Browsing Tag: World War 1

Many acts of bravery were conducted by the officers' men in the Battle of Gallipoli which is worth sharing. But this one is incomparable.

“And even within professional historians, they have not picked up on this because they have no reason to. The only people who have a reason to tell this story are the people from that community, and we haven’t done it ourselves,” he said.

The visiting historian and heritage expert addressed the gathering on the role of Sikh soldiers during WW-I. His first Amritsar visit, which he described as absolutely important and wonderful, coincided with the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Sikh soldiers at The WW-I,...

He said contribution of Sikhs as martial race were immense and their stories of valor and sacrifice were still remembered in parts of his country Belgium and others.

National Sikh Council of Australia opened a weeklong exhibition on the contribution of Sikh Soldiers in World War I & II at Parramatta Town Hall, Parramatta to commemorate centenary of Gallipoli.

“They were all 6ft + and they is no way you would have argued with them”. I have so many stories about the reputation of the Sikhs as a fighting force it is hard to know where to begin.

Angad Singh, of Glebe Road, Finchley, and his friend Satnam Singh, 38, who lives in Slough, took on the Brighton Marathon to raise money for the UK Punjab Heritage Association.

"The history of Sikhs affords many instances of their value as soldiers, but it may be safely asserted that nothing finer than the grim valour and steady discipline displayed by them on the 4th June has ever been done by soldiers of the Khalsa.”

Pictures have been unveiled of a new permanent memorial in honour of the Indian soldiers who fought during WWI. it will commemorate around 130,000 Sikh soldiers who fought in the Great War.

Describing Sikh soldiers as fearless and fearsome warriors to their faith, British Home Secretary, Theresa May, said, they made an “incalculable positive contribution to world history, boldly fighting injustice, tyranny and oppression”.

IT is not widely known that almost a million Indians fought on the side of Britain during the First World War. ...in the year that the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, the Sikh community in Derby has decided to pay its own tribute.

[VIDEO] The Sikh community was recently honored by the UK government in a memorial service which recognized the contributions by Sikh soldiers in World War I.

[VIDEO] In terms of numbers, the Sikh contribution was disproportionately great: they formed 20% of the Indian Army even though they were only 1% of the Indian population in 1914.

Eight years after his gravesite was discovered in Kitchener's Mount Hope Cemetery, hundreds gathered around his final resting place to pay tribute to the Sikh soldier, whose story was lost to history for decades.

People from communities across the city and county came together to remember the sacrifices of Sikh and Commonwealth servicemen 100 years ago.

Kanwar Singh's latest painting titled, "Stand on Guard for Thee" reflects on the role of Sikhs during World War I.... This work represents a foray into the contemporary period of Sikh Military history for the artist

The Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada (SHMC) - A Canadian organization celebrating the unique culture, history and legacy of Sikh Canadians and creating a tribute to the historical significances of the Sikh community.

Not only has the British army acknowledged (at last) and but even the British mainstream media has woken up to that historical fact. No longer are the Sikhs lost in generalised labels like “Indians” or “Asians”. They stand tall as “Sikhs”.

The Sikh experience in the First World War will be the focus of a special, one-day exhibit happening later this month in Malton as part of Doors Open Mississauga.

The initiative is spearheaded by the "Sikhs At War" project as part of its legacy efforts to create British-Sikh heritage initiatives and ensure the Sikh sacrifice is never forgotten. The project produces films and shares its research via its website

We are proud that Sikh Nation has helped the international Community twice in the 20th Century. They have died in large numbers for all of us for our freedom and better future. We now live with dignity, honor and pride.

Members of Preston’s Sikh community paraded through the city centre in remembrance of those who fought in the First World War. The free family event included live martial arts, children’s activities including a bouncy castle, as well as food, ice cream and arts and crafts.

“Go to war not for the sake of goods or gold, not for your homeland or for honor, nor to seek the death of your enemies, but to strengthen your character, to strengthen it in power and will, in habits, custom and earnestness. That is why I want to go to war.”

On hearing that his former student might be about to be accepted into the French Air Force his tutor and friend 'Sligger' Urquhart went to General Henderson,... to express his consternation that a British subject should be allowed to fly for the French and not the British. His intervention worked and H S Malik became the first Sikh to fly with the Royal Flying Corps.

You too can participate in this unique way of remembering and honouring our long-forgotten War Heroes from the First World War. It is all very well for governments to declare that they wish the Centenary to be inclusive and relate the narrative of all communities. The reality is that this will not happen by itself. It is time for every Sikh to step forward and join in.

The story of the British Indian army on the Western Front starts on 6th August 1914. On that day, the War Council asks the Indian government to send two infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade to Egypt. The divisions chosen were the Lahore and the Meerut Divisions, later followed by the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade which together formed the Indian Army Corps.

British artist Richard Caton Woodville, Jr, has engraved Indian troops charging the German trenches at Neuve Chapelle. Artifacts, including uniforms and gallantry medals, are on display and playing on loop is a rare archive film footage that projects the first Sikh fighter pilot Hardit Singh Malik. Folk songs of wives left home by the soldiers are also printed on a panel.

The exhibit will be open for 11 months. It marks the launch of a three-year project to reveal the untold story of how one of the world’s smallest communities played a disproportionately major role in the war.

The story of the British Indian army on the Western Front starts on 6th August 1914. On that day, the War Council asks the Indian government to send two infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade to Egypt. The divisions chosen were the Lahore and the Meerut Divisions, later followed by the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade which together formed the Indian Army Corps.

'To show their contempt for death, some Sikhs had refused to hide in the trenches'. The day after, we heard that during the night one of the Sikh regiment had to recapture the trench, which the Germans had taken by surprise...