Before Mumbai became the cosmopolitan character that we now know it as today, the city’s bustling port, a feature historically appreciated and exploited, served as a vital hub for one of the most pivotal chapters in history — The World War I (1914-1919). Numerous spots and memorials scattered across the city offer a glimpse into its wartime history and commemorate the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers and sailors during the conflict. “Bombay was a British originated port city, a Presidency capital and an operational hub of war support. It’s noteworthy that mandatory coercive conscription was never used by British in India, and participation by Indian royalty and ordinary professional sailors or soldiers was largely based on various diverse political, economic or individual reasons,” R Venkatesh, heritage researcher and Member of Maritime Museum Society explains. 

A facade at the Indian Sailors Home Society; the memorial plaques in the hall. Pics Courtesy/R Venkatesh