Visits Sikh War Monuments in Europe.
On Thursday 26th May 2011, a UK delegation of Sikhs met with a delegation of Sikhs from Holland, to visit the Mayor of Ieper Mr Luc Dehaene and discussed initiatives to commemorate the thousands of Sikhs who had laid down their lives for the freedom of Europe. It was agreed that flags of the various Sikh regiments, who lost their soldiers in Ieper, would be placed on war monuments across Ieper.
It should be noted that pure Sikh Regiments of 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 47th Sikhs, 34th Sikh Pioneers and mixed Regiments like 9th Bhopal Infantry, 57th Wilde's Rifles and others have fought here twice in October 1914 and April 1915 and Chemical Gas was used against them. It is believed that nearly 4 thousands Sikhs have died in and around Ieper though Commonwealth War Grave Commission has recorded only 493 British Indian soldiers. According to Historical record, Indian Corps had lost 34,252 men ( dead, wounded or prisoner of war ) in 14 months on the western front ( France - Belgium ) and on 27 April 1915, out of 444 men of 47th Sikhs, 348 did not come back but Menon Gate in Ieper has the names of only 15 Sikhs of the 47th Sikhs They are nowhere else commemorated. Between 24th April and 1st of May 1915, the Lahore Division had lost 3889 men or 30 % of the troops it had employed.
Dal Singh Dhesy, Director of Sikh Community & Youth Service UK and his colleagues presented Mayor Luc Dehaene an appreciation award from the Sikh Community and Youth Service UK, for his ongoing support for the European Sikhs.
The UK delegation consisted of Mr Dal Singh Dhesy – Director of Sikh Community and Youth Service UK, Mr Ranvir Singh Virdi – Member of Royal British Legion, Birmingham, UK, Mr Jaswant Singh Matharu – Member of Royal British Legion, Oldbury, UK, Mr Gurdev Singh Manku – Honorary Alderman of Birmingham City Council and former Councillor, Councillor Gillian Williams and Councillor John Williams – Cross Heath Ward, Newcastle under Lyme.
The delegation from Holland consisted of Mr Bhupinder Singh Holland – Reknowned Sikh Writer - author of 'How Europe is Indebted to the Sikhs, Role of Sikhs in Europe during 1st and 2nd world War', Mr Gursev Singh - Chairman Dutch Sikh Council and Mr Balwinder Singh - member of the Gurdwara Mann Sarover Sahib, Amsterdam.
They were also joined by Mr Pargat Singh Jodhpuri a local Journalist and businessman from Ieper, Belgium.
Mr Dominiek Dendooven, historian at Ieper Museum, Belgium was also presented with an appreciation award from the Sikh Community & Youth Service UK. Mr Dominiek Dendooven shared rare sound recordings of Sikh soldiers during World War 1, with the delegation. Mr Bhupinder Singh Holland was also presented with an appreciation award from the Sikh Community & Youth Service UK for his contribution to the European Sikh community.
The presentations were followed by a visit to the Flanders Fields Museum in Ieper and the delegation was joined by Mr John Blyth, former Labour Party Councillor, in West Bromwich, UK and they visited the War monument at Hollebeke, where the Sikhs fought for the first time against the Germans ( 22 october 1914 ), to pay respects to the British Indian Sikh soldiers.
This visit was followed by a visit to pay respects at the grave of soldier Kishn Singh, of the 21st Punjabis, who died on 27th of April 1915 and was laid to rest at the Bradford Cemetery in Belgium. The day concluded, by paying respects to the missing soldiers at an impressive Indian monument in Neuve, Chapelle in Northern France where thousands of names of Sikh soldiers are engraved on the circular wall of the monument.
Dal Singh Dhesy
Mobile 0044 (0) 7507 113 113
Sikh Community & Youth Service (UK)
Information Advice & Guidance Centre
Serving All Communities
(Charity No. 518946)
348 Soho Road, Handsworth
Birmingham B21 9QL, UK
Tel : 0044 (0)121-523-0147
Fax : 0044 (0)121-515-4880
Website : www.scysuk.org
