WW1 Sikh Memorial Fund Launched

Today we launched a campaign, alongside the British Armed Forces Sikh Association, to create a permanent memorial in memory of the Sikhs who fought in every arena of the First World War.

The "WW1 Sikh Memorial Fund" will ensure the heroics and of-overlooked contribution of our forebears is not forgotten.  The memorial will be placed at the heart of remembrance in the UK as the first national monument to the Sikhs.

And we need your support to make this happen.  Please see below for details - and visit the Kickstarter campaign page to donate as much as you can to this worthy cause.

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Immediate Release  

August 2014

National Campaign Launched To Create A Permanent Memorial For World War One Indians.

Today, Tuesday 26^th August 2014, sees the launch of a national campaign which aims to create a permanent memorial in the memory of Indians who fought during World War One.

The “WW1 Sikh Memorial” is the first of its kind. A statue commemorating the 130,000 Sikh soldiers who fought in the Great War will be unveiled in a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum. The Sikh contribution is remarkable, as despite being only 1% of the Indian population at the time, they constituted 20% of the British Indian Army and were represented in over a third of the regiments at the time.

The campaign is led by filmmaker and activist Jay Singh-Sohal, who describes its importance: “This centenary anniversary of the start of World War One is an ideal time to remember all those who fought in the conflict – the Sikh story is only now finding prominence with exhibitions, films and research.  We want to ensure that our community has a lasting legacy of remembrance for those who fought – a memorial will ensure that their service is never forgotten and that in future people remember their heroism.”

The memorial is supported by serving military personnel.  Captain Makand Singh MBE from the British Armed Forces Sikh Association states: “This is a fitting memorial to our forefathers and will no doubt inspire those Indians serving now and into the future. Whether you are a soldier or a civilian we should all be grateful for the sacrifices made by such a small distinct group such as the Sikhs – and be encouraged that their contribution has made it easier for successive generations in Britain to integrate and be key players in society.”

The project has the backing of British Sikh professionals.  Speaking about creating a lasting legacy of remembrance, Wolverhampton MP Paul Uppal says: “As the only Sikh MP in the House of Commons, I am proud to be able to support a memorial commemorating the Sikh soldiers who fought in the Great War. The valour and courage of Sikh soldiers is something that was quite rightly commended by British Generals - as a nation we should recognise this by building a lasting tribute to the sacrifice of these often forgotten heroes.”

At the centre of the campaign is the involvement of grassroot participants who by donating to the memorials Kickstarter crowd funding campaign will become stakeholders in the monument.  The campaigners believe this will ensure a groundswell of community support which will inspire young people to get involved with the project and ensure the memorial has lasting support well into the future.

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 www.sikhsatwar.info

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Notes to Editors:

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

Visit the fundraising campaign website via this link here:

For more information visit www.sikhsatwar.info or tweet us via @SikhsAtWar.

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

Please accredit “@SikhsAtWar” for any images used.

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

Please like, share and comment via here and on Twitter: @SikhsAtWar

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.

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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”.

Sikhs in the Canadian Expeditionary Force

Fellow researcher Marika Pirie (mentioned below) alerted me to this fantastic Library and Archive of Canada website where you can search for those who fought in WW1.

Over 600,000 men and women enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force - and this surprisingly included some Sikhs!

Searching for the surname "Singh" I've come across 9 - of course not all "Singhs" were Sikh, as it was a surname also used by some Rajput Hindus.  The names are listed below, please do contact me if you know or have any to these soldiers.

Marika alerted me to one particular soldier:

Born in Punjab in January 1883, Waryam Singh was a labourer who joined the 38th Battalion of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in Ottawa in May 1915. 

Being in his 30's, what he did to get to Canada would be interesting to find out!


While the first two pages of the Attestation soldiers undertook is now online, more details will be released on the site later this year about each soldier.  It'll be interesting to find out more about Waryam Singh.

Update:  click here for an interesting article about another Canadian Sikh who served.

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.

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.

Proud of Jatenderpal

Here's some photos of him on duty ... truly hope it inspired more young men (of all religious backgrounds) to serve their country with pride: