'Respectful homage to 3 Indian soldiers who died this day 103 years back on 22nd March 1915 in France' - by K.J.S.Chatrath

आज से ठीक १०३ साल पहले यानि २२ मार्च १९१५ को भारत के तीन सपूत फ्रांस की रक्षा करते हुए वहां शहीद हो गए।  उनकी और ३१५ अन्य भारतीय  सैनिकों और असैनिकों की याद में पथरों पर उनके नाम लिख कर लगाये गएँ हैं फ्रांस के एक छोटे से गांव में. उस कब्रिस्तान का नाम है मेरठ सैनिक कब्रिस्तान और वह बोलोग्न में स्तिथ है. मैं  कागज़ के फूलों की एक गठरी लेकर वहां पहुंचा और उन शहीदों को फूल अर्पित किए जो १०० साल से किसी भारतीय से मिलने की राह देख रहे थे. यह १२० करोड़ भारतीओं की ओर से और मेरे निजी तौर से श्रद्धांजलि थी. यह भारतीय सेना की मेरठ डिवीज़न के जवान थे. जय हिन्द!

On this very day one hundred and three years back- that is on 22^nd March 1915, three Indian soldiers laid down their lives in France while defending that country. In their memory and in memory of 315 other Indian soldiers and non-combatants, memorial stones with their names inscribed on them have been put in Meerut Military Cemetery in a small town of France named Boulogne. I reached there with a bag full of paper flowers to pay my homage to them. They have been waiting for over one hundred years hoping that some onefrom India would visit them. The cemetery is named Meerut after the Meerut Division of Indian Army which had been sent from India to France during World War I. 

Jai Hind. 

OM

RIFLEMAN JOWALA SINGH NEGI

NO. 1669

2/39 GARWHAL

DIED 22nd MARCH 1915.

He lies commemorated in  row I.C.47 of the cemetery. He was son of  Karam Sing of Ratora, Pauri, Garwhal, United Provinces.
.....

OM

RIFLEMAN

LANCE NAIK

SIDHARAM

NO. 2024

91st PUNJABIS *

DIED 22nd  MARCH 1915.

*91st  Punjabis Light Infantry

He lies commemorated in row I.C.44 of the cemetery. He was son of Bansi Ram of Khaira of Palampur, Kangra,   Punjab.

 While the martyr's name is etched as 'Sidhram' on the stone in the cemetery, in the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it is written as 'Sidhuam'
.....

OM

SEPOY*

RAMPARSHAD SINGH

NO. 4677

113th INFANTRY

DIED 22ND MARCH 1915.
 
He lies commemorated in row I.C.46 of the cemetery. He was son of Jhandu Singh of Moroli or Dig, Bharatpur, Rajputana.

While the martyr's designation is etched as 'Sepoy' on the stone in the cemetery, in the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it is mentioned as 'Follower'- that is a non-combatant.
.....

That is me outside the gate of the cemetery in 1916.