1939[Web]
Sikh soldiers in the Second World War
Sikh soldiers serve in North Africa, Italy and Burma. Four Indian Army men named here receive the Victoria Cross in Burma between 1943 and 1945, and the evidence that each was a Sikh is set out below.
The present Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army descends from the British Indian Army's 11th Sikh Regiment, which fought in the North African, Italian and Burma campaigns. Many other Sikhs served in mixed regiments. The 8th Punjab Regiment, for example, combined Muslim, Sikh and Hindu companies.
The London Gazette records these Victoria Crosses, all for fighting in Burma. Havildar Parkash Singh, 8th Punjab Regiment, for rescuing carrier crews near Donbaik in January 1943 (Gazette of 13 May 1943). Naik Nand Singh, 11th Sikh Regiment, for taking three enemy trenches on the Maungdaw-Buthidaung road on 11 to 12 March 1944 (6 June 1944). Naik Gian Singh, 15th Punjab Regiment, for attacks on the Kamye-Myingyan road on 2 March 1945 (22 May 1945). Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, 15th Punjab Regiment, for leading the attack near Myingyan on 18 March 1945, where he was mortally wounded (3 July 1945).
The Gazette does not state a recipient's faith. Victoria Cross Online describes Parkash Singh and Gian Singh as born into Sikh families. Nand Singh served in the 11th Sikh Regiment, and SikhiWiki lists him among Sikh recipients. For Lieutenant Judge, a Sikh identification has been found only on SikhiWiki, and the UK government's profile of him does not mention his faith.
Other Indian recipients in this war share the name Singh: Prakash Singh of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles, Ram Sarup Singh of the 1st Punjab Regiment and Umrao Singh of the Royal Indian Artillery. Some lists of Sikh recipients include them, but their published biographies do not describe them as Sikhs. After 1947 Parkash Singh and Gian Singh moved to the Sikh Regiment. Nand Singh, by then a Jemadar, fell in Kashmir on 12 December 1947 and received the Maha Vir Chakra after his death.[Src][Src][Src][Src][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web][Web]