Chatting to one of my Managers today about that program on the other night about Sikhs in the two World Wars. BBC iPlayer - Remembrance: The Sikh Story He hadn't watched it yet but said he would soon. He also told me his daughter is now old enough to understand Remembrance & told her always to wear her Poppy with pride to remember her Great-Grandad & his comrades who proudly served, fought & died in the Indian Army in WW2. I've just found this webpage with some excellent photos of Sikh Remembrance, some good ones in there from Canada too. Sikh Remembrance Service Great photo album . 2010 Sikh Remembrance Service - a set on Flickr
A couple of Burma Stars in that bottom pic. I've been nagging him for ages now to show me a photo of his Grandad. He promises on his next visit to India he'll ask his Gran if he can look after the photos & medals. He also told me about a racist chap in a pub telling him to bugger off back to India. Mick told him of his families service in the Indian Army & the other chap soon shut up.
Quite amazing as it's an area I've never really looked into. In fact, it wan't until I joined this forum that I even knew Sikhs fought on our side during the war. Rather ashamed really. Definately worth remembering. Cheers Owen.
Quite amazing as it's an area I've never really looked into. In fact, it wan't until I joined this forum that I even knew Sikhs fought on our side during the war. Rather ashamed really. Definately worth remembering. Cheers Owen. Muslims and Hindhu's too (Pakistan and Bangladesh was part of India during WW2) Marcus amongst many other faiths.
Aye mate. I guess it's just my ignorance to the fact that when I first started really getting into WW2, it was because of all that Band of Brothers Hype and although I guess my History teacher probably would of mentioned these other brave faiths doing their part, I never really listened much. Shame really as I could have known so much more by now. But this weekend is as a good a time as ever to start to remember. cheers.
Never too late mate.. I only started getting interested in Dunkirk two years ago and think I've now got an obsession.
It must also be remembered the Indian Army in WW2 was the largest VOLUNTEER army ever at a peak strength of approx 2.5 million.
Pretty impressive stuff. For anyone like me who didn't know much about it, here's the wiki link: India in World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pretty impressive stuff. For anyone like me who didn't know much about it, here's the wiki link: India in World War II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia No mention of them in France during 1940 though, they were there. I have the units war diaries
No mention of them in France during 1940 though, they were there. I have the units war diaries See 8min 30 secs in that vid I posted. Proves that fat tosser Bernard Manning wrong.
See 8min 30 secs in that vid I posted. Proves that fat tosser Bernard Manning wrong. So is India still sour from the war? Quote from that video, "It wasn't just the Bristish who forgot them, the fact so many Indians volunteered to fight for the British empire became an embarrassment after independance. The whole subject is still sensitive". And shame on Mr Churchill for the way he regarded them.
Marcus If you want to really learn what the Indian Army got up to then you should "goggle" for "The Tiger Trumphs'" and that was just three Divisions that we had in the Desert - Ethiopia - Syria - Tunisia - and Italy and finishing up in Greece - the actions of the 4th Indian Div at Cassino will break your heart - and to see them come down from there is unforgettable.....while US gen. Mark Clark had no or very little time for the British Army he condescended to glorify the Corps of the 4th - 8th and 10th Indian Divisions in Italy- he couldn't do otherwise as they were superb and my Brigade of 21st Tanks supported 8th Indian after the Canadians left for Belgium in early '45 Google it now .. Cheers Cheers
Owen - Interesting photo of the Canadian Serviceman saluting alongside a civilian also saluting - the civilian is obviously of ww2 vintage and the serviceman is of the modern era after the Diefenbaker Government - some say - destroyed the Canadian forces by amalgamating them all as one - and turning them into quasi Americans hence the difference in the British and American salutes... Cheers