NEW FILM: Indians In The Trenches: On The Western Front

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Press Release: Story Of “Indians In The Trenches” Captured On Film For The First Time

Young actors have been given a rare opportunity to dress up in British World War One uniforms and re-enact the real life experiences of Sikhs who fought during the conflict for a new film, being released on Friday 4^th July 2014.

"Indians in the Trenches" depicts the real life stories of those from the subcontinent who left their villages in 1914 to fight in a faraway land for the first time.  The film uses the original letters sent from the trenches of France and Flanders to delve into what the Indian soldiers felt and experienced at different key points during the four-year war.

It's the first time a Sikh re-enactment has taken place in Britain, and the first time the original writings of those who fought have been enacted and captured on film.  Around 126,000 Sikhs fought during the conflict in every arena of the war - from the western front to Mesopotamia; and their contribution is all the more remarkable when considered that despite being only 2% of the Indian population at the time they made up 20% of the fighting force of the British Indian Army.

The letters contain a strong belief of their faith and identity.  One Sikh soldier wrote “It was my very good fortune to be engaged in this war.  We shall never get such another chance to exalt the name of race, country, ancestors, parents, village and brothers.” while another Sikh remarked “We are fortunate men to have been able to join in this great war.  We will do our best to uphold the family traditions and the reputation of our tribe.”

But the experience for the Indians was also very harrowing as they faced the harsh realities of the conflict during the winter of 1914 without proper warm kit.  One Sikh soldier remarked “The guns fire all day like the thunder in Sawan.  The heaven and earth are undistinguishable and at night there is a regular Diwali festival.”

Speaking about the film, director Jay Singh-Sohal said: "This has been a fantastic way of highlighting the Indian contribution during the war through real life letters and experiences.  The Sikh story itself is inspiring because of the overwhelming contribution this small community made to the war effort, and this is reflected in that a quarter of Indian gallantry awards were given to this martial race.  It’s something people today should not forget."

This was the first role for aspiring young actor Pavandeep Singh Sandhu (pictured top), who plays the role of cavalrymen Bhaga Singh says: "It’s been a really exciting opportunity to portray this role, especially as Sikhs made such a dramatic impact during the course of the war.  It makes me feel proud that our forefathers made this sacrifice.  To delve into the psyche of the soldiers enabled me to appreciate what they went through – and be inspired by it.”

The film is being released on the online film site www.sikhsatwar.info and broadcast on British television as part of efforts to raise awareness during the centenary commemorations of World War One.

The team will then be working alongside members of the Armed Forces to create a national memorial to remember the sacrifices of Sikh soldiers.

***ENDS***

Notes to Editors:

All media bids for interview to be made via:
07908 22 6667/ dothyphen1@gmail.com

For more information visit: www.sikhsatwar.info or contact us on Twitter: @SikhsAtWar

Stills images attached are available for publication, more are available upon request. 

Please ensure logos are not cropped and accredit “www.sikhsatwar.info”.

FILM: Chattri Memorial in Brighton

Here's a short film I put together about the Chattri Memorial in Brighton after my first visit there for the annual remembrance day event.

For more information about the monument visit www.chattri.com.

New "Sikhs At War" Logo

We tasked our favourite artist Jag Lall to create a new logo for the "Sikhs At War" project.

We went through a long procedure to iron out the best motif - debating what we wanted to depict in order to show the shared British-Sikh history and inspire others to feel proud about their connection and service during the Great War.

Below are some of the design concepts Jag came up with, which we creatively discussed:

The common theme was the chakkar / silver circle.  This denotes the oneness with God that Sikhs believe in - reflected within the kara or iron bracelet that forms one of the 5 K's which all Sikhs wear.

The Sikh soldier too is represented - in memory of the countless tens of thousands who fought for freedom and against tyranny in every arena of the Great War.  The soldiers turban is large, this was the only defence Sikhs had in war and they'd often find bullets within them!  The beard appears trimmed but isn't - Sikhs did not cut their hair even in combat; but the beard was kept tied up to stop it jamming in the rifle.

We debated about whether to keep the Union Jack flag and Nishaan Sahib - but in our final choice we were won over by simplicity as we didn't feel the need to make this extroversial gesture.

Our final choice for our logo is the final one above - image 6.

We feel this pays tribute to the memory of Sikhs during the Great War - please do comment and add your thoughts.

The Saragarhi Tour 2014

After our successful launch at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst we are pleased to announce that in 2014 we are taking Saragarhi on tour!

The story of Saragarhi is an important one to appreciate - the battles which took place on the frontier are oft forgotten but form an important part of understanding why Sikhs fought for Britain and how their heroics not only protected India but cemented their reputation ahead of the Great War.

Having read, researched and written about Saragarhi we've unearthed many amazing facts, inspirational stories and never-before-seen images.

Only 75% of our research has been published in "Saragarhi: The Forgotten Battle" ... the rest we will be sharing in our Saragarhi presentations and future documentary.

The tour presentation features original images from Saragarhi, satellite analysis of the terrain and the stories of those who fought on the Samana.

Journalist and filmmaker Jay Singh-Sohal will take you on a journey of discovering just what makes Saragarhi one of history's greatest last stands.


The presentation includes a screening of one of our "Sikhs At War" films and a Q&A/book signing (as above) by the author.

We will announce in due course the location of these tours taking place in the New Year.

If you are interested in organising a presentation in the UK, USA, Canada or Europe as well please contact us directly via this email.

Watch Now: "Sikhs At Sandhurst" HD

This time last summer, my filmmaker colleague Juggy* and I walked through the corridors of Royal Military Academy, to discover the hidden history of "Sikhs at Sandhurst".

Being given rare access to film around the site was a tremendous honour- and on a hot English day we were duly rewarded for our efforts in capturing our glorious past with remarkable insight into the place where British (and Commonwealth) officers come to train.

It's a place that has a phenomenally strong Sikh presence- yet it's largely unknown to those outside of the military community.  As a reservist I've always been in awe of the glorious ways in which Sikhs are celebrated at Sandhurst, but many Indians might not appreciate it's sentiment or meaning without being prompted.

So we've made a film to highlight the Sikh story at this fine military institution - and crucially to provide a broader understanding of the Sikh presence there and what it means today.

It's our latest production from the "Sikhs At War" series of online films we make to raise awareness of our history and heritage.

In the film you will particularly discover:
- Why Queen Victoria gave special permission to the son of the last ruler of the Punjab to attend the academy
- Why the British deployed Sikhs in large numbers to unruly Afghanistan
- How the British chose to remember the Sikh bravery and heroics with a special stained glass window
- How British-Sikh history continues to inspire current generations to serve their country

"Sikhs At Sandhurst" is available to watch in HD widescreen below or here.

Sikhs have a unique and fascinating story of interaction with the British, something that as a third generation British Sikh I am very proud of and want to ensure people from all backgrounds appreciate too.

This interaction began with the Anglo-Sikh wars, which saw the British conquer the Punjab after two bloody wars which they nearly lost.  The fall of the Sikh empire was a tragic loss, but rather than remain enemies the Sikhs served the British and soon became the most trusted of allies.

This swift transition laid the foundations for the valiant contribution of the Sikhs on the frontier and during the World Wars, which we will be exploring as we head into the conflicts centenary.

We will soon bring you an update on how we intend to launch this film - and give it the international media publicity it deserves.  We will also be showcasing it worldwide at film festivals and presentations.

Until then - do watch and enjoy the film and do continue to visit and support all our channels and social media networks:

Twitter: @DotHyphen

Facebook: DotHyphenProductions

Youtube: DotHyphenProductions / DotHyphenPublishers

* Final thought: a special thanks to Juggy Singh Rehnsi, my creative director (left), who has stood by this project and it's aims and aspirations through the technical difficulties we encountered in bringing you this story.

This film should have been released earlier than it has.  Not to bore you with details, but quality productions are very important to us.  So is being innovative and working with the limited resources we have to make films that do justice the story of Sikh bravery and heroism.

It is my hope that while we continue to use our expertise and passion for British Sikh history to bring you such productions, we also have your support in making them happen.

If you would like to contribute by funding or sponsoring a production please do email us directly.