12. He Became A Committed Pacifist After Serving In The Army During The Boer War - Where He Received The War Medal
During the Boer War, Gandhi volunteered to join a group of ambulance drivers for the British - with the intention of proving to the colonialists that Hindus were fit for so-called "manly" activities. Signing-up in 1900, Gandhi (pictured above, fourth from right in the middle row) brought with him 1,100 Indian volunteers - and he received the War Medal after helping carry wounded soldiers for miles on end to a field hospital. Then, in 1906, Britain declared war on the Zulu Kingdom in Natal and Gandhi encouraged the military to recruit Indians. The British allowed 20 Indian volunteers to serve as stretcher-bearer corps - but the experience of fighting in two wars convinced Gandhi that only non-violent resistance could succeed in his aim to achieve Indian equality. He saw it as futile to try and fight against a nation with the military might of the British.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
