Cairo: Indian martyrs who had played a pivotal role in the famous Battle of El Alamein, considered to be a turning point during the Second World War have been honoured by the Indian Embassy here. On the 71st Anniversary of the Battle, Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri laid a wreath at the war memorial. Soldiers of the 4th and 5th Indian Infantry Divisions of the British Indian army had fought with great valour during the entire North African Campaign and their heroic performance have won them rich accolades fighting under scorching heat at the northern fringe of the Sahara desert near the Mediterranean coast.

Around 3,000 Indian soldiers laid down their lives in a distant place situated several thousand kilometres away from their beloved homeland. The soldiers played a major role in repelling the German offensive into Egypt's heartland and towards the strategic Suez Canal. The saga of the battle has become an integral part of India's military history. This is reflected in the fact that the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun has a training company named 'Alamein'. In addition to the Indian War Memorial, which is located within the sprawling Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, the German, French, Italian and Greek war memorials are also located in El Alamein and each conducted its own memorial service to salute their fallen soldiers.