British Indian Army officers in 1947

[JBFloyd]

What happened to British Indian Army officers in 1947?

Were they offered commissions/contracts to stay on? Were they offered the opportunity to join the British Army? Were they given the boot?

This question arises from a miniature group (MBE, IGS '36, 39-45 Star, Burma Star, War Medal, Indian Service Medal, Pakistan Independence Medal) attributed to a Lt A.W. Bean, Indian Army.

Any insight would be appreciated.

[Ralph]

Basically Yes, yes and Yes - some were seconded to the Indian/Pakistani Army , some retired/resigned and a lot were taken across into the British Army

Ralph

[James Hoard]

Basically Yes, yes and Yes - some were seconded to the Indian/Pakistani Army , some retired/resigned and a lot were taken across into the British Army

Ralph

I seem to remember that after the two nations went to war with each other, almost immediately after independence, the Atlee government asked that British officers be withdrawn from active combat positions. The idea that two Commonwealth countries could go to war, with the same King seconding officers from one to fight against each other technically for himself against himself, was something very few British politicians, army bods or legal experts had contemplated uptil then. Very soon, the only ones left were in other arms such as the Engineers, Service Corps, Signals, etc. A few in Gurkha regiments lasted longer. Though I do know of one senior officer in the Indian Army, a Major-General, who avoided recall by taking out Indian citizenship. He eventually retired as a Lieutenant-General in the late 1950's. He was surnamed Lentaigne or something similar.

Of course, they did last very much longer in the Air Force and the Navy. An Indian wasn't appointed Naval Chief until more than ten years after independence.

Cheers

James

[nwfrontier]

What happened to British Indian Army officers in 1947?

Were they offered commissions/contracts to stay on? Were they offered the opportunity to join the British Army? Were they given the boot?

This question arises from a miniature group (MBE, IGS '36, 39-45 Star, Burma Star, War Medal, Indian Service Medal, Pakistan Independence Medal) attributed to a Lt A.W. Bean, Indian Army.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Jeff,

Can you supply any more detail on your Lieut A. W. Bean? The only chap of those name and intials I can find in the April 1947 Army List is a Emergency Comissioned Royal Army Service Corps officer, African Colonial Forces section, comissioned 2/Lt 1/7/42 with no hight rank, temporary, Acting or war substantive. No MBE either but then you did not indicate if its was military or civil. The combination is a typical IA group of the period - but he is not a pre-war IA officer. Not in the October 1939 Indian Army List.

Matthew

[JBFloyd]

The miniatures were pinned to a calling card with "Lt A.W. Bean, Indian Army". That's the full extent of the info available, unfortunately.

[nwfrontier]

The miniatures were pinned to a calling card with "Lt A.W. Bean, Indian Army". That's the full extent of the info available, unfortunately.

Jeff,

I have to say that so far I can not match the miniatures, which sound nice and something I would like though I am not a miniatures collector, to a calling card to Lt A. W. Bean, Indian Army.

One thing that strikes me was until at least the 1940's officer in polite society, until they reached the rank of Captain were known as Mr, so I would have expected this to read 'Mr A. W. Bean, Indian Army.' The card must pre-date 1947 one would think.

I cannot trace a regular Indian army officer called A. W. Bean in this period. Not in my Oct 1939 or April 1944 Indian Army lists. Darn shame.

The only A. W. Bean is Allan Willard Bean who I spoke of before

You did not say - was the ribbon on the MBE Military or civil?

Regards,

Matthew

[JBFloyd]

The MBE is military.