THE BRITISH SOLDIER IN INDIA [To the Editor of Tim
SPECTATOR.] Sta,—The question of recruits for the British Army has been much discussed recently, and various reasons for the " unpopularity of the army " to the average young man have been advanced. " Service in India " has been given as one of the reasons, and " low rates of pay " another.
The following points put forward recently by an ex-warrant officer, with nineteen years service in India, in the columns of the Calcutta Statesman, deserve careful consideration by the authorities both here and in England. The British soldier comes to India, and his length of service in this country is generally six to seven years. For this service he does not receive anything in the way of " reserve pay." It seems reasonable to suggest that this service abroad should be recognised in some way. The case of the long-service soldier seems very much worse. Many serve in India anything from 12 to 19 years, but no extra pension is given, whereas British ranks serving in the Indian Army receive an extra £20 per annum on their pension for 18 years' service in India. If they serve a total of 24 years they receive a further £40 per annum, and if they serve a total of 28 years a further £32, making a total of £92 per annum on their pension. This, of course, is as it should be. Long service in India should be recognised and compensation should be given, but why limit it to British ranks serving in the Indian Army ? Why not extend it to the British Army ?
In the matter of accommodation in India, the British soldier has certainly much cause to complain. Large airy barrack-rooms in gaunt buildings may appear suitable for hot weather, but are not by any means conducive to comfort in the winter months for Northern India winters. Outside the Army it would at once strike anyone that a more liberal distribution of fireplaces might add to the troops' comfort. Ablution rooms in most barracks in India can hardly be said to be a monument to their designers or makers, while tub-baths oval, or for that matter round, are not in this age of civilisation the last word in bath- room fittings or utensils. By way of a change, the authorities might with advantage also consider the question of building bungalows and not huge barns for British troops.
Again, in the matter of travelling in India, the soldier is given a niggardly hot meal allowance, wholly inadequate for purchasing a square meal either at station refreshment rooms or in dining cars. While the Territorial Army were in India a decent travelling allowance was allowed to soldiers, but this was soon all changed with the return of peace.
It cannot be denied that the general treatment of British soldiers in most of the Cantonments in India leaves very much to be desired. Far too often the authorities here seem to go out of their way to impress upon the Indian public that the soldiers are undesirables and to some extent dangerous, while the fact is that they are here for the preservation of law and order, peace and tranquillity. Notces are displayed in cafés forbidding the " serving of liquor to troops below the rank of sergeants." This is probably all in order, and possibly a sort of safeguard in the soldier's. own interest, but the injunction could be made in a more tactful manner than by printed " public " notices. The same applies to huge signboards at the entrance to bazaars—" Out of bounds to troops," &c. All such injunctions could be made through the medium of Regimental Orders. Because of these and thousands of other reasons, it is no wonder that the Army at present is " unpopular " and that the army authorities experience immense difficulty in getting the right type of recruits in adequate numbers for service abroad.—I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
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