LIONS AT WAR - SIKHS IN THE WORLD WARS

SIKHS IN THE WORLD WARS

Sikhs in Worlds Wars were and are often referred to as Lions of the Great War. After the fall of the Sikh Empire and death of its king Maharaja Ranjit Singh the British began recruiting Sikhs in their army in large numbers.

Contributing the most volunteers of any of the British imperial holdings that fought in the war, India produced between 900,000 to 1.5 million troops for combat by 1919.

Of these troops, the Sikhs, one of the two loyal 'martial races' of the British Raj, rallied in enormous numbers for the King, Empire, and the defense of Europe.

In two world wars 83,005 Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. Sikh soldiers died or were wounded for the freedom of the world sometimes under heavy shell fire, with no other protection but their Dastaar (a turban symbol of the Sikh faith )

At the beginning of the war, Sikh military personnel numbered around 35,000 men of the 161,000 troops, which is around 22% of the British armed forces, yet the Sikhs only made up less than 2% of the total population in India.

Sikhs in WW1 fought the battles of Ypres, Flanders, the Somme, Gallipoli, East Africa, Palestine, Egypt / Suez Canal, Mesopotamia, and numerous other battlefields in nearly all theatres.


Rare image depicting a Sikh regimental Football team in Northern France.
Real Photo.
c1914 WW1

' London to Berlin via Paris and Orleans '

A extremely rare set of Lithographed Coloured postcards depicting the daily life
Of Sikh soldiers during WW1.
Printed from wartime sketches drawn by artist T.H Barn.
c1914 -c1915

Sikh officer holding flag of British empire.
Propaganda card. WW1
Printed postcard.
c1914

WW1 allies. Sikh and British officers.
Printed colour postcard.
c1914

Mounted Sikh lancer holds British flag.
WW1 propaganda.
Real colour postcard.
c1914

Sikh officer ' Outwhiskered ' kaiser.
Propaganda WW1.
Colour postcard.
c1915

Sikhs marching through Paris. WW1
Printed postcard
c1914

Group of Sikh regimental Bagpipers.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Series of colour postcards showing a Sikh
Soldier with allies in WW1.
All Printed colour postcard.
From c1914 - c1916

Sikhs arrive at Marseille, France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikhs soldiers greeted and given flowers in Paris , France WW1.
Printed postcard
c1916

15th Sikhs arrive in France. WW1
Printed postcard
c1914

Gallant 15th Sikhs on their way to fight the Germans. WW1 France.
Real photo.
c1914

A salute to the legendary 15th Sikhs.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikhs Marching in France. WW1
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikhs Departing Marseille holding French flag. World war 1.
c1914

Rare image depicting Sikhs at Ashurst Camp during WW1.
Real photo.
c1916

Wounded Sikh soldiers at Brighton.
European war picture. WW1
Real photo.
c1916

Indian wounded soldiers ( inc Sikh )
Pavilion grounds. Brighton WW1.
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Rare real photo depicting a large contingent of Indian troops. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1914

A rare postcard dating c1914 of a Sikh Soldier in France during WW1.
Original watercolour with pen and ink.
Likely to be drawn from life.
Signed by artist P. Canterel

Indians cooking at Ashurst camp. WW1.
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Rare photo depicting wounded Sikhs at the Brighton Dome.
Real photo.
c1916

Wounded Sikhs at royal pavilion music room Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Wounded Sikh soldiers at royal pavilion Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Indian wounded ( inc Sikhs ) in the Brighton pavilion grounds playing cards.
Real photo postcard. WW1
c1916

Wounded Indian soldiers ( inc Sikhs )
Royal pavilion ward 1. Banqueting room.
Real photo
c1916

Wounded Indian soldiers ( inc Sikhs )
Royal pavilion Brighton. Banqueting room.
Real photo WW1
c1916

Wounded Sikhs at Brighton, Royal pavilion. WW1
Real photo
c1916

Group of convalescent Sikhs at Brighton.
Real photo postcard. WW1
c1916

Indian army in the pavilion grounds.
Dome in background.
Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard
c1916

Wounded Indian Sikhs at Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Wounded Sikhs at the royal pavilion.
WW1. Brighton
Real photo postcard.

Royal pavilion Brighton WW1.
Indian officers quarters. ( Sikhs )
Real photo postcard
c1915

The Dome. Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1915

Sikh kitchen at royal pavilion. WW1
Brighton.
Real photo postcard.
c1914

Wounded Indians at the corn exchange.
Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard.
c1914

Indian army at Brighton . WW1.
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Indian army at the Dome , Brighton.
Real photo . WW1
c1914

Indian fighting men in pavilion grounds.
WW1 , Brighton.
Real photo postcard
c1916

Wounded Indians at Brighton, WW1
Real photo.
c1914

Wounded Indians at the royal pavilion at Brighton. Ward 3 saloon. WW1.
Real photo postcard.
c1916

Group of convalescent Jats ( inc Sikhs )
Royal pavilion Brighton. WW1
Real photo postcard
c1916

European war. Indian cavalry.
Real photo postcard. WW1
c1914

Mounted Indian lancers.
France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Group of Sikh and British soldiers with mules. WW1. France
c1914

The following images are from a rare German postcard series depicting captured Indian ( Sikhs ) P.O.W soldiers in WW1.

It is said that some Sikh POWs, captured in Belgium, were believed to have been Muslims by the Germans and taken to Turkey to fight along side their fellow 'Mohammedans'. However, they still remained loyal to the British Crown and escaped on a long trek to the British posts in Afghanistan, from Turkey through the Middle East, to once again fight under the British flag.


All Printed and real photo postcards.
c1916

Sikhs with captured Turkish prisoners. Mesopotamia. WW1

The "Black Lions," as the Arabs called them in Mesopotamia, of the Punjab sacrificed their lives for the defence of freedom in Europe for an ally that was ruling their own homeland, yet they did it out of honour and loyalty.

Printed postcard.
c1915

Indian army ( inc Sikhs ) disembarking at Basra . WW1
Printed postcard.
c1915

Sikhs digging trenches. Mesopotamia. WW1
Printed postcard.
c1915

Group of 3 original Albumen photos of Sikh soldiers at Mesopotamia during WW1.

Regiment of Sikhs 'at the front ' WW1
Printed colour postcard.
c1914

The European war WW1.
Sikh regiment advancing with heavy machine guns on the battlefield.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikh greet the children. France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Group of Allied soldiers ( inc Sikhs ) Paris, France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1916

A 15th Sikh with Indians and their mules.
France WW1
c1914

Group of native Indians ( inc Sikhs )
Orleans. WW1
Printed postcard
c1914

Sikhs board train at Toulouse. WW1
Printed postcard
c1914

Group of native Indians ( inc Sikh )
Printed postcard. WW1 France
c1914

Sikh going to the front line.
WW1 France .
Printed postcard
c1914

Rare advertising postcard for indian tea showing dismounted Sowers in WW1.
( inc Sikhs ) France .
Printed postcard.
c1915

Rare original album photos of Sikhs in East Africa during WW1.

Indian Army ( inc Sikhs ) on train depart go front line.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard
c1914

Sikh Infantry soldiers of the British Indian army. WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikhs unload supplies at camp.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Mounted Indian Cavalry at Marseille.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikh officer of the Indian Army.
WW1 France.
c1914

15th Sikh regiment marching through Marseille holding the french flag.
Photogravure
c1914

Mounted Indian lancers.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikh soldiers of the revictualing convoy.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Indian lancers ( inc Sikhs )
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Sikhs at toulouse.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard
c1915

Group of Sikh officers.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Rare images depicting Sikhs getting ready at camp.
WW1 France.
All Printed postcard
c1914- c1916

Indian troop. WW1 France
Printed postcard
c1914

Mounted Indian lancers.
WW1 France.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Indian troops at France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Rare image depicting Sikhs charging at Germans with Bayonets.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Rare postcard showing a regiment of Sikhs. Reverse side has French advertising. France WW1
Printed postcard.

Rare image showing a military truck with Sikhs at Orleans. WW1
Printed postcard.
c1914

Rare comic postcard from WW1 with British & Indian troops.
Printed postcard.
c1914

A Sikh soldier in WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

A rare Russian postcard depicting a proud member of the 15th Sikh regiment in France during WW1.
Printed colour postcard.
c1914

Rare French comic postcard depicting a Sikh as a ' heart killer ' WW1 France.
Printed colour postcard.
c1915

A rare Christmas card. British and Sikh troops. WW1.
c1918

Risaldar Runjeet Singh a Sikh officer of the British Indian army.
Printed colour postcard by tucks.

Rare German lithographed postcard depicting Sikhs in action during WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1915

Native Indian soldier. WW1 France
Printed colour postcard.
c1914

15th Sikh engaged in european warfare for the first time in their sterling history.
Printed postcard.
c1914

Group of native Sikh officers. WW1
Printed postcard by tucks.
c1914

Mounted Sikh lancers . WW1 France
Printed postcard.
c1915

A Sikh maxim Gun squad. WW1
Printed postcard by tucks.
c1914

Indian lancers mounted on horseback.
Printed postcard.
c1916

Indian cavalry comic postcard. WW1
Printed colour postcard.
c1914

Group of Indian soldiers ( inc Sikhs )
Printed colour postcard by tucks
c1914

Sikhs at camp in France WW1.
Real photo postcard.
c1914

Indian cavalry.
Mitchell's cigarette card.
Description on reverse. WW1

Sikh soldiers in France during WW1.
Printed cigarette card.
c1914

Sikh infantry being conveyed in motor lorries. France WW1.
Printed postcard.
c1914

SIKHS IN THE FREE INDIAN LEGION

SECOND WORLD WAR ( WW2 )

In January 1942 the German Propaganda Ministry announced the establishment of the Free Indian Legion. Indian prisoners-of-war were transferred to a camp designated Arbeitskommando Frankenburg where military training was initiated by German officers and NCOs. About 300 volunteers were later transferred to Konigsbrück near Dresden in Saxony where German Army uniforms were issued. A specially designed national arm badge in the shape of a shield was worn on the right upper arm, with three horizontal stripes in the saffron, white and green Indian national colors and featuring a leaping tiger superimposed over the tricolor and with the legend "FREIES INDIEN" in black characters on an integral white background above.

Original Badge of Free Indian Legion.
WW2.

The recruits now constituted the Legion Freies Indien of the German Army and took their oath of allegiance in a ceremony at Konigsbrück on 26th August 1942.

Original album photo of Sikhs taking oath at Ceremony during WW2.

The ranks of the new Legion were swelled until it eventually boasted more than 3,000 members and was referred to as Indisches Infanterie Regiment 950.

The Indian volunteers of the Legion saw service in The Netherlands, France and Italy before their eventual withdrawal to Germany, transfer to the SS and redesignation as the Indische Freiwilligen Legion der Waffen-SS.


Collection of authentic original Album photos of Sikhs soldiers in the Free Indian Legion.

SECOND WORLD WAR

Piara Singh 'Electrician' Syria WW2
Real photo
c1944

Bren Gun carriers of Sikh battalion in Eritrea. WW2
Real photo
c1940s

Vickers Gun section. 2nd Royal battalion Sikh Regiment ( Ludhiana Sikhs )
Printed postcard.
c1936

Sikh sepoy . WW2
Printed postcard.
c1940

Sardar Malloc Singh. Pilot WW2.
American chewing gum card.