Author Topic: SIKH LIONS IN WORLD WARS (Read 3536 times)

Kudrat Kaur · « **on:** July 23, 2010, 11:51:57 PM »

French woman pinning a flower to honour sikh soldiers arriving in France

"In the last two world wars, 83,005 turban-wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world enduring shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith'" General Sir Frank Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO. From the forward of Colonel F.T. Birdwood OBE, The Sikh Regiment in the Second World War.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, there were six battalions of the Sikh Regiment forming part of the British Army. They were named as 14th Ferozepur Sikhs, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 35th Sikhs, 36th Sikhs, 45th Sikhs and 47th Sikhs. Since Sikh soldiers were known for their bravery, the British employed all their battalions, except the 35th Sikhs, for fighting at such far-away places like Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France.

With the outbreak of war in Europe, India, the Crown Jewel of the British Empire, joined the Allies in battle on the 4th of August 1914.Contributing the most volunteers of any of the British imperial holdings that fought in the war, India produced between 900,000 to 1.5 million troops for combat by 1919. Of these troops, the Sikhs, one of the two loyal 'martial races' of the British Raj, rallied in enormous numbers for the King, Empire, and the defence of Europe.

At the beginning of the war, Sikh military personnel numbered around 35,000 men of the 161,000 troops of the Indian Army, around 22% of the armed forces, yet the Sikhs only made up less than 2% of the total Indian population. By the end of the war 100,000 Sikh volunteers joined the British Armed forces with a few Sikhs also contributing to the French Air Service and the American Expeditionary Force.

SIKH MONUMENTS IN EUROPE

The "Black Lions," as the Arabs called them in Mesopotamia, of the Punjab sacrificed their lives for the defence of freedom in Europe for an ally that was ruling their own homeland, yet they did it out of honour and loyalty.

I will try to add MORE bravery stories of these Sikh martyrs who didn't fight for any race, religion but just for the only reason that is "HUMANITY".

Author Topic: SIKH LIONS IN WORLD WARS (Read 3536 times)

Kudrat Kaur

SIKH LIONS IN WORLD WARS

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