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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will learn about what the story of Ganga Singh, an Indian soldier, can reveal to us about the Western Front.

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5 Questions

Q1.
What was the Western Front?
A line
An attitude held by Western Europeans in the First World War
Correct answer: Theatre of war in Western Europe
Western Europe
Q2.
What is the typical representation of the Western Front?
Correct answer: Barbed wire, trenches and European soldiers
Bombing of European cities, nuclear bombs and fighting across the world
Guerilla warfare and concentration camps
Indian and African soldiers fighting using tanks
Q3.
In which war did much of the fighting happen on the Western Front?
The Boer War
The Cold War
Correct answer: The First World War
The Second World War
Q4.
What years did the war take place from?
1899-1902
Correct answer: 1914-1918
1939-1945
1947-1991
Q5.
Why are we going to look at the stories of 'often forgotten armies?'
Their stories are already really well known
Correct answer: Their stories can give us new perspectives and insights on the Western Front
They are the most important people who fought on the Western Front
They are the only people who fought on the Western Front

5 Questions

Q1.
Which of the below best describes Ganga Singh?
A Buddhist from China, which was an ally of Britain
A Christian from Canada, which was part of the British Empire
A Muslim from Algeria, which was then controlled by the French
Correct answer: A Sikh from the Punjab, which was then part of British India
Q2.
Which Western Front battle did Ganga Singh fight in?
Correct answer: First Battle of Ypres
Somme
Verdun
Vimy Ridge
Q3.
Indian soldiers were used to plug gaps in British lines after heavy losses. What could this reveal about the Western Front?
Indian soldiers were better fighters than the British
Indian soldiers weren’t very good fighters
Not all fighting in the First World War happened in a trench
Correct answer: The British were in trouble in 1914 and the Indian troops were an important part of the army
Q4.
In the story, Ganga Singh couldn’t find or understand the officers. What could this reveal about the Western Front?
All of the officers died quickly on the Western Front
The soldiers are stupid in comparison to the officers
Correct answer: The Western Front was a place where many languages were spoken, even within the same army
There was a lot of fighting on the Western Front in many different battles
Q5.
In the First Battle of Ypres, big trenches hadn't yet been built. What could this reveal about the Western Front?
It takes a long time to dig a trench and so they weren't built yet
Many of the soldiers on the Western Front were very lazy
The British were in trouble in 1914 and the Indian troops were an important part of the army
Correct answer: Trench warfare didn’t start right from the beginning of the war