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By adding the chronology of events, maps, plates, glossaries, report on censorship, etc., Omissi has supplemented the value of this historical resource. He also discovers the reason behind the detention of certain letters. Decoding of few communications alongside the text is an interesting intervention by the writer. A careful, detailed and unbiased analyses presented in the Introduction is Omissi’s most significant contribution. There is also recognition of the contribution of these soldiers, a fact that has eluded Eurocentric histories of this War. He goes back and forth to letters and the circumstances in which these were written; these include the regional bias in British recruitment policy, irrelevant training, shortage of supplies, linguistic barriers, implications of censorship and other layers of filtration. Also dealt with are the role and fear of rumours, codes of the writers, and changing moods of the forces with variation in circumstances. Even though Omissi does not directly advocate the idea of ‘history from below’ yet he supports it: "...this lack of colour is, of course, precisely what makes the letters of such potential interest to historians of India," because such personal and family references by the peasantry are otherwise almost absent. The censored letters are enough to recreate social history of the relevant time. It is illustrative of the fact that social history can focus on the period, people and their contribution on one hand and their predicaments on the other.
A commitment to the British Sirkar is an important theme. Perhaps it was meant to gratify the superiors or to ensure that letters would be passed by the censor. There is an occasional mention of India as the catalyst for their fighting instinct, yet it’s squarely dominated by the exhibition of personal valour, honour of caste and religion. It needs a separate discussion to conclude if the British were merely using the religious and caste sentiments or were actually fanning them by subtle methods. The titles of the infantry regiments such as Ludhiana Sikh, Pathans, Dogras, Gurkhas, Garhwal, etc. indicate their indulgence in both. But is the situation different today even after a century? Conversely, a good number of soldiers were utterly exasperated for a variety of reasons that include isolation from the family, hardships of battle, piercing cold weather, unjustified promotions and disregard, and the lifestyle that didn’t allow them to remove uniform at night, take a bath for months and remove swarming lice. Such situations prompted many to file petitions, after three years’ service, to request a visit to India and their families. A soldier from Bihar wrote: "We are forced to stay." The most fascinating aspect of the letters is soldiers’ comments on relationship with contemporary French society. People with a feudal mindset also criticised it; a few mentioned the ethnic bias against them. But typically, they praised matrimony by choice, gender equality, advancement of women and universal education. They deplored Indians overspending on functions, show-off, religious bigotry, etc. There’s an advice to ignore Brahmins and barbers during marriages. The rationality of some people led them to marry in France. The most stunning letter is by Ram Nath to the school headmaster in Rohtak that suggests that as per Vedic laws, his wife may consummate with a local man to beget children. The idea, coming from an Indian mind, unfolds the layers of human calamity that was created by political lust. The book deserves special attention because many ordinary letters are replete with harsh realities. A serious reading might inspire those to review their stance who outrightly condemned these soldiers as anti-nationals.
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