Peace Celebrations, Indian Troops Marching Down Whitehall, 1919 (oil on canvas)

In Britain, the end of the First World War (1914-18) was celebrated on Saturday 19 July 1919, with a Victory Parade in London as the main event. Although hostilities had ended with the Armistice on 11 November 1918, peace was not officially concluded until June 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. In the painting Indian troops are shown marching up Whitehall, just passing Horse Guards and moving towards the Mall and Trafalgar Square. In fact the 1,800-strong contingent of Indian Army representatives was not present for the main parade. This was due to an outbreak of influenza on board ship on their way to England. Instead they paraded on Saturday 2 August and marched up Whitehall en route from Waterloo to Buckingham Palace.