During the first world war, a great deal of the lives and experiences of indian soldiers who served in europe, were revealed through the letters they wrote to their families the censors who monitored the letters also kept the translated excerpts even if the original letters will likely never be recovered, these excerpts held by the india office records (ior) can be accessed indian voices of the great war: soldiers letters, 1914-18, by david omissi, is a collection of letters by indian soldiers who served in france from 1914 to 1918 the letters provides readers with a glimpse of the culture shock that the soldiers faced while stationed in france they bear witness to the soldiers unsettling encounter with europe and its culture many of the soldiers may not have been able to read or write, so their letters were written by scribes some of the letters included are: from a muhammadan of the punjab, who was serving as a packer in the indian base post office, boulogne, to his friend in rawalpindi from a sikh in a cavalry regiment serving in france to a friend at loralai, a mahratta clerk at bournemouth to a friend at sholapur and from a sikh clerk with the 47th sikhs, serving in france, to his sister indian voices of the great war: soldiers letters, 1914-18 was published by penguin books limited in 2014 this hardcover also includes a foreword by mark tully key features: the letters, poignant and funny, provide a picture to the world of the western front