj AC Lovett . Allow me to label them .

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S BODYGUARD, Daffadar, Sayyid of Shahpur [Musalman)

27th light cavalry- British Officer,
26th KING GEORGE'S OWN LIGHT CAVALRY, Daffadar Madrasi- Musalman of the Carnatic

31ST DUKE OF CONNAUGHT'S OWN LANCERS, Daffadar , Dekhani Mahratta

32nd lancers , Lance Daffadar, Musalman Rajput ( On horse back),
33rd QUEEN'S OWN LIGHT CAVALRY, Daffadar, Kaimkhani.
34th PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR'S POONA HORSE, Ratore Rajput

37th Lancers (BALUCH HORSE)
35th SCINDE HORSE,KOT DAFFADAR, Baluch
36th JACOB'S HORSE, Pathan
(All of the Derajat District)