REMARKABLE photos show the sacrifices made by the forgotten heroes of WW1 - the overlooked Indian soldiers who fought and died for the British Empire.

Up to 1.5 million Indian soldiers fought in the First World War, risking their lives to protect the British Empire.

21 Bal Bahadur was a legend of the First World War - promoted in the field for gallantry after he saved the life of two captured soldiers Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

Approximately 10 per cent of these soldiers were casualties of the war, with around 75,000 men never returning home to their homeland and their families.

Muslim, Sikh and Hindu men from regions such as the Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Bihar volunteered in the Indian Expeditionary Force, which fought on the Western Front in East Africa, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Gallipoli.

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But the sacrifices of these brave men is rarely remembered today, and the soldiers were rewarded with broken promises of Indian independence from the British government.

These striking photos involving the Indian forces were captured in 1915 by the Canadian-born photographer Charles Hilton DeWitt Girdwood.

In April 1915, Girdwood was commissioned by the India Office in London to produce the official war record of Indian and British troops on the Western Front in France and Belgium.

He also took photos of Indians who were sent to England’s south coast to recover from serious injury.

21 Indian soldiers on the front-line prepare themselves for a gas attack Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Indian soldiers throw a musical party during the First World War Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A group of soldiers man the trenches during WW1 Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A Scottish soldier is pictured sitting next to an Indian infantryman in the trenches Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 The forgotten heroes of the Indian Expeditionary Force march through town with their horses during WW1 Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A group of Indian soldiers arm themselves during the First World War Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A group of Garhwali soldiers from the Indian state of Uttarakhand line the trenches Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 An Indian chef serves up chapati flatbread to Brit soldiers during the war Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Indian Sikhs sing religious chants in a ramshackle French barn during the war Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Indian soldiers sacrifice a goat during a religious ritual Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A regiment on the march in Flanders Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 An Indian soldier helps to hold valuable land in France Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A group of Indian infantry shelter themselves behind a bank of stones and mud, waiting for the next attack Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A rare moment of relief, as the Indian troops take on a friendly game of football Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 The officer in the foreground was one of 75,000 Indian men who died in the First World War Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Bodies lie on the ground after soldiers took on the dangerous task of charging a German trench Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Gurkha soldiers can be seen in the trenches as bombs go off behind them Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 Nearly 1.5 million soldiers helped fight for the British Empire Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood

21 A solider looks over a grave of an Indian solider who died of wounds in July 1915 Credit: Mediadrumimages/BritishLibrary/CharlesGirdwood