The Waffen-SS Indian Legion

Collecting items from the era of the Third Reich is interesting. Research on these events reveals much about the nature of the individuals and formations who participated in the war. Many examples can be found, of men in desperate situations who earn respect with their actions, even from the enemies they fought against. Other formations earn shame, notoriety, and eternal disgust for their despicable and inhuman behavior.

In the closing stages of World War II, as Allied and French resistance forces were driving Hitler's now demoralised forces from France, three senior German officers defected. The information they gave British intelligence was considered so sensitive that in 1945 it was locked away, not due to be released until the year 2021. Thousands of Indian soldiers, who had joined Britain in the fight against fascism, betrayed the oath to the King of England. They then swore to serve Adolf Hitler. This betrayal threatened to rock British rule in India, known as the Raj. The story the German officers told their interrogators began in Berlin on 3 April 1941. This was the date that the left-wing Indian revolutionary leader, Subhas Chandra Bose, arrived in the German capital. Bose, who had been arrested 11 times by the British in India, had fled the Raj with one mission in mind. That was to seek Hitler's help in pushing the British out of India. Bose hoped to raise a force of about 100,000 men which, when armed and kitted out by the Germans, could be used to invade British India. He decided to raise them by going on recruiting visits to Prisoner-of-War camps in Germany which, at that time, confined tens of thousands of Indian soldiers captured by Rommel in North Africa.

This photo shows a battle equipped unit of the legion. Various uniforms, overseas caps, trousers are in uses. Of particular note are the supposedly "Luftwaffe" or "SS" or Heer Tropical boots, and the use of grenade bags. None of them seem to be wearing the sleeve shield.

The Legion Freies Indien / Indisches Infanterie Regiment 950 was organized as a standard German army infantry regiment of three battalions each of four companies. They were issued Standard German Army tropical uniforms and weapons. Many wore the traditional Indian turban , others chose the Hats, caps, and helmets of the German army.

The Indian Legion Flag

All commissioned officers of I.R. 950 (ind) were German, but after a brief course some Indian NCO's were commissioned, in October 1943.

The unit was partially Motorised, being equipped with 81 motor vehicles and 700 horses, and was later referred to as Panzergrenadier Regiment 950 (indische) presumably to reflect its semi-Motorized status.

Members of the Free India Legion during training for duties on the Atlantic Wall, circa 1943.

The German High Command despatched them first to Holland and then south-west France, where they were told to help fortify the coast for an expected allied landing. The Legion Freies Indien was deployed in France on coastal defense duties in the area of Lacanau near Bordeaux where they were inspected by Generalfeldmarschall Rommel. Rommel was responsible for their original capture in North Afrika.

On 8th August 1944 the Free Indian Legion (now comprising about 2,300 men), like all the national legions of the German Army, was transferred to the control of the Waffen-SS as the Indische Freiwilligen Legion der Waffen-SS. A new commanding officer, SS Oberführer Heinz Bertling, was installed.

Despite the change in authority from Army to Waffen SS, the Indian Legion continued to use Army ranks and uniforms. The notorious SS map of February 1945 does show SS collar tabs featuring a tiger's head for the Free Indian Legion but it is unlikely that it was even manufactured and almost certainly it was never actually worn. However the Sleeve Shield for the legion was widely worn, though not universally.

Legion members wearing the shield on their greatcoats .

After D-Day, the Free India Legion, were in headlong retreat through France. They suffered their first and only combat casualties during this retreat while being engaged by French resistance fighters. They lost one man dead and a few wounded.

It was during this time that they gained a loathsome reputation amongst the civilian population. The former French Resistance fighter, Henri Gendreaux, remembers the Legion passing through his home town of Ruffec: "I do remember several cases of rape. A lady and her two daughters were raped, and in another case they even shot dead a two-year-old little girl."

Here are genuine original examples of the special sleeve insignias manufactured and issued to the members of the Indian Legion. Any other varieties should be considered reproductions.

The Printed Version on Linen

Three legion members wearing various tunics, with the legion shield on their right upper sleeves.

The "BEVO" Woven Version made with Rayon

Legion members in the Westwall Dunes.

Sandar e Jang (War Lord) Breast Badge, for "great personal bravery against the enemy". Obviously Manufactured, but likely never presented considering their battle history.

The 2nd class medal . A version without swords, Vir i Hind (Hero of India) was to be awarded for "distinguished service"

Charles Warriner, "The Waffen-SS Indian Legion", Militaria Blog, 2009