By John D Ellis
The First World War saw men throughout the Empire rush to join “the colours” (the “colours” being a reference to the two flags each regiment jealously guarded – the King’s Colours and the Regimental Colours bearing the prized battle honours of the regiment). Despite the existence of a racial “colour bar” individual Crown regiments did recruit “men of colour” throughout the First World War. One such individual was Abdul Latif, who was born in Calcutta, (Kolkata), India.(1)
A stoker (working in the engine room of a ship), Abdul Latif’s presence in the city of Glasgow in 1918 was not unusual: Glasgow was a port with a historical Black and Asian presence, but travelling to Glasgow would not have been without risk for merchant sailors; the U-boats of the Imperial German Navy still posed a threat to Allied vessels even in the last year of the war.
Although he officially enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) in Glasgow on the 23rd of July 1918, he was recruited earlier, undertaking a medical examination on the 10th July 1918. The examination recorded that he was 20 years and 5 months of age, 5 feet 4½ inches tall, with black hair, a dark (“Indian”) complexion and dark brown eyes. It was also noted that his physical development was “good” and that he had a scar on his right temple.
He enlisted voluntarily – by 1918 the horrors of war were well known, (conscription had been introduced in Britain in 1916 when the supply of volunteers had reduced to a trickle). It is to Abdul’s credit that he volunteered and to the credit of the regiment that they recruited and enlisted him despite the “colour bar”. Although he was not the first man “of colour” to serve in the HLI: Samuel Peters from St Domingo had served in its ranks at the Battle of Waterloo (1815), and in September 1915, one of the latest recruits to the 8th Battalion Highland Light Infantry was reported to be a “coloured soldier”.(2)
No.64146 Private Abdul Latif commenced basic training with the 1st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry in Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow.(3)
Unfortunately, his service was to be brief. Firstly, it was noted that he had falsely claimed to be 20 years and 5 months of age on enlistment, when in fact he was only 17 years old (and therefore a Boy Soldier). He could have been discharged under King’s Regulations Paragraph 392 vi –Having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment. His real age had been discovered by the regimental doctor when Abdul reported sick suffering from malnutrition! Rationing had been introduced in Britain in 1918, however, it was not a lack of food that was the problem, but the lack of Halal food – Abdul was a Muslim (the HLI describing him as a “Mohammedan”).
Whilst the Muslim regiments of the Indian Army were provided with Halal food, it is unlikely that the HLI had the capacity to source it, or indeed that the regiment would consider meeting the dietary requirements of an individual soldier.(5) With an “army marching on its stomach” (para-phrasing Napoleon and with a nod to Frederick the Great), between 1914 and 1918 the stomach of the British Army was filled with “Bully Beef” (corned beef) and tinned Maconochie Stew (beef and vegetable stew) – fortified by a daily ration of rum for each man. This was hardly a diet likely to recommend itself to Abdul whose “religious scruples regarding food” were noted by the HLI.
Abdul Latif weighed 101 lbs when he was examined prior to enlisting. Whilst he was apparently eating non-meat-based food he had become “thin and weak” and was not getting “sufficient nourishment from army rations”. Military basic training was, and indeed still is, incredibly physically demanding, and after a few weeks Abdul became “weak and unable to parade”.(6) The doctor’s report stated “He cannot eat butcher’s meat and cannot get sufficient nourishment from army rations”.(7) The distinction between “cannot”, rather than “will not”, suggests that his religious beliefs were being respected, and the lack of any disciplinary entries in his records might reflect the fact that the HLI did not attempt to coerce him into eating non-Halal food. They knew that he could not and it was not treated as a disciplinary matter.
Abdul was discharged from the Highland Light Infantry on the 3rd of September 1918 being no longer physically fit for service (under King’s Regulations Paragraph 392 xvi). His fate remains unknown.
Abdul Latif was not the only Muslim soldier to find service in a British Army regiment incompatible with his religion: No.C3715 Rifleman Mohammed Samuel Yussof, born c.1896 in Quetta, India (now Pakistan), served in D Company of the 17th Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) between June and July 1915.(8) Enlisting at Poplar, he was 5 feet 3” tall, 19 years and 5 months old, gave his trade as “Gentleman” and apparently signed his enlistment papers in Arabic.
Intrigued by the signature, I sought expert advice. Additional research by Naomi Popple suggests that “Mohamed Ismail Yussuf in Arabic is:
If you look at the signature it’s almost identical apart from the fact he’s written it left to right, which is what has confused lots of people I’ve asked. Elements of it could feasibly be Parsi due to where he was from, and regional variations may account for why parts of the signature are unreadable to speakers of all the languages! So the very long winded answer to your question was, yes, it’s definitely Arabic script, but not 100% Arabic language.”
Returning to his physical description, the records note that he had moles on the right side of his neck and shoulder and small scars on his buttocks. He nominated his father, living in Quetta, as his next of kin. He was discharged on the 27th of July 1915 under King’s Regulations Paragraph 392 xxv – “His service being no longer required”. However, a Medical Officer recorded “religious peculiarities rendering him unfit for service”.
A question mark was written into his intended place of resident and his fate remains unknown. Unlike the case of Abdul Latif, in which his religion dictated his diet and restricted his service (or the inability of the HLI to cater for his diet), it is not known quite what Mohammed Samuel Yussof’s specific “religious peculiarity” was.
The British Army introduced Halal ration packs in 1991.
The Armed Forces Muslim Association (AFMA) was established in 2009 to recognise the contribution Muslim personnel make across all three services, both in the regular and reserve forces.(9)
References.
1)For Abdul Latif see: First World War Service Records “Burnt Documents”. TNA WO 363. From findmypast.co.uk
2)Ellis, JD. “Samuel Peters – A 71st Light Infantryman” in Dispatch: The Journal of the Scottish Military History Society. No.167. April 2005. pp 18-19. Also see www.academia.edu/ Sunday Post, 5th September 1915. From findmypast.co.uk The Highland Light Infantry later became the Royal Highland Fusiliers and are now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
3)www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/highland-light-infantry/
4)www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk/blog/2020/8/20/maryhill-barracks
5)For Abdul Latif see: First World War Service Records “Burnt Documents”. TNA WO 363. From findmypast.co.uk
6)Ibid.
7)Ibid.
8)For Mohammed Samuel Yussof see: First World War Pension Claims. TNA WO 364.
9)afma.org.uk