Hundreds of people paid tribute to about 500 Garo men who had gone to France to help the allied forces during the First World War in a special commemorative ceremony - the Garo Labor Corps Day.
The people paid tribute to the war heroes by visiting the cenotaph built in the memory of the brave Garo soldiers at Tura, the West Garo Hills district headquarters yesterday.
A gun salute was given which was followed by the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph.
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The function was attended by Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Chief Executive Member P K Sangma, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board Greaterson Areng and West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi.
In 1917, during the reign of the British in India, about 500 Garos were recruited to work as labourers to aid the allied forces and they were tasked with making roads and transportation of goods during the war.
About 1,000 men were recruited in the 69th Garo Labour Corps. However, only 500 were declared fit, of which 456 reached France that year.
Historian and noted academician, Milton Sangma, who wrote a book on Garo Labour Corps said, "The soldiers displayed their courage and bravery during the World War I and got international recognition. The recruits won acclaim of the Allied commanders in France".
At the end of the war, on May 25, 1918, they were sent to Marseilles for repatriation to India. They reached Tura on July 16, 1918. Many died during the journey of sea sickness. Of the 456 who reached France, 120 returned home alive.
As per available records, only 58 of them died in the war.
A total of 74,123 persons recruited by the Indian Corps fell during World War I and 91,464 during World War II. The Commonwealth War Grave Commission has lists of all Indians who died during the war, the historian said.
