Meet the first Sikh soldiers to guard the Queen

These are the first two Sikh soldiers to have the honour of guarding the Queen.
Signaler Simranjit Singh, 26, and Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh, 28, proudly pose with their guns while on duty in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Signaler Singh made history as the very first Sikh soldier to wear his turban on Public Duties guarding the monarch and protecting the Crown Jewels. He was soon joined by Lance Corporal Singh.

On duty: Signaler Simranjit Singh (left) and Lance Corporal Sarvjit Singh (right) are the first Sikh soldiers to guard the Queen
The proud soldier from Coventry enthusiastically took on the duty for the first time in May this year. He serves with 21st Signal Regiment based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, while Lance Corporal serves with 3rd Regiment Army Air Corps based at Wattisham, Suffolk.

Turbans, long hair and beards are considered a mandatory religious uniform for all Sikhs. Keeping uncut hair is required according to the Rehat Maryada, the Sikh instruction for living.
Courtesy, Brig Saranjit Singh, Signals
Armed and ready to protect One: Meet the first Sikh soldiers to guard the Queen- Mail Online

1897 Saragarhi Battle

The battle of Saragarhi is among top ten acts of bravery in War, in the history of mankind. Signaller Gurmukh Singh, on receipt of orders to close down Signal Communications, when all his Comrades except one had fallen dead, immediately laid down his Signalling Flag, picked up his rifle and continued firing at the tribal hordes. His Comrade was killed and he himself seriously wounded. Even after being wounded, he killed 20 Pathans and having fired his last round, fell dead.

During 1897, 4/11 Sikh Battalion was detailed to hold the Somana Hills between the Kurram and the Khanki Valleys in Baluchistan. Their defences lay over five miles of extremely difficult hilly terrain. Signal communications those days were provided between various posts using telephones on Field Cables, Signalling Flags and Helios during the day and lamps at night. The ranges of Signalling Flag and Lamp signalling being visual were very limited. With the use of binoculars, their ranges could be increased somewhat and the clarity of the signal received improved substantially.

Signal Platoon of the Sikh Battalion tried in vain to provide direct Signal Communication between Forts Lokhart and Gulistan due to large distances. The use of telephones on Field Cable was just not possible because not only the laying of field cable was extremely difficult but to maintain it in the hills occupied by the tribals was most dangerous. After detailed appreciation of the situation, it was decided to establish a Signalling Post at Saragarhi Hill top between Fort Lokhart and Gulistan in the Sumana Hills. Its sole aim was to relay messages between Lokhart and Gulistan Forts. The Post consisted of a small well-defended Stone House manned by twenty men of the Sikh Battalion under the command of Havildar Ishar Singh.

There was a general uprising of the Pathans led by the Mullahs from Tochi and Maklakand in North West Frontier (now in Pakistan). On the 3rd and 9th September 1897, the Pathans attacked Gulistan in large numbers. However, these attacks were repulsed by the Sikhs with very heavy losses to the enemy. To avenge these reverses, thousands of Afridi and Orakzai tribals fell on the small Saraharhi Post on the morning of September 12, 1897. The tiny Garrison of Saragarhi repulsed several determined attacks and killed over two hundred enemy troops during the six hours of their gallant resistance against overwhelming odds. Time and time again, the Pathans asked the small Garrison to surrender, but each time they were met with a volley of fire and challenge from the Sikhs.

Due to accurate fire as well as the tenacity and courage of the defenders, the enemy was unable to get near the Post. Thus, they set fire to the dry grass and bushes around the Post and, under the cover of thick smoke, breached the wall of the Picket forcing an entry. By this time, all except two of the defenders had fallen. Until then, Signaller Gurmukh Singh had maintained signal communication with Forts Lokhart and Gulistan and was giving graphic account of the battle. On receipt of permission to close down the Signal Communications, he immediately laid down his Signalling Flag, picked up his rifle and, along with only surviving Comrade, continued firing at the tribal hordes. Because of their overwhelming large numbers, the enemy forces ultimately succeeded in capturing the Post. Gurmukh Singh’s Comrade was killed and he himself was seriously wounded. Even after being wounded, he killed 20 Pathans, and having fired his last round, he fell dead.

The highest gallantry award those days was the Indian Order Of Merit(IOM). All intrepid martyrs of Saragarhi Battle were posthumously honoured with this highest award. The Government of India gave 26 acres of land and a cash award of 500 rupees to the family of each hero. Martyr Signaller Gurmukh Singh’s name should be written as a Pioneer in the History of the Corps of Signals in Gold.

SARAGARHI DEFENDERS’ PRAYER
Stay with me God, the night is dark. The night is cold, but my little spark,
of courage dies…The night is long. Be with me God and make me strong.
I love a game, I love a fight, I hate the dark, I love a light.
I love my child, I love my wife. I am No coward, I love my life.
Life with its change of mood and shade, I want to live, I’m not afraid.
But me and mine are hard to part, O Unknown God lift my heart.
You stilled the waters of Dunkirk, and saved your servants - all your work,
Is wonderful down God, you strode, before us down that dreadful road.
We were alone and hope had fled, we love our Country and our dead.
And we could not shame them, so we stayed, the course and we were not afraid.
Dear God that nightmare road-and then, the sea - we got there - we were men.
My eyes were blind, my feet were torn, but my soul sang like bird at dawn.
I know that death is but a door, I know what we are fighting for?
Peace for our children, our brothers freed, a kinder World, a cleaner breed.
I’m but the son of my mother bore, a simple man and nothing more.
But God of strength and gentleness, be pleased to make nothing less.
Help me God when death is near, to mock the haggard face of fear.
And when I fall- if fall I must, my soul may triumph in the dust.

"World War Veterans put their life on the line for Democracy in which different people could live together and enjoy freedom in peace. Remember them!"

Lt Col Pritam Singh Jauhal (Retd)
Founding President Indian Ex-Servicemen Society British Columbia
Saragarhi Battle
Tirah Campaign

Learning from History: Unity sans Ego

Dear Veterans,
These anecdotes from history may be useful guides for our on going struggle.
Regards
Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)

Sixth Pay Commission: LEARNING FROM HISTORY
Subordinating ‘Ego’ for a Higher ‘Cause’
In the first Anglo-Sikh War in 1846, in the very first battle at Moodki (near present Faridkot– Punjab) the British were mauled badly, some of their Regiments even losing their ‘Standards (Colours)’ to the Lahore Army. Losses were so high that they anticipated losing the war and spent whole night burning sensitive records. (It was an other thing that the Sikh leadership , both political and military , was in league with the British, that they did not capitalize on their success and on the contrary made their Army think that they had lost and made them to leave the field – a classical case when both armies felt defeated , one actual and other contrived ) . Lord Hugh Gough was the British C-in-C. Considering the importance of the war, the Governor General was also present on the battle field. The Governor General, Lord Harding, assessed that with Hugh Gough’s bullheaded leadership they won’t win. And Lord Hugh Gough was too strong a personality to be side lined. Those were peculiar days when almost all leaders of the East India Company also held military ranks .In military seniority Lord Harding, the Governor General, was junior to Lord Hugh Gough, the C-in-C. During the War Conference at night, the Governor General placed himself ‘Under’ the C-in-C, as per his military seniority and offered to fight as his second-in command (2i/c) and took charge of operations. Rest as they say is history and the Sikhs were defeated (apart from treachery of their own leadership) in the subsequent battles of Ferozeshah and Subraon, by superior handling of the battle by Lord Harding than what Lord Hugh Gough could have done. (From History of the Sikhs by Capt Cunningham or a similar book)

War for Justice
Now relating it to our ‘WAR FOR JUSTICE’ against 6th Pay Commission. What stops our more talented and capable ‘Leaders’ working under presumably less capable ones, who are already ‘established’(like the then C-in-C, Lord Hugh Gough was)?. It is only their EGO. Why can’t they sacrifice it like Lord Harding did to win the war? Is winning the war more important or nursing one’s ego? The learned readers and the “LEADERS” may like to reflect. Lord Harding is still remembered as victor of First Anglo-Sikh War, while very few know many others who were “PRISONERS OF THEIR EGO”. Those of our LEADERS who sacrifice their EGO for a higher CAUSE will be remembered by the Military Veterans for ever.

IT IS NOW OR NEVER
Choice my dear leaders is entirely yours how you want to be remembered. As victors or as one’s who grabbed “Defeat out of the jaws of Victory”, as did the Sikh Leadership in 1846 War?

Lack of ‘Quality’ the Need of the hour
In all the wars the in the 19 and 20th century, the German Army showed utmost efficiency, their defeats due to more numerous forces and far greater resources of their opponentsnot withstanding. The credit for that efficiency, apart from other factors, went to German General Staff. When Germans lost World War I, ‘Treaty of Versailles’ was signed and one of its clauses was disbandment of the German General Staff. In a conversation with his German counterpart, the French Commander, Marshal Foch asked him, “What qualities you seek while selecting officers for your ‘General Staff’ ?. The German General replied, “Marshal, we don’t seek any qualities, rather we seek the lack of some”. Foch was foxed and asked for elucidation. The German officer replied, “All those whom come for selection to the General Staff are professionally and otherwise ‘Soldiers par Excellence’, so we don’t seek any more qualities in them. All we seek in them is ‘LACK’ of ‘Personal Ego’. Thus it is ‘lack’ of that quality which determines their selection”. He further went on to add, “Highly competent, but egoistic persons are most dangerous ones for their ego might come between them and the organization’s mission and they might wreck the organization for their personal glory. They are ‘Team Breakers’. Since they are highly competent the damage would be far more than what a mediocre person can inflict. We weed out such officers ruthlessly in the selection process for the General Staff”.

Now my dear Comrades in Arms, reflect on the wisdom of the good old German Army and compare it with the scenario we are faced with in our war for “JUSTICE” against Sixth Pay Commission Report.

Can we learn any lessons from the above historical facts? Or, Are we capable of learning any thing from history?

Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)
References
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Sikh War
Sikh Heritage Images
Unity in Uniform: Unless that happens, the bureaucrats will continue to bypass the Services

We thank Brig Harwant Singh for this thought provoking article "Unity sans Ego", the need of the hour.