The Turks and the Sikhs
The current turmoil in Turkey comes a century after the Ottoman Empire faced the challenge of the British Empire in the often forgotten theatres of the Great War. The connections between the Turks and the Sikhs extend to the clash of empires then to the mixing of cultures now, with current British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson having Turkish ancestry on one side and a Sikh mother-in-law on the other.
Gurmukh Singh: From Burma to Basra - and remembered in Bucks
The huge role played by the Indian Army in the forgotten fronts of the Middle East has often been overlooked. In Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) in particular, Sikhs were engaged against the steadfast Ottoman Turks. Casualty figures suggest that four times as many Sikhs were killed by Turkish forces than by Germans.
One of those fatalities was Gurmukh Singh Gill, who enlisted in the Burma Military Police but was drafted into the famed 14th (Ferozepore) Sikhs during the war. His life story has been researched by his great-granddaughter Rani Kaur Brar, who lives in South Bucks (just a stone's throw from Uxbridge and South Ruislip, the constituency of part-Turkish Boris Johnson, the son-in-law of a Sikh).
Her research includes details of mementos and memories kept by her extended family in India - including the 'Death Penny' inscribed with his name - and highlights the importance of speaking with family elders and sourcing these incredibly important but often overlooked fragments of history before they are lost forever. She told us:
“The Citizen Historian Project has been nothing short of a revelation for the whole family. The level of time and effort that must have gone into it is commendable, thank you to the whole team at Empire Faith & War/UKPHA. The project has allowed future generations to remember their ancestors and the precious work they did in what must have been the most challenging of circumstances.
We are pleased to have been able to contribute by collating various artefacts from family back in Punjab and have it displayed on the site. To know factual information about my great grandfather Gurmukh Singh Ji's regiment and very likely involvement in the Great War has been a moving experience for me and my family."
Gurmukh Singh died on 26 October 1918 when the 14th Sikhs were ordered to attack Mushak (Mushaq) during operations leading up the the Battle of Sharqat. A 'Subadar Gurmukh Singh (B.M.P.)' is listed in one regimental history as having been 'Killed, or Died of Wounds' in Mesopotamia. He is commemorated on Panels 59 and 68 of the Basra Memorial.
The fighting was part of the concluding chapters of the war to end all wars and not without cost. ‘...In the ten days' fighting the 14th Sikhs suffered three hundred and fifty-two casualties, which was the highest number suffered by any unit in the Division. The end of the Mesopotamia campaign was followed almost immediately by the Armistice with Germany.'
Read Gurmukh Singh's life story including the letter which his widow Musamat (Lady) Aso received from the King Emperor's representative, her subsequent pension, more details of the battle and his service in Burma before the war.
More still to uncover!
There are still discoveries to be made in Gurmukh Singh's story as well as with all our Citizen Historian accounts published in the Soldier Stories section of the website. We want to ensure that every one of them is as rich as possible. You can help us by letting us know if you have any relevant photographs, personal objects or artefacts such as medals, letters and service records or more information about what happened to their families during and after the war. This is your chance to help make history! Contact us with your findings at [email protected].
The Sikh Roll of Honour: 100 Years Ago This Week
This week's roll of honour of those who died exactly 100 years ago includes men from the foothill villages of Hoshiarpur to Sheikhupura in modern day Pakistan. Nearly all perished in Iraq fighting the Ottoman Turks.
But who were these men? What is their story? Help us find out by becoming a Citizen Historian and following our step-by-step getting started guide on how to research a WW1 Sikh soldier.
Do you have a personal link to any of them? Check the list below - do you recognise your village? If yes, then could it be that the soldier is connected to you, even possibly your WW1 ancestor?
Click on a name below and you'll be taken to their Soldier Record where, to the bottom-right, you'll see the 'Adopt Soldier' button - click on this to begin your journey as a Citizen Historian, helping to create a lasting memorial and legacy to the fallen.
Sikh Roll of Honour week commencing Monday 25 July:
Monday, 25 July 2016
- Teja Singh • born in the village of Rajindargarh, Sirhind, Patiala • Havildar in the 87th Punjabis • died in India
- Sundar Singh • born in the village of Bhathal, Patiala • Naik in the 82nd Punjabis • died in India
- Waryam Singh • born in the village of Hazara, Jalandhar • Sepoy in the 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force) • died in Iraq
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
- Mangal Singh • born in the village of Bari Babani, Rupar, Ambala • Sepoy in the 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force) • died in Iraq
- Jai Singh • born in the village of Kot Pendidas, Sharakpur, Sheikhupura • Lance Naik in the 48th Indian Pioneers • died in Iraq
- Nazir Singh • born in the village of Sahnewali, Amritsar • Sepoy in the 56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force) • died in Iraq
Friday, 29 July 2016
- Hari Singh • born in the village of Jhorar, Jagraon, Ludhiana • Sepoy in the 66th Punjabis • died in Iraq
Saturday, 30 July 2016
- Anokh Singh • born in the village of Kalian, Moga, Ferozepore • Sepoy in the 31st Punjabis • died in Iraq
Sunday, 31 July 2016
- Karam Singh • born in the village of Lohari, Rupar, Ambala • Lance Naik in the 31st Punjabis • died in Iraq
- Basant Singh • born in the village of Shisatpur, Hoshiarpur • Sepoy in the 22nd Punjabis • died in Iraq
The Sikhs of World War One - With Your Help They WILL Be Remembered
From the Deserts and Heat of the Middle East...
During World War One over 600,000 troops from South Asia were part of the British army's operations in Mesopotamia or modern day Iraq.
One of the speakers at our 2014 exhibition talks series was Vedica Kant. She spoke about the role and hardships faced by the Indian Army in the forgotten fronts of the Middle East especially those captured as prisoners of war (POW).
In this podcast on our blog hereVedica talks about the experience of Indian POWs in the Ottoman Empire as well as that of Ottoman soldiers captured by the British army and brought to India and Burma, with additional commentary by Robert Upton regarding military recruitment in British India and the complex relationship between imperialism, war, and nationalism for Indian intellectuals of the period.
Take a look around elsewhere on www.empirefaithwar.com and you'll find a host of incredible resources including more incredible stories families have shared with us about their ancestors, audio interviews with men like the first Sikh fighter pilot, education packs for schools, archive and new films, and more recordings from our illustrated talks by international experts from our summer 2014 exhibition and so much more.
Media Roundup
More recently news of our attempt to create a people's history of WW1 was the subject of an excellent piece in Firstpost by Apoorva Sripathi. "Peruse the website," she enthuses, "and you'll find a series of short films, illustrated talks and uncovered archives of WWI". She concludes:
"But the section about 'Soldier stories' is the one that reads more interesting than history textbooks back when we were in school. Here, pictures awash in black, white, orange, sepia and green tints show the soldiers in their proud stance — there's Lal Singh, Bhagwan Singh, Natha Singh and Gurmukh Singh, among others. It's easy to get lost in the site for hours, which then compels you to pick up a book on India's contribution to World War history."
Its also well worth checking out more EFW media highlights, including some great radio and TV coverage, here.
And don't forget to keep up to date with our regular updates and your chance to join in the conversation on Facebook & Twitter.
Till next time
The EFW Team
The Sikhs of World War One: With Your Help They Will Be Remembered.
Picture Credits:
1. Front cover of The Great War magazine showing men of the 45th Sikhs serving with the British troops on the banks of the Tigris River marching with their sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, in Mesopotamia, 1918 (Courtesy of Nanaki and Sahib Collected Works).
2. Composite image: (left) Jemadar Gurmukh Singh around early 1915 seated among officers of the 14th Ferozepore Sikhs; (right) Rani Brar's mother holding Gurmukh Singh's 'Death Penny' which was sent along with a commemorative scroll to his widow, Musamat (Lady) Aso (both courtesy of Rani Brar).
3. EFW 'They Will Be Remembered' logo, Brunei Gallery 2014 (Credit: Harbakhsh Grewal).
4. Indian cavalry of the Jodhpore and Mysore Lancers, 16th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade passing through Haifa following the city's capture from the Turks. (Imperial War Museum).