Jogendra Nath Sen ( bn, যোগেন্দ্রনাথ সেন) (1887 – 22 May 1916) was an Indian private soldier in the British Army who fought in the First World War. He is believed to be the first
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
soldier to have died in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Early life
Sen was born in
Chandernagore
Chandannagar french: Chandernagor ), also known by its former name Chandernagore and French name Chandernagor, is a city in the Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is headquarter of the Chandannagore subdivision and is part ...
, a French colony in Bengal.
His mother was a widow and his elder brother was a doctor.
Sen travelled to England in 1910.
He took admission in the
University of Leeds
, mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased
, established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds
, ...
. During his studies he took up a job in Leeds Corporation Electric Lighting station in Whitehall Road. Sen completed his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering in 1913.
He could speak seven languages.
Military career
After completing his studies, Sen was staying in Grosvenor Place in Blackman Lane in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
.
In September, 1914, he enlisted in the 15th Battalion of the
West Yorkshire Regiment
)
, march = ''Ça Ira''
, battles = Namur FontenoyFalkirk Culloden Brandywine
, anniversaries = Imphal (22 June)
The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) wa ...
also known as the
Leeds Pals Battalion.
Sen was the only non-white in the 15th West Yorkshire Regiment.
Despite this, Sen was very much respected by his peers in the army, being known as Jon Sen or John Sen.
Death
On the night of 22 May, Sen was in action as the member of a wiring party that was heavily bombarded. Sen was hit in the leg by a shrapnel. When he was being dressed up, he was hit again in the neck and he died instantly. He was buried at the Sucrerie Military Cemetery in
Colincamps in
Somme,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
His personal items were sent to his brother in India who later donated them to the
Institut de Chandernagore in
Chandannagar.
See also
*
Indra Lal Roy
Indra Lal Roy (), (2 December 1898 – 22 July 1918) was the sole Indian World War I flying ace. While serving in the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force, he claimed ten aerial victories; five aircraft destroyed (one sha ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sen, Jogendra Nath
1887 births
1916 deaths
Bengali Hindus
Alumni of the University of Leeds
People from Hooghly district
Emigrants from British India to the United Kingdom
British Army personnel of World War I
West Yorkshire Regiment soldiers
British military personnel killed in World War I