The week that was unlike any other – The Punjabi & Canadian Roll of Honour

100 years ago this week was unlike any other for the Punjab. Her troops, the rank and file of the British Indian Army’s Lahore Division, were thrust into the Battle of Flanders in a desperate action to hold the British line against a massive German advance on the Belgian town of Ypres and the French Port of Calais. The defence of Britain and the Commonwealth had began in baptism of fire in which men from across a united Punjab province came together to defend ‘gallant little Belgium’ from the German invader. On the fabled battlefields of Europe the Izzat of India rested on their shoulders; outnumbered and outgunned the Punjabis would face the moment of reckoning with gallantry and courage.

Thousands of Indians troops would fall in action in a series of these defensive actions – the battles would rage until Christmas of 1914, across a line that would come to be known as the Western Front Indian regiments with killed-in action during this the first week of deployment were : 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 34th Sikh Pioneers, 55th Coke’s Rifles (Punjab Frontier Force), 57th Wilde’s Rifles (Punjab Frontier Force) and 59th Scinde Rifles (Punjab Frontier Force). The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs and the 34th Sikh Pioneers were Sikh class regiments while the Punjab Frontier Force regiments were mixed class regiments comprising Sikh, Punjabi Muslim, Pathan and Hindu Rajput/Dogra companies.
Many would never be found in the killing fields of Flanders, never to know a grave their names are inscribed on a memorial in Neuve Chapelle France – these are the men from the Punjab, with their their British officers, that fell this week 100 years ago:
‪#‎RememberThem‬

Surname Rank Regiment Family & District Date Of Death
SALABAT KHAN Rifleman 125th Napier’s Rifles SON OF BAIZ KHAN, OF THUN, KHARIAN, GUJRAT, PUNJAB. 20-OCT-1914
KHUDA BAKHSH Saddler Indian Ordnance Department – 20-OCT-1914
NUR SHAH Driver Mule Corps SON OF AKBAR SHAH, OF GUJAR KHURANI, RAWALPINDI, PUNJAB. 20-OCT-1914
GAJAN Driver Mule Corps SON OF SHAH SARWAR, OF IANDA, FATEHJANG, ATTOCK, PUNJAB. 20-OCT-1914
LATURIA Naik 55th Coke’s Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF PHEHU, OF TIKAR, HAMIRPUR, KANGRA, PUNJAB. 22-OCT-1914
JAFAR ALI Jemadar 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis SON OF FATEH KHAN, OF KURPAL, CHAKWAL, JHELUM, PUNJAB. 23-OCT-1914
SANTA SINGH Naik 15th Ludhiana Sikhs SON OF BIR SINGH, OF JHAURAR, JAGRAON, LUDHIANA, PUNJAB. 24-OCT-1914
AHMAD SHAH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF SHARAF SHAH, OF DHOK PIR MEHTAB ALI SHAH, KAHUTA, RAWALPINDI, PUNJAB. 24-OCT-1914
TEJIA Follower Sardar Risala Jodhpur Lancers – 24-OCT-1914
KHAN BAHADUR Lance Naik 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis SON OF SHAH WALI, OF NARA, KAHUTA, RAWALPINDI, PUNJAB. 25-OCT-1914
HIRA SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF SAWAN SINGH, OF NAWAN PIND, LUDHIANA, PUNJAB. 25-OCT-1914
GANGA SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers OF LIDHAR, LAHORE, PUNJAB. 25-OCT-1914
INDAR SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF PURAN SINGH. 25-OCT-1914
SCOTT Captain 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF WALTER SCOTT, OF TANY GYRT, DENBIGH, AND THE LATE ISABELLA SCOTT. 25-OCT-1914
HAMPE-VINCENT Captain 129th Duke of Connaught’s Own Baluchis SON OF THE LATE R. VINCENT, C.BE. (LATE INDIAN POLICE), AND MRS. VINCENT; HUSBAND OF THE LATE BLANCHE HANNINGTON VINCENT. 26-OCT-1914
BHAG SINGH Lance Naik 15th Ludhiana Sikhs BROTHER OF WARYAM SINGH, OF KOTLI-ABLU-KI, DODA, FEROZEPORE. 26-OCT-1914
KISHAN SINGH Havildar 15th Ludhiana Sikhs BROTHER OF NARAIN SINGH, OF KARYARWALA, PHUL, NABHA. 26-OCT-1914
ARJAN SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers OF KHUDDI SADHANWANI, BARNALA, PATIALA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
BHAGAT SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF SUNDAR SINGH, OF DHUDIAL, CHAKWAL, JHELUM, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
BHAGAT SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers OF RAMGARH KHANGAH, DOGRAN, SHEIKHUPURA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
FATEH SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF KAHAN SINGH, OF KHOKHAR, PATIALA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
GURDIT SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF CHUHAR SINGH, OF TANDA, GUJRAT, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
SADHU SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF POHU SINGH, OF MALLIAN, AMRITSAR, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
USHNAK SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF BELA SINGH, OF MEISSAM, GUJRAT, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
INDAR SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers – 26-OCT-1914
JOBAN SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers – 26-OCT-1914
BHOLA SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers OF DHARAMPURA, KHANGAH DOGRAM, SHEIKHUPURA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
BUR SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF MAYA SINGH, OF TANDA, GUJRAT, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
GHASITA SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF GHULA SINGH, OF DHABAN KALAN, KHANGAH, DOGRAN, SHIEKHUPURA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
HARI SINGH Naik 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF HAKU, OF KOTLI, JAMMU, KASHMIR. 26-OCT-1914
INDAR SINGH Sepoy 34th Sikh Pioneers SON OF PUNJAB SINGH, OF DHABAN KALAN, KHANGAH DOGRAN, SHEIKHUPURA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
MANGAL SINGH Sepoy 57th Wilde’s Rifles (Frontier Force) OF KHOKHARA, BHIMBAR, MIRPUR, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
NAGINA SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF GULAB SINGH, OF GANESHPUR, GARHSHANKAR, HOSHIARPUR, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
PIRTHI SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF PYARA SINGH, OF JANAT, DEHRA, KANGRA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
UTTAM SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF JAIMAL SINGH, OF PADAOR, BARNALA, PATIALA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
LAL KHAN Lance Naik 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF MUZAFFAR KHAN, OF NARALI, GUJAR KHAN, RAWALPINDI. 26-OCT-1914
MANGAL SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF ATAR SINGH, OF ALIPUR, MALERKOTLA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
RUR SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF KESAR SINGH, OF RURE KI, DHANAULA, NABHA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
HARNAM SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF SHER SINGH, OF THAKDOBURJI, PASRUR, SIALKOT, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
BISHN SINGH Lance Naik 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF PUNJAB SINGH, OF HAKIM SINGH WALA, DHANAULA, NABHA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
CHUHR SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF DILLU, OF BARINDA, NURPUR, KANGRA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
DAYAL SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF GURMUKH SINGH, OF SANGHERI, VENALA, PATIALA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914
GYAN SINGH Sepoy 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) SON OF HAZARA SMGH, OF TAJO, BARNALA, PATIALA, PUNJAB. 26-OCT-1914

Ultimately over 1 million Indian combatants would fight for the King and the Commonwealth in WW1, 500,000 of these men were from the Punjab – a province comprising 10% of India’s population. On the eve of the First World War, 66% of Indian cavalry, 87% of Indian artillery, 45% of Indian infantry were Punjabi soldiers.
Amongst the Punjabis no community had a larger representation than the Sikhs, in absolute numbers at the onset of the war they formed the largest single community in the army. By the end of the war as other larger communities enlisted , the Sikhs as 1% of India’s population remained proportionately the largest contingent .
Discover their untold story of the Punjabis in WW1 at Surrey City Centre Library this week – on until Sunday November 2nd. For complete WW1 centennial event details please visit www.imfc.org

A hundred years on, last week was unlike any other here in Canada. The very seat of our freedom and democracy was attacked . For centuries Punjab looked upon its martial heritage with pride – tyranny , terror, intolerance and injustice forged a martial tradition that bore a lineage of Noblemen Rajputs and Warrior Saints to defend the secular aspirations of its people. In our new homeland Canadian soldiers and Servicemen now bear that mantle.
Respect them all.
#RememberThem all.

Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo – we salute you.

During the attack on Ottawa Kevin Vickers, served 29 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) , stood tall as a Canadian hero – shooting the gunman dead the ‘Sergeant-at-arms’ showed the world that his role was not just ceremonial. Exemplifying the best traditions of Canada in respecting the culture and dignity of others, he in 2011 stood up for the rights of Sikhs to wear the Kirpan in Canada’s legislature n the face of a motion by Quebec nationalists calling for its prohibition.

“I see your wearing of the kirpan, especially in our Parliamentary buildings, as exactly that, respecting your dignity,” he told the WSO members. “But just as the kirpan issue came before us last winter, we are reminded how vigilant we must be to not only defend but promote the practices, cultures and religions of all peoples.”
Mr. Vickers said that he doesn’t like the word “tolerance” or the phrase “a tolerant society.” “I am going to tolerate you wearing the kirpan within the Parliamentary Precinct. No. As head of security, I am going to accept and embrace your symbol of faith within the Parliamentary Precinct,” he said.
“As we go forward, we should ask ourselves what Canada should be when it grows up,” he said. “We have a long way to go before reaching adulthood. The seizure of the kirpans at the Quebec legislature last winter demonstrates the challenges that lay before us as we continue on this journey of sewing together the fabric of our nation with the thread of multiculturalism. Perhaps it would be beneficial for our country, as a nation, to define its core values. What are the core values of Canada, what makes up the soul and heart of our nation?”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/…/parliament-…/article614877/

Kevin Vickers – we salute you.

We must all come together now as we did 100 years ago, to protect those core values of our civilisation – inclusiveness , democracy, justice & freedom.

This Remembrance Day wear a poppy and stand united with all Canadians – in this the best country in the world. ‪#‎OttawaStrong‬