To all who have taken umbrage with my use of and reference to 'The Sepoys'.....
I would like to clarify one or two points, as I get the feeling from some posts, that some offence has been taken in my use of, and references to "The Sepoys" in my message texts.
Let me state quite catagorically, there never has been, nor ever will be, any intended slight or slur made against these former loyal and tenacious "servants" of the British East India Company, and more latterly, Her Gracious Majesty, and Empress of India, Queen Victoria, and later still, the British and Empire Military Forces.
The 'Sepoys' I refer to, are a part of my 'Goonish' alter ego on one hand, and a former life in the military on the other. The term 'the Sepoys' was commonly used in everyday military language to refer to any body of troops needed to serve a particular purpose, as in, "You'll need about thirty Sepoys to get the gun-pits dug in on the perimeter", and I continue to use the term to try and add another dimension, and hopefully a little light humour to comments that I make, as in this post;
http://www.vistax64.com/chillout-room/180207-wheres-everyone-8.html
Personally, I freely associate with peoples of any race, colour, religious beliefs, ethnic origins, station, or whatever.....it's the
person who interests me, the rest is what
makes them interesting.
When it comes to the plethora of ethnic diversity that is India, then I have the utmost admiration for the way that that Country manages to weld together as one Nation. In former times, members of my Family who have gone before me, served that country with distinction, my Great-Grandfather's Brother among them during the mid to late 19th Century. He fathered five daughters and only one son. The daughters all survived India, but his young son, he left behind in a grave when he returned to England after a long career in the ICS. This is he;
View attachment 8108
View attachment 8110
My English Uncle, a Cornishman through and through, served in the Northwest Frontier and the Kyber Pass for more than ten years leading up to India's Independance in 1948.
And finally, my own Father served with, and alongside Indian Troops [Sepoys],all through the Western Desert of North Africa, then on and up through the Italian Campaigns of WWII, until that conflict's bitter end.
Incidentally, "Sepoys" are not a class, or caste, or ethnic group in India. The word simply means "Soldier", and is derived from the Persian and Hindi word - "
sepáhí ". A word which British peoples found difficult to pronounce, and hence 'Anglicised' it to "Sepoy".
In conclusion, I will continue to use the Sepoys as my alter ego in future posts, after all, they are the only Troops that I have left to Command!! Please accept their inclusion as a light-hearted contribution to the post. That, after all, is the sole intent.
Oh! And by the way. Just south of where I live is a magnificent Sikh Temple which I attend from time to to time, and especially on festive occasions. It all helps in understanding and accepting the differences in us all, but as I look around the gathered and happy throng, it saddens me to realise that I am often the only person of 'non-Indian' ethnicity there. What does that say to the rest of you, or is it all just lip service?
Love and Hugs.
sassofalco