The Indian Army combat arms strength at the beginning of the First World War was 155,423. It ended the war with 573,484, accepting, like all major combatant nations, an enormous percentage of casualties. It served in some of the most horrendous theatres of war under senior military leadership of questionable competence, with singular resolve and devotion to duty.

Like all other great cavalries, the Indian horsed Cavalry units fought in the quagmires and unending obstacle systems of the Western Front'. Serving as Infantry, they took appalling casualties. Their last hurrah was in Palestine, where in free country, led by the brilliant Allenby, they drove the Turks before them from the Sinai to Lebanon and into Syria, demonstrating once again, their unyielding spirit.

Imperial Germany did complain about the use of 'colonial troops' in the main European theatre. Indian troops were proving to be dogged and unrelenting in resistance. Higher command failed them in the tough conditions of Mons and Flanders, and the Dardanelles. In Mesopotamia, the logistic system repeatedly failed and abysmal reinforcement methods became glaring. Yet through it all, the Indian Army put on a sterling performance, and the many theatre and battle honours that adorn the 'colours' of its regiments bear proud witness to this.