The Sikh Regiment
Sikh soldiers in the British Army have been around since 1843 ever since they were recruited, when the British Empire conquered the Sikh Empire. By 1914, even though Sikhs represented just 1% of the population of British India they made up 20% of the British Indian Army.
During WW1, they heavily influenced the way the British Army fought and were known for their bravery. Some of these influences include ordering miniature religious scriptures of the Guru Granath Sahib to hospital depots around France and Belgium, ordering weaponry that were typically used by the Sikh army such Kirpins (daggers), Chakrams and taller swords. Among the other things that were ordered for the Sikh soldiers were unstitched plain cloth for turbans and coconut oil for hair.
Khalsa Ritual
The four prohibitions or mandatory restrictions of the Khalsa are:
(1) Not to cut hair any natural growing hair
(2) Eating Kutha meat or meat of an animal slaughtered in the Muslim halal or Jewish kosher way
(3) Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse
(4) Using tobacco or hookah.
The uniform of a Singh/Kaur of the Khalsa comprises the Five Ks:
(1) Kesh – Uncut hair on the face, head, and all parts of the body.
(2) Kanga - A wooden comb.
(3) Kara - An iron bracelet.
(4) Kacchera – A pair of drawers (a specific type of cotton underwear).
(5) Kirpan – A dagger or sword.
Not only that, but Sikh bathing rituals in the camp outside Marseilles were readily accepted and special cremations were held for the Hindu and Sikh soldiers that fell in battle. Not only that but Sikhs were allowed to wear the turban in battle without a helmet and a British officer even wrote that some Sikhs picked bullets out of their turbans. It was a common sight to see Sikh regiments in around battlefields and this included the famous Flanders battlefield. Sikh soldiers have had a permanent influence in history as recently on Bastille Day, in France, Sikhs and other Indians took part in a parade including along the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
The Empire, Faith and War Project
Recognising these heroes has been due to the work of Premijit Sigh a historian and founding member of the UK Punjab Heritage Association (UKPHA) dedication to the preservation of Sikh and Punjab heritage. He spent three years documenting Sikh soldiers during WW1 by travelling around India, Pakistan and London reaching out to the Sikh communities on any information he could find. Their work has had an overwhelming amount of support over the years as many have contacting him to share their relative's military stories. He and his co-founder of UKPHA Amandeep Madra was awarded by the previous Prime Minister David Cameron for their efforts in fostering interest in Sikh and Punjabi heritage, with particular mention of the Empire, Faith and War project which had released their new website last month and its aims to encourage the public to volunteer as Citizen Historians.
Fallen Soliders:
Harnam Singh
One such story is Harnam Singh where his family has recently released his memoirs describing his experiences in the battlefield as he fought in the 30th Lancers in France and Mesopotamia.
“Seeing us Sikhs they [the French] probably thought that we had been away from our homes for such a long time that we had not had an opportunity to get our beards shaved. Consequently, when they met a Sikh they would sympathetically offer to shave him. When they came to know that these were Sikhs and they do not cut their hair and beards, they were amazed.”
Harnam Singh, unpublished memoir, November 1914
Natha Singh
Nathan Singh was from the1st Patiala Rajinder Sikh Infantry and as a musketry instructor in Egypt he set shooting records. He was one of the best shooters as he set shooting records in competitions against soldiers from across the British Empire.
