Dehradun, March 26 -- In 2010, while in Paris, I took an early morning bus to Neuve-Chapelle in the North of France. The route was lovely, passing through rolling green fields and small villages. There were only a few tourists going to the Neuve Chapelle - amongst them a middle-aged Indian with the surname 'Negi'. After a small conversation, I realized that he too was travelling to it with the same purpose!

We were travelling to the village which became famous among military historians and serious students of history and was the site of a First World War battle that took place between 10 and 13 March, 1915. Those 3 days witnessed the valour and bravery of the Garhwali soldiers.

On 4 August, 1914, the British government declared war on G...