Indian army in Flanders

[Jack]

Can anyone help here please. I would like to do an Indian Army platoon for 1918 to play against my Germans. I thought this would be out as the inf were withdrawn in 1916 with the cavalry following in March 1918. However I came across this pic that purports to be June 1918 Villers Cotterets showing Moroccan troops passing some Indian troops sitting by the roadside.
http://2nd-engineers.us/_engr.misc/fr.moroccan.htm
The pic shows up on a German and a French site too.

Can anyone shed some light on whether this pic is accurate re date.

[commissarmoody]

Should be interesting to find out.

[Emir of Askaristan]

The two seated men facing the camera appear to be wearing bandoliers rather than webbing which would mark them out as cavalry, machine gun corps or possibly artillery.

I did a quick google for the order of battle of British XXII Corps which fought in the battle of the Marne and for the 4th & 5th Cavalry divisions which were part of that formation. 1914-1918.net does list the cavalry regiments of those division and has some Indian elements from them on the western front til April, but 2nd Marne didn't kick off til June.

Hope you are able to find out more.

[Paul Hicks]

I thought all Indian Army units used the 1903 Bandolier equipment as well. This could really muddy the waters.

[Jack]

I thought all Indian Army units used the 1903 Bandolier equipment as well. This could really muddy the waters.

Yep the bandolier was used by the infantry as well. There are postcards showing the 15th Sikh's marching through Marseilles and all the other ranks are wearing the bandolier.

[Over Open Sights]

Hmmm.... helmets suggests 1916+ but there appears to be one vital piece of equipment missing from these sepoys that would date this photograph to 1917 or 1918... the small box respirator. Just a thought.

[Jack]

Hmmm.... helmets suggests 1916+ but there appears to be one vital piece of equipment missing from these sepoys that would date this photograph to 1917 or 1918... the small box respirator. Just a thought.

Yep that would date it later but with the cavalry being in theatre till 1918 does not seal it to June.
Guess I'll have to give them a miss for the period I want.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Now thinking of doing Italians who I know were in France in July 1918 as part of the Italian II Corps.