Memorials of Sikh Soldiers in Belgium.

June 2012 : British Sikhs remember soldiers from World War I at Memorial sites in Belgium

A UK delegation of British Sikhs from the West Midlands visited Belgium to pay tributes to soldiers who were killed in World War I. The quartet consisting of Mr Dal Singh Dhesy, Mr Gurbachan Singh Jammu, Mr Gurdev Singh Manku -- Honorary Alderman Birmingham City and Mrs Baldev Kaur Manku, from the Sikh Community and Youth Service UK, in Handsworth, Birmingham who are also members of the Royal British Legion and the UK Labour party, paid their respects to the missing and those killed in action by participating in the Last Post ceremony that took place at Menin Gate. They also laid a wreath from the Sikh community, to honour the fallen.
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The tributes were paid at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, which is a war memorial based in Ypres, Belgium and is dedicated to the commemoration of British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I, and whose graves are unknown. Following the opening of the Menin Gate Memorial in 1927, the citizens of Ypres wanted to express their gratitude towards those who had given their lives for Belgium's freedom. As such, every evening at 20:00 hours, buglers from the local fire brigade close the road which passes under the Memorial and sound the Last Post. Over 54,896 names including those of Sikh soldiers who fought for the British Indian Army, are engraved on the walls.
The Last Post Ceremony has become part of daily life in Ypres and the local people are proud of this simple but moving tribute, to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fell in defence of their country.
A remembrance wreath was also laid at Bedford House Cemetery in Ypres where some Sikh soldiers are buried and the Memorial in the Hollebeke village where the Sikh soldiers were first posted in this region. It should be noted that pure Sikh Regiments of 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 47th Sikhs, 34th Sikh Pioneers and mixed Regiments like 9th Bhopal Infantry, 57th Wilde's Rifles and others have fought in Belgium twice in October 1914 and April 1915. It is believed that nearly 4 thousand Sikhs have died in and around Ypres although the Commonwealth War Grave Commission has recorded only 493 British Indian soldiers. According to Historical records, Indian Corps had lost 34,252 men dead, wounded or prisoners of war ) in 14 months on the western front ( France - Belgium ) and on 27th April 1915, out of 444 men of 47th Sikhs, 348 did not come back, however the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres has the names of only 15 Sikhs of the 47th Sikhs. Between 24th April and 1st of May 1915, the Lahore Sikh Division had lost 3889 men or 30 % of the troops it had employed.