Was Britain divided about Indian independence, 1930-47?

Source 5

Letter from Captain A G J Gould to Winston Churchill, 14 August 1935

Reference

➜ CHAR 7/17A-B/192

Simplified Transcript

To
The Right Honourable Winston S. Churchill. C.H. M.P.
Chartwell
Westerham
Kent

From
Captain A.G.J.Gould,
Royal Indian Army Service Corps
Currance Farm,
Epping,
Essex.

14 August 1935

Dear Sir,

I’m pleased to contact you as one of your constituents, on a personal matter with which I hope you can help.
I have asked to retire from the Indian Army and I’m entitled to a payment of £1300, and my application has been refused, presumably because of the shortage of officers like me, who became officers in 1923.

My father is very ill and if I return to India after my eight month break, we’re afraid he’ll die. The radical changes recently made in the government of India have made things worse for soldiers, both now and in the future. I’m therefore very keen to join my brother’s chicken business, a business in which there’s unlimited scope for the future.

I really don’t want to resign from the Indian Army as I’ll lose the payment to which I’m entitled.

I’d be very pleased if you could help me on this matter and I’d be pleased to visit you to explain my position more clearly.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant

A G J Gould

Original Transcript

To
The Right Honourable Winston S. Churchill. C.H. M.P.
Chartwell.
Westerham.
Kent.

From
Captain A.G.J.Gould.
Royal Indian Army Service Corps.
Currance Farm.
Epping. Essex.
14th. August 1935.
Right Honourable Sir,

I have the honour to address you, as one of your constituents, on a personal matter in the hope that you will very kindly advise me.

I have applied to retire from the Indian Army under the terms of the Army Instruction, India, No. 101 of 1930, under which I am entitled to a gratuity of £1300, and my application has been refused, presumably because of the shortage of officers who, like myself, were commissioned in 1923.

My Father is critically ill and it is felt that my return to India next month, at the expiry of my eight month’s leave, may cause his premature death. The radical changes recently made in the administration of India have rendered the conditions of service unenviable and reduced the prospects of the young officer enormously. I am therefore desperately anxious to enter the large poultry business which my brother has built up, a business in which there is unlimited scope for the future.

I feel most disinclined to resign my commission and thus loose the gratuity to which I have a moral right.

I would therefore be most grateful if you would advise me on this matter and I would be only too pleased to call on you at your convenience to explain my position more fully.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant

A.G.J.Gould [hand-written signature]

What is this source?

This is a letter from Captain A G J Gould to Churchill, dated 14 August 1935.

Background to this source

Churchill was the Member of Parliament for Epping and Gould was one of his constituents. The National Government led by Stanley Baldwin passed the Government of India Act in 1935 which gave greater control to some Indians in the running of their country. Gould believed this would limit his chances of progressing to a higher rank.

People would often write to their MP to ask for help in getting a problem solved, especially if their MP knew how to contact the correct people. Churchill agreed to help Gould and successfully petitioned the India Office and managed to get Gould’s retirement from the Army approved. Gould was allowed to keep the money promised to him.

How can we use this source in the investigation?

Remember, we’re hoping that the source can be useful to us in investigating whether opinion in Britain was divided on the question of Indian independence. The sources can be analysed in two ways:

Surface level

1. Why was Gould writing to Churchill?
2. What reasons did he give for not wanting to return to India?
3. What did he say was the result of the recent Government of India Act?
4. Why did he not want to simply resign from the Indian Army?

Deeper level

Which of the inferences below can be made from this source?

	On a scale of 1-5 how far do you agree that this source supports this inference?	Which extract(s) from the source support your argument?
This letter proves that Gould did not support independence for India?
This letter is useful for showing why some people in Britain opposed Indian independence.
Personal letters like cannot be trusted to show what the writer really thought because he could be trying to win Churchill’s support.
There is evidence that some people in Britain supported Indian independence.
There is evidence that some people in Britain opposed Indian independence.

➜ Download table (PDF)
➜ Download table (Word document)

Need help interpreting the source?

• Constituents would frequently write to their MP to ask for help in solving personal problems.
• The Government of India Act was passed in August 1935 and didn’t have any real impact until 1937.
• Churchill agreed to help Gould but suggested he remove the comment about the Government of India Act so as not to annoy the government.

Explore the guide to interpreting letters

➜ Source 6

➜ Back to sources page

➜ Back to investigation page