Three Indian officers, Subedar Dunde Khan, Jemedar Christi Khan, and Jemedar Ali Khan, were later to be identified by a court of enquiry as key conspirators in the matter. However, rumours were circulated among the sepoys that they might instead be sent to Europe or to the Ottoman Empire to fight against their Muslim co-religionists. On 27 January 1915, Colonel Martin announced that the 5th Light Infantry was to be transferred to Hong Kong for further garrison duties, replacing another Indian regiment. The possibility of German or Turkish involvement was closely examined but otherwise wider political and social implications were generally ignored. The Court of Inquiry report, as well as contemporary accounts of the mutiny, saw it to be essentially an isolated affair - resulting from internal problems arising within a single poorly-led unit on overseas service. The sepoys resorted to buying their own meat and milk to make up for the insufficient amounts they received and the use of the dollar versus the rupee irked them further. While in India, the sepoys had a constant supply of goat meat and milk but because it was difficult to receive a constant supply of goats in Singapore, they had to make do with a substitute – chicken - and very little milk. The sepoys were also reportedly unable to adjust and adapt to the living conditions in their new environment. According to the Court of Inquiry, discipline was compromised by this division and any particular policy innovation or other measure taken within the regiment was likely to be opposed by one faction or the other. One was led by the Subedar Major Khan Mohamed Khan and Subedar Wahid Ali and the other consisted of Subedar Dunde Khan plus Jamadar Chisti Khan and Abdul Ali Khan. To compound the problem, the sepoys themselves were divided into two major cliques. Disunity and discontent in regiment Įven before its departure from India the 5th Light Infantry suffered from weak senior leadership and discord amongst its British officers (see details of Court of Inquiry report below). Upon arrival in Singapore, the 5th Light Infantry was based in Alexandra Barracks. Unusually for 1914–15 the 5th Light Infantry was an entirely Muslim unit, mainly comprising Ranghars (Muslims of Rajput origin) and Pathan, commanded by British and Indian officers. On 10 October 1914, the 5th Light Infantry was stationed in Nowgong when it was posted to Singapore to replace the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, which had been ordered to France. Immediately prior to World War One, the regiment was employed in garrison duties in India. ![]() It also fought in the Second Afghan War of 1879–80 and the Third Burmese War of 1885–87, which led to the British annexation of Burma and its tributary Shan states. The regiment was well known for several battle honours, which included the Arakan, Afghanistan and Kandahar 1842, Ghunze 1842, Kabul and Moodkee, Ferozeshah and Sobroan 1857. Following army reforms, the word ‘’Native’’ was dropped the regiment simply became known as the 5th Light Infantry. After the Indian Mutiny, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the surviving Bengal regiments were renumbered in 1861 and consequently the 42nd became the 5th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry. ![]() It was initially known as the 2nd Battalion, 21st Bengal Native Infantry and was re-designated as the 42nd Bengal Native (Light) Infantry in 1843. The 5th Light Infantry was a long established regiment in the Indian Army, dating from 1803. After the mutiny, more than 205 mutineers were tried by court-martial, and 47 were sentenced to execution by firing squad. The mutineers killed 36 soldiers and civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by Allied forces. Up to half of the regiment, which consisted of Indian Muslims, mutinied on 15 February 1915 due to rumours that they would be sent to fight against the largely Muslim Ottoman Empire as part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. ![]() The 1915 Singapore Mutiny, (also known as the 1915 Sepoy Mutiny or the Mutiny of the 5th Light Infantry) was a mutiny of elements of the British Indian Army's 5th Light Infantry in the colony of Singapore.
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