British Sikh Regiments: An OrBat from 1914

An Order of Battle is an important piece of military knowledge, which enables a researcher or analyst to make certain fact based assessments about the make up of an army and how a field force lines up in battle.

To researchers of the First World War, it provides vital information and understanding about the units deployed to certain arenas of war.  This is significant now, as we try to understand how the Sikh regiments were represented in the British Indian Army in 1914.

Acknowledging this enables us today to fully appreciate the huge sacrifice of the Sikhs - a race of people that despite being just 1% of the population at the time were represented in a third of all native British Indian regiments.

Having researched the OrBat of the British Indian Army, the below film depicts for the first time how they were organised.  It shows solely the line up of regiments containing Sikhs, white units and non-Sikh units are not included for the purposes of the film:



The Sikhs made up a significant part of the forces, we know.  Their were Sikh class-based regiments as well as Sikhs serving in mixed-class Punjabi regiments.

Within the cavalry, we can pick out the the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) as one regiment with a rich military history; earning battle honours at Arracon, Sabroan, Egypy and Tel-el-Kebir.  It's composition consisted of x1 Sikh, x1 Rajput, x1 Jatt (Hindu), x1 Hindustani Muslim squadrons.  The regiment would play a key role throughout the war on the western front, fighting at La Basee, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle, Festubert, Somme, Morval and Cambrai.

Within the infantry, the 9th Bhopal had a battle honour from Afghanistan 1878.  The regiment consisted of x2 Sikh, x2 Rajput, x2 Brahman and x2 Muslim double-company squadrons (a unique Indian set up, consisting of around 80 soldiers).  The regiment went from India to serve in France but in 1915 was moved to Egypt and then Mesopotamia.

In total, according to my research, the Sikhs were represented in x29 cavalry regiments and x54 infantry regiments.  To this we can add the x2 Sappers and Miners.

That means a total of 83 regiments contained Sikhs - either as a wholly Sikh class-based regiment or with Sikh squadrons or double-companies.

This is an immense contribution - unseen anywhere else by any other racial grouping.

It is inspiring and something we British Sikhs in particular should be extremely proud of.

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”.

What Indians Wore In The Trenches

We've had fantastic feedback from many of you on our new trailer (above) for our forthcoming film "Indians in the Trenches".  The film depicts the real life experiences of those who fought during World War One - told by amateur actors narrating the real letters sent betweem 1914 - 18.

Telling the story through the actual words written by those who experienced the war was important for us, as it meant we could harness the truth of their emotions and sentiments.  The letters tell us a lot about the state of mind of the soldiers - from those who missed their family and India, to those who were proud of doing their part in the war.  There were also those who saw horrific things and wanted the madness to end.  In depicting the film we wanted it to be as real as possible and the letters enabled us to achieve that in ways that any other type of script could not.

To ensure we did the story justice, the authenticity of the period uniforms was a crucial element of our depiction.  We were pleased to have with us Edwin Field (above) from the Die Hards Re-enactment group who not only curated the look of the soldiers but was a font of knowledge for us to understand more about the kit the soldiers had.

Prior to the shoot, I'd spent quite a lot of time researching what Indians wore in the trenches, but seeing for myself the various items of clothing was important - and I want to share that with you with hopes that you'll be inspired to find out more or utilise this post as a resource.

Indians arrived in France in Khaki Drill.  This is because the soldiers wore KD in India and commanders had thought the Indians would be deployed to Egypt.  But Indian Expeditionary Force A which set out in August 1914 had a different purpose, to help reinforce the defence on the western front and stop the Germans reaching the Cinque ports.

And so Indians arrived wearing this cotton khaki in France, a light dress which was unsuitable for the cold conditions of a European winter.  Their kit contained a great coat, which was the only warm item of clothing they had.

The Indians fought in this kit in cold conditions - but despite being badly equipped it did not stop them from some daring feats of bravery in the trenches and in fighting the Germans.  In 1914-15 alone 53 Indian Order of Merit and 6 Military Cross medals were rewarded to Sikhs in particular (research courtesy of Narindar Dhesi's "Sikh Soldier").

By mid-1915, the shirts were replaced with thicker jackets, as seen on the left modeled by Joban Singh from the "Indians in the Trenches" film,as photographed by the Wedshot team.  But this mattered to little to many of the soldiers as Indian infantry units were removed from the western front and redeployed in arena's including Mesopotamia.

By the end of 1915, the cavalry units which remained in France were issued woolen clothes for the harsh winters.  Cavalrymen would stay and fight until the end of the conflict.

There is also a difference in the kit of Native Indian officers and other ranks, with the former being issued Sam Browne equipment and tending to have larger turbans.  Harmeet Singh Bharaj, on the left, is depicting a Risaldar in July 1917 so is seen with a lighter khaki jacket with 1903 pattern leather belt pouches and a handgun.

Understanding the various uniform changes makes a difference when looking at images of Indians in general from the First World War for it enables researchers to see which year they are from - and understand how those fighting were equipped.

We certainly relied on such images in our filmmaking, but learnt a lot from Edwin about spotting the difference, such as the thinner shirts having 2 pockets and the thicker jackets 4.  Knowing that the Indians deployed to the western front began the conflict ill-equipped is a well known fact, but as better kit was supplied to them so too was the realisation that they were there for longer than they might have expected.

The Sikhs were the most visible of the soldiers deployed in every arena of the war.  While orders went out for helmets to be worn by Indian soldiers to protect from shrapnel, it was recognised at once that this would not work for the Sikhs whose turban remains a fundamental part of their identity.  Sikhs wore their turbans in conflict, although images of the conflict show non-Sikh cavalrymen wearing turbans in apparent combat, for the Sikhs it was a strict adherence and a sign of the pride in their faith.

Despite some images of the era showing otherwise, regimental cap badges too were worn on the turban in the trenches too.  This came as a surprise to us, as in combat having a metallic item which reflects light and shines would give away the position of a soldier.  I can only think that the while Sikhs maintained the dress code and chakkar on the turban with pride and in defiance of the enemy, it would be sensible to assume these were removed for night time or more covert operations.

Finally, many Indian soldiers who were injured in France and Flanders were brought over to England to recover at Brighton Pavillion.  The black and white photos of the time hide it well, but the period dress of a hospital patient is very surprising too: a white shirt, red tie and blue jacket and trousers was worn by them. Azadbir Singh Atwal on the left demonstrates this, with a rather worn out turban in this scene.

In all, the uniforms of the period evolved somewhat as the needs of the Indian soldiers became apparent.

It was an amazing experience working with young volunteers who had hardly any acting experience - but who felt the power of the letters sent from the trenches.  In coaching the actors and providing the motivation for their words it began clear to me what the overriding feelings and sentiments were of those who fought.

In our next post, I'll go into more details about the psyche of the Indians in the trenches - and why it was belief in their martial traditions that kept many Sikhs in high spirits at the hardest of times.

**Visit www.sikhsatwar.info for our online films **

Indians in the Trenches: The Shoot

I'm writing this after a long and productive day of shooting for one of our new films "Indians in the Trenches".

To say we achieved a lot during a busy day would be an understatement, as we balanced shooting with amateur and professional actors alongside a BBC crew who had come to document our work.

As a Dot Hyphen Production we once again turned to our trusted professional close friend Juggy Rehnsi for his creative direction - utilising his light studio space to create sets that matched the action being depicted.  The set up at Wedshot enabled us to maximise our work - making best use of light and technical equipment to do justice to the story.

But we could not have achieved what we have, as evidence in these fantastic images, without the input of our historian and WW1 consultant Edwin Field from the Diehards.  From matching the right kit to the right individual according to their period in the war to ensuring accuracy in portrayal in every element of our shoot, it was fantastic to have Edwin with us on the day.

My thanks to all our actors who volunteered to be a part of this new film: Diljohn Sidhu, Harmeet Singh Bharaj, Pavandeep Singh Sandhu (top left), Azadbir Singh Atwal (centre right), Jobanjeet Singh (bottom left), Gurdev Singh (bottom right), Endip Singh Rai.

We have enjoyed working with these guys, a thoroughly nice bunch of lads.  While we take a lot of pride in inspiring people through the deeds of our ancestors - we also get a lot of satisfaction from developing young talent, and so I hope we can help develop their careers to.

Finally, we look forward to sharing our hard work and efforts with you all in due course.  "Indians in the Trenches" is slated for release in September when we will be bringing you a new web resource at www.sikhsatwar.info

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.

Welcome...

Welcome to our blog - we've given it a face lift as we head into a busy year of research, filmmaking and blogging.

Please do bookmark the page - you can also use the image below as a link button on your website or on social media to direct people to our main site.

* Many thanks to Jag Lall for the fantastic artwork.

21 Sikhs vs 10,000 jihadis at Saragarhi

** Help create new films about Sikhs in the World War on Kickstarter **

"Saragarhi: The Forgotten Battle" was launched in the Indian Army Memorial Room, Royal Military Academy in November 2013.

Here is the second half of the book launch speech, which pays tribute to the heroics of the 21 Sikhs who fought against 10,000 enemy tribesman.

Towards the end of the speech, I highlight why it's important that we continue to remember this battle - and why it is still significant for us today.

[Footage courtesy of Sangat TV]

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.

Saragarhi Day

Our work and attention now turns to the forthcoming book "Saragarhi: The Forgotten Battle" which we will be releasing shortly.

Today marks Saragarhi Day, the battle honour and commemorative day awarded to 21 Sikhs for their bravery and valour in fighting for six straight hours against 10,000 tribesmen on the NW frontier.

The gallant last stand is one which has received a lot of attention in recent years - and one which through my authoritative research and analysis I have written about.

It'll be available via Amazon and on Kindle soon - for now do enjoy this short promo for the book.

#Last Stand
#Saragarhi

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.

Turban vs Bearskin

The recent news coverage of Jatenderpal Singh Bhullar joining the Scots Guards and going on parade has been largely positive. I've reflected on this in previous posts.

Above: Jatenderpal shaking hands with Major Rick Fletcher (Slough ACIO) after taking the oath of allegiance.

He is parading alongside Guardsmen in their traditional bearskins.  Below I will narrate why the significance of both lend the turban and bearskin to being complimentary to each other.

With media asking me for interviews and background to Sikhs in the British Army, I wanted to take this blog post to add some colour to why Jatenderpal wearing his turban is not only important but a celebration of +150 years of British and Sikh interaction in the military.

First, Jatenderpal is NOT the first Sikh to go on guard duty outside the Palace with a turban. That honour goes to Signaler Simranjit Singh (Royal Signals) and Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh (Army Air Corps) who both undertook the duty in 2009 (below). Both have gone on to undertake operation tours in Afghanistan.

Nor is he the first to join the Household Division - Trooper Ranny Singh, was the first to join the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry.

BUT Jatenderpal is the first to pass selection and join a Foot Guards unit and go on duty with his turban and beard (symbols of his faith) intact.

No doubt other Sikhs without turbans and beards have joined the Household units, but as uncut hair is crucial for Sikh identity Jatenderpal is making history in maintaining this in the uniform of a Guardsman.  More on this below.

Secondly, he is making history as a Guardsman but is also continuing a strong lineage of Sikhs who fought for Great Britain.  Historically, Sikh interaction with the British military goes back a long long time:

In 1845 the Sikhs fought Britain during the Sutlej campaign (First Anglo-Sikh War)

In 1847 the Sikhs fought Britain during the Punjab campaign (Second Anglo-Sikh War).  That year, the kingdom of the Sikhs was annexed by the British.

In 1857, Sikhs stood loyal to Britain during the mutiny. If they had not done so India could have fallen out of British hands

During the World Wars Sikhs fought valiantly for Britain in all areas of conflict (more here).

All this is the background to what I call the "special respect" the British had for Sikhs.

Unfortunately, this strong connection and history is lost, sadly over around 50 Sikhs serve in the British Army today.

Above: Sikhs historically served Britain, here some of them are meeting Winston Churchill in Yalta during WW2

Moving on to the turban vs bearskin issue (the title of this post), both are strong rich traditions which should be wholly supported as the highest symbol of respect, discipline and honour.

The bearskin is a tall fur cap worn by Foot Guards, it is an honour they won following their brave heroics at the Battle of Waterloo where they ousted Napoleon's forces.

Today it is worn for ceremonial purposes but is a constant reminder of the valour of those who brought honour upon their regiments.

It is also a symbol of the rich traditions and heritage of the British and the respective Guards units that wear them, providing a poignant backdrop of historic endeavours in an age where we often forget about the service and sacrifices of those who helped make Britain great.
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The turban defines a Sikh, above: Trooper Ranny Singh meeting other Sikhs at a Turbanology event

The turban, quiet simply, defines a Sikh.  It is the physical form given to disciples since the creation of the faith by Guru Nanak Dev ji in 1469.  The Sikh Gurus all wore turbans and it denoted their high spirituality.

In wearing a turban a Sikh shows he is independent, distinguishable and a follower of the way of life prescribed by the Sikh Gurus.  This applies equally to women as well as men.

But the key to understanding the turban of the Sikhs is actually the uncut hair is houses - one of the 5 Ks.  In keeping unshorn hair and beards, Sikhs accept the will of God and the humility of maintaining uncut hair gives them discipline and purpose.

The turban is the best way to cover, protect and encase the long hair - and becomes a crown which all Sikhs wear to show they are an independent race.

For an initiated Sikh, wearing a cap or hat is out of the question as it degrades the turban.  Similarly the turban should be tied afresh daily and respected by all by not touching it or mocking it.

So the bearskin represents tradition, duty, honour, history and remembrance.

So the turban stands for identity, spirituality, independence, discipline and selflessness.

Is there any difference between them?  Or do they actually compliment one another because of what they symbolise especially in a modern age.

I hope this short piece will shed some light on why Guardsman Bhullar is wearing his turban and not a bearskin - the key is to respect that he is able to serve in his regiment with his Sikh identity intact.

I truly hope his example inspires many more Brits to work hard and towards the goal of serving their faith and country.

There is more on the significance of Sikh identity in my new book here.