Indian WW2 soldiers of Force K6 remembered at festival

Force K6 soldiers in Scotland

The story of World War Two's Force K6 is to be told in an arts event near to where the soldiers camped in the Highlands 80 years ago.

The detachment of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps was a transport unit that used mules to deliver supplies to front lines.

During part of the war, Force K6 trained in winter and mountain warfare in the Cairngorms and had camps at various locations in Badenoch and Strathspey.

Nine of the men died during their time in the area and were buried at Kingussie.

Force K6 - Indian Contingent Story is a multi-media performance involving images, music and storytelling to recall the troops' exploits in war and in Badenoch and Strathspey.

It will be performed at Newtonmore on 20 September as part of the Badenoch Heritage Festival.

On the same day the first UK memorial to the soldiers and officers of Force K6 will be unveiled in Kingussie's Gynack Gardens.

Soldiers' graves

The Force K6 soldiers, who were mainly Muslim and from what is now Pakistan, were popular among local communities and helped on farms and entertained local children.

In total, 14 members of the detachment died while in Scotland.

The nine graves in Kingussie have been tended by Isobel Harling for more than 70 years.

Mrs Harling, who lives in the village, lost a brother in World War Two when his aircraft was shot down over Leuven in Belgium. Her own loss influenced her dedication to the soldiers' graves.

She was awarded a British Empire Medal for her work in 2020.

The soldiers of Force K6 were popular with the communities they camped near during their time in Badenoch and Strathspey

September's arts event has been organised by Colourful Heritage, a Glasgow-based organisation that celebrates South Asian contributions to Scotland, and Badenoch-based The Storyland Sessions with support from the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund.

Artistic director, author Merryn Glover, said it had been fascinating to learn about the soldiers' stories.

Hamish Johnston, step-grandson of Maj John Finlay who commanded Force K6's supply section, added: "I think their story, while very interesting in itself, is also most relevant to us today.  It can help combat racial and religious prejudice in modern society."