INDIAN ARMY IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 143, 11 November 1914, Page 6

INDIAN ARMY IN FRANCE.

HISTORIC SCENES AT MARSEILLES. THE ivING'S .MESSAGE. London, October ■>. "I look to all any Indian soldiers to imphold the .l/.zat of the Bnu.-'ii Raj against an aggressive and relentless enemy. I kpow with what readiness my brave and loyal Indian soldiers are prepared to fulfil the sacred trust on the held of battle, shoulder to shoulder with my comrades from all parts of the Empire. Rest assured that you will be always in my Giouglits and "prayers. J bid you to go forward and add fre.sih lustre to the g'orious achievements and noble traditions nf courage and chivalry of my .Indian Army, whose honor and fame are iu your hands."

The above is a translation of the King-Emperor's message in Urdu to the Indian troops who have- landed at Alar-* seilles. Great scenes of enthusiasm were witnessed at the French port a.s the soldiers marched from the docks to the camps outside the town, preparatory to their cntraiiiment to the lighting line. The organisation was perfect. The transports arrived to time, without ;the loss of a single man. it should be added that the arm is complete in itself. Everything has come from India, even to the praying mats. The voyage had been made urnlcr excellent conditions, and the troops, who are said to have literally leaped ashore, were fighting men to the last ouncehard and fit, and ready, had the woril of comma-nil been givi-m and had the thing been practicable,™ march straight from the quay to the lighting line. Not a few of the Sikhs, lithe, black-bearded giants, were deeply concerned to know if the war would be over before they could get to grips with the common eiieniv, and it was a burden off their .minds when thev ,ver.| assured that there was absolutely no likelihood of anything of the kind'coming to pass. . Never has the port of Marseilles witnessed a scene, so kaleidoscopic as that presented by the thousands after thousands of Sikhs, Gurkhas .Hindus, ■Punjabis, Bengal Lancers .and British Tommies, who disembarked from the transports. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. . The Daily Mail'special correspondent writes: —

The 'scene in the afternoon, when the troops marched through to the dill'erent camping grounds, was unforgettable. Every man, woman and child u Ujavseilles turned out, their numbers -w.a\> swelled by tile people who had rushed in from the surrounding country disI tricts, and the streets' were stilling | masses ot highly excited humanity. I .'.lhe excitement of the 'high-strung Latins, rapidly spread to the Indians', and it was a unique oxperh-'iiee to see hundreds of martial warriors bearded men, -whose hair was shot with gray, and beardless youths, jump a vard high m tiie air for sheer jov. The officers looked on with lenient eye. • Old women fought, with men for the honor of shaking hands with the bronzed soldiers, whom they impartially named "Anglais" and "Hindous," and young women and girl's threw sweetsinclliug (lowers in their path or mnncd pink roses in their tunics, in their turJians, and even stuck them in the Indians' long hair. In response, the dark Eastern eyes beamed a gnat contout, and vows of marvellously white teeth Hashed from laughing mouths. The ranks were broken as I am certain 'they nrver will be by an enemv, and as hour after 'hour column after column of soldiers moved slowly past, a wonderfully mnpressive. 'picture was presented. The enthusiasm of the populace hr'eaim, ecstasy when a band of swarthy I Gurkhas s-truek up the "Marseillaise," and played it enehniitinglv on a weird collection of gourd-like" instrument,. As one mau the crowd crushed the troops on to the pavwncii!. and down it long avenue thev marched- horse, and mules as well—between the kerb and tiie cafe terraces.. By evening they were all encamped in picturesque parks with r-.iekv heights reminiscent' of their far-awav hills around them, and in th- moonlight groups of Marseillais stood on all the adjacent roads watching with unflagging interest the strange Eastern rites of these magnificent fighting men from Britain's 'Great Dominion.