Mohindra S. Chowdhry - Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars

The Defence of Europe

by Sikh Soldiers in the

Two World Wars

Mohindra S. Chowdhry

Copyright 2018 Mohindra S Chowdhry

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

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ISBN 9781789010985

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This book is dedicated to Sant Sepohey (Saint Soldiers), the sons of soil and toil the True Grit and their allies who gave their \to-day for our To-morrow.

Contents

Foreword

In his book The Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the Two World Wars , Mr Mohindra Chowdhry makes reference to the Pre and Post-Aryan periods in Northern India, and then sketches the growth of Sikhism whilst maintaining that, though there may have been struggles with the existing order, there was never any antagonism against any particular religion. He draws a historical parallel betweem the attempts by the Mughals to eradicate Sikhism with the persecution of the Jews through history. He traces the high point of Sikh influence in the region, leading to their alliane with the British and thence on to the global stage. Mr Mohindra Chowdhry argues that it is very important for the Sikhs to play an important role in the life of the nations and to blend in well with the communities of the individual Countries in which the Sikhs now live. It is equally important to keep their identity and to be faithful to their adopted countries. For a Sikh, he claims, ones motherland is where one is born and Punjab, however, is the land of Sikh ancestors.

Foreword

For more than three decades, I have been privileged to call Mohindra Chowdhry my friend. Over the years, I have witnessed first-hand how this kind, warm and avuncular gentleman has encouraged Sikhs across Bristol and beyond to play a full role in the mainstream life of the communities in which they live. His purposeful introductions between Sikhs and local city leaders have bridged gulfs between communities by raising awareness of cultural and religious traditions. These deeply rooted principles of cohesion and participation are evident in his book The Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the Two World Wars.

The book recounts Sikh military history from the days of the predominately Mughal Dynasty in eighteenth-century India to the present day. His considered insight exposes how centuries-old myths about Sikhism which itself stands for basic human rights, liberty and the freedom to choose the religion of ones choice was not the source of historic Sikhism-Muslim or Sikhism-British conflict, but something entirely different. He identifies how these myths grew and what impact they have had.

Above all, Mohindra explores how the principles of Sikhism enable its followers to integrate so successfully into communities and societies whose values may differ from theirs; as at its core, Sikh values spread harmony on the basis that all humanity stems from the same root or source. As Mohindra might say, it is by ones own actions that each individual is judged. Although I am not a military historian, the letters written by Sikh military men fighting in World War I provided a window into their lives and experiences. Likewise, photographs taken during the second World War underline the impact of the wars on India and the world of today.

Acknowledgements

I want to thank my father, Sardar Nand Singh Chowdhry, and my mother, Sardarne Virahn Wali, for their constant support when I was younger, and for handing down the Sikh faith, which has always provided me with comfort and support. With regards this project, I would like to thank Adeela Shafi for her help with the initial ideas and Paul Morrissey for his assistance with my research as it developed. The Imperial War Museum provided access to digitised images and permission to include some in these pages, for which I am most grateful. Professor David Omissi was most generous in allowing me to use his materials in the form of soldiers letters translated from various languages in northern India. I have been a constant visitor to Bristol Central Library during the last three years, and I express my gratitude to the staff there who have been so helpful. I also thank my brother-in-law, Brigadier TPS Chowdhury, AVSM (Retd.) The Bombay Sappers for his excellent advice and help for writing this book my first project.

Preface

At a recent Diwali celebration in Bristol, UK, which I was hosting, I told the following story to the guests....

The scene is a Sikh soldier in the Western Front at the Somme, in Belgium. This brave soldier was lying on the ground with his rifle at his side, and looking for some German soldiers. Suddenly, a shell dropped a few yards from him; luckily, he was not injured.

When the smoke cleared, there, just in front of him, was a 5 feet-deep hole, left by the exploding shell. Well, he thought, this is a perfect defensive position, and he jumped into the hole. Now he was able to aim at the enemy, who were not far off. He managed to shoot eight enemy soldiers and was still trying to get more.

Suddenly, and so typical of the British, his staff sergeant, who was always complaining about the Sikhs lack of a helmet, shouted from behind: oye, Singh...come back from that f...... ing hole, and stop showing off ! And dont get that turban dirty.

I hope the guests enjoyed the anecdote, they certainly seemed to. But why do I repeat this here? The story reveals what this book is about. This book is about the soldier saints, those soldiers of the Sikh tradition whose bravery is the stuff of legend. How did this tradition of excellence in the martial arts come about? How did the environment of the Panjab mould them, how did the teachings of the prophets reach so deeply into their spirits and shape their collective behaviour? And what about this association with the British? How did this come about? And how has this association with the British military and the establishment affected the journey of the Sikh nation?

This is my story.

Mohindra S Chowdhry

Introduction

Long hair is a Sikh tradition, and very difficult to manage, especially for a boy. My mother would sit me down sometimes and try to comb out the tangles. As I squirmed around in discomfort and impatience, she would try to distract me, telling me stories about my family and their exploits in north India. When I look back at those times in Delhi, I often think that it was only through my mother that I heard these stories, so rich in detail but also in spirit; I seemed to have picked up very little from my father or other male relatives.

My years in England as a young man were the years when I began to discover myself and my Sikh identity. The Sikh story stayed dormant in some corner of my mind; it was not forgotten, nor even fresh, but still just alive. The human side and the human approach of the story interested me most, rather than the religious side. I started inquiring within myself, still unsure how to ask questions, satisfied to keep a lid on my disturbed feelings.