The Indian Army in Mesopotamia: Capt. T. E. Lawrence wasn't the only reason the Ottoman Turks lost Arabia in World War One

A small brass pin dish by R. Gaunt of London, with the emblem of the 99th Deccan Infantry, circa 1925.

While the exploits of Capt. Lawrence are legendary, the role of the Indian Army in securing victory for the British and Arabs by ousting the Turks is almost unknown. From 1914 to 1918, almost 350,000 Indian troops fought in what are modern day Syria, Iraq and Iran – in fact over 50% of the troops in the conflict were Indians. Punjabis, Sikhs, Rajputs, Gurkhas, Marathas and, of course, men from the 99th Deccan Infantry who were responsible for keeping the lines of communication open along the Euphrates river. Their blood, sweat, tears and courage secured the oil fields of the region, drove out the Turks, and shaped the map of the Middle East. And they paid a terrible price for it all: Almost 30,000 dead and over 30,000 injured.