The Parsee Battalion did exist and served in WW1
Here's what I could cull from FB. Not sure how accurate, but here goes..
THE PARSI BATTALION -- WW I
During WW I, the Parsi Battalion had the distinct Honor and Privileges over any of the other regiments from India. All Battalions from India had a sanctioned strength of 1,021 Officers and men, while only a few Indian regiments which had the status of Pioneer Battalions, had a sanctioned strength of 1,034 Officers and men.
Since The Parsi Battalion was the only fighting force in British India that was granted the same status as the British Army, it had a sanctioned strength of 1,051 Officers & men. For all Indian Battalions, the Commanding Officer was of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt.Col) but the Parsi Battalion, was headed by a Commanding Officer with the full rank of Colonel (COL).
The Parsi Battalion also had a reserve force of 551 Officers & men that did not go overseas, but were stationed at strategic locations at Bombay for guard duty. 11 Privates acted as drivers for the horse-drawn transport. Battle experience also led to orders to ensure that battalions would leave behind a number of men when going into action, to form a nucleus for rebuilding, in the event of heavy casualties being suffered. A total of 108 all ranks, consisting of a mix of instructors, trained signalers and other specialists, were to be left out. The number of men acting as stretcher-bearers was increased from 16 to 32, when battle action was at its peak.
A stone memorial stands as a tribute to the Parsee officers and men who sacrified their lives and served during WW1. It is at the Kharghat Parsee Colony in Bombay.
The first two Indians to be awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) were Parsis in World War I (1914 – 1918). Capt. (later Maj. Gen.) Cursetjee and Capt. (later Col.) Bharucha, both of the IMS.
The reason why NOT much is written about The Parsi Battalion in India, like the history of the other regiments from India that also took part in W.W. I. is due to the fact that the Parsi Battalion was the only fighting force in British India, that was granted the same status as The British Army, and were always counted as a British Force, and all the records were kept in England.
Unfortunately, The 2 Million “Burnt Documents ” (WO 363) included the loss of records of The Parsi Battalion.
Unfortunately too, about 60% of the soldiers’ Service Records were irretrievably damaged or lost completely as a result of enemy bombing in 1940 during the Second World War. The exact number of serving British soldiers is not known because of the loss of the records.
The Parsi Battalion was fortunate enough to get high power weapons, machine guns, extra ammo, & rations & supplies including woolen blankets, woolen uniforms, which was far superior in both quality & quantity. The Fire power they carried made a difference on the battle field. The Parsi Battalion was the only fighting force from India that was given more motorized units, were served English Whisky, and they were also given additional pay as they were considered a British Force.
Battalion transport consisted of 13 riding and 43 draught and pack horses. They provided the power for drawing the six ammunition carts, two water carts, three General Service Wagons (for tools and machine guns) and the Medical Officer's Maltese Cart. The signallers had 9 bicycles. (Note: the Divisional Train also provided four more two-horsed GS Wagons for the battalion).
Most men carried a rifle Lee-Enfield. Staff-Sergeants were also armed with the sword-bayonet. Machine guns though were in short supply at the time, but our Parsi Battalion never felt the shortage.
Other battalion equipment, over and above that carried by the men, included 120 shovels, 73 pickaxes, 20 felling axes, 8 hand axes, 46 billhooks, 20 reaping hooks, a hand saw, 32 folding saws and 8 crowbars. There was also a plethora of minor stores and spares.
The battalion also carried a certain amount of ammunition, although this was backed up by the echelons of transport at Brigade, Divisional and Lines of Communication levels. When added together, the supply per rifle came to 550 rounds per man. The battalion transport carried 32 boxes of 1,000 rounds, and each man could carry up to 120 rounds. The machine guns were each supplied with a total of 41,500 rounds of which 3,500 were carried with the gun, and 8,000 in Battalion reserve. Food, water and ration had to be used very sparingly, till the supply was replenished.
The Parsi Battalion was the first among British forces to get a tank called Little Willie and it had a top speed of 3 MPH.
The Western Front, which ran from the English Channel to Switzerland, had over 25,000 miles of trenches, of which some forward trenches were occupied by The Parsi Battalion.
To join The Parsi Battalion one had to be 18 to 19 years old, but some Parsi Boys lied about their true ages and some Parsis were as young as 16 years old who joined the force.
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