Meghalaya saluted its heroes of WW1 on Garo Labour Corps Day

95th Garo Labour Corps Day was observed in Meghalaya on 16 July 2014. On this day the State saluted and paid homage to the heroes of World War I. The homage was paid to the 500 Garo men, who were recruited by British 96 years ago in 1917 in the 69th Garo Labour Corps. The selected men were sent to France to help the Allied forces during the War.

These recruits from distant places of the state made roads and carried goods during the war at different places in France i.e. Puisieux, Bucquoy, La Chapellette, Brusle and others. The historian and academician, Milton Sangma has documented the story of courage and bravery of the Garo men in his book on Garo Labour Corps.

The state remembered those heroes of the war in a special commemorative ceremony – the Garo Labour Corps Day. The tributes were paid at the cenotaph built in the memory of the Garo soldiers at Tura, the headquarters of West Garo Hill district. During the homage, gun salute was given and wreaths were laid.

Garo Labour Corps Day is celebrated on 16 July because on this day the Garo men returned to India at Tura in Meghalaya from Mersailles in France.