Honouring the First World War’s Naga Labour Corps

Our Correspondent
 Kohima | April 21  

Nagaland State Chief Minister, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu today unveiled the 1st World War Naga Labour Corps Memorial Monolith in Kohima.  

April 21 marks the exact date when the first batch of the Naga Labour Corps set sail in 1917 for the 1st Great War theatre in Europe.  

“One can hardly imagine the feelings that the Naga Labour Corps must have felt, leaving their homeland for the first time and crossing oceans to distant lands fighting for the then Crown,” the CM stated.  

It is estimated that around 2000 Nagas were recruited. According to some sources, the Naga Labour Corps arrived in France in two main groups (688 men on 21 June 1917 and 992 men on 2 July 1917). The corps were formed in the Naga Hills under the command of Deputy Commissioner, Herbert Charles Barnes.  

They were initially divided into the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th Naga Labour Companies. To avoid confusion with other Indian Labour Corps units serving in Mesopotamia at that time, these companies were renumbered as the 35th, 36th, 37th and 38th (Naga) Labour Companies.  

In particular, the Nagaland CM mentioned that the 35th Coy left the Naga Hills as part of the Labour Corps on April 21, 1917 and sailed for France on April 26. Subsequently after the war, the 35th Coy moved to Marseille in April 1918, from where they embarked for India at the end of May arriving in June 1918.  

The men of the corps worked in various places around France on salvage work, road repairs among others. Legend has it that the Nagas “fearlessly carried out their designated duties despite facing the horrors of war in the battlefield and were in the forefront, mindless of the possibility of death all around them.”  

Unfortunately during the Second World War in 1940, the building holding the lists of men of the Naga Labour Corps units was destroyed by Japanese bombings. This relative lack of historical records, the CM however stated, “should not deter us from commemorating their pioneering ventures which led to the subsequent state of Nagaland.”  

The CM recalled that the Naga Labour Corps’ participation and bravery during their battles in Europe and elsewhere would have ramifications much beyond the intended.  

While there is no known Memorial in Nagaland to commemorate the Nagas who fought and the many who died in France, the CM however pointed out that amongst all the tribes who were sent to WW1 duties, the Nagas were the first to realize the need to organize and unite themselves.  

“Men who returned from France formed a socio-political association called the Naga Club with branches in Kohima and Mokokchung immediately after their return in 1918. This was the association that later in 1929 submitted a representation to the Simon Commission and conveyed to them the right of choice of self-determination of the Nagas when the British left India,” he recalled.  

He informed that the state government would eventually build a memorial park around the hilltop. “Forever grateful to the Naga Labour Corps for the foundation they laid for the everlasting friendship and unity of the Nagas,” he said.  

Home Minister, Y Patton meanwhile stated that the Naga Labour Corps’ sacrifices inspired the Nagas to come together as a people and make their own choice of self determination.