Page 59 - History of War - Issue 18-15

THE FORGOTTEN SIKH REGIMENTS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

SIKHCULTUREINTHEBRITISHARMY HITLER’S

WHILE SERVING THE BRITISH OVERSEAS, HOW WERE THE SIKH RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
LOOKEDUPONINTHEARMYREGIMENTS? INDIANLEGION
Throughout both world wars, a Sikh (as well as multiculturalarmedforce.Recordssuggest
otherIndianrecruits)wasinstantlyrecognisable that39.6percentoftheBritishIndianArmy
thanks to his turban. Refusing to wear the wasSikhinWorldWarI.Thiswas20times NOT ALL SIKHS FOUGHT FOR KING
Brodie helmet, every Sikh wore their customary their representation in the population of India. AND COUNTRY
headwear even in the heat of battle. The British TheSikhturbanisstillallowedintoday’sarmy, ItmayseemstrangeconsideringtheNazi
Army was initially hesitant to welcome other but due to specialist headgear in vehicles, hierarchy’s renowned stance on Aryanism,
culturesandpracticesintoitsranks.However, therearetimeswhenonlyapatkacanbeworn but many Sikhs defected from the Allies and
after being impressed by the Sikhs and learning underneath a helmet. Beards also have to be insteadjoinedtheAxiscause.Buoyedbythe
frompastmistakeswithmistreatmentofother shaved for wearing breathing apparatus. There words of Indian Revolutionary leader Subhas
cultures,theywereverywelcomingofSikh arecurrentlynoSikhregimentsintheBritish ChandraBose,theFreeIndiaLegionwasset
customs into the military. Army(thereareonly160Sikhsinallthearmed up to fight alongside the Nazis and force the
Other peoples such as the Gurkhas were forcestogether)butplanshavebeenmadeto British out of India.
also introduced into the army, making it a truly possibly revive the unit. Made up of Muslims and Hindus as well as
Sikhs,massoathsofallegianceweremade
Below: Sikh soldiers as part of a carrier and mortar team in the Indian 6th Royal Frontier Force, Italy, 1943 to Hitler after a recruitment drive of Indian
Bottom: A propaganda poster from World War I, illustrating the many cultures from within the empire
POWs captured during the war. The men were
incorporated into the Waffen SS, and fought
for the Axis in France and the Netherlands in
thelatteryearsofthewar.Afterthedefeatof
theAxisnations,theIndianLegionattempted
adaringescapeoftheThirdReich.Thetroops
wereeventuallyspottedattemptingtocross
theAlpstomakeitintothehavenofneutral
Switzerland. Before they could make it over the
border,theywerecapturedbyAmericanand
French troops and sent back to India.
“THEFREEINDIALEGION

WASSETUPTOFIGHTWITH

THENAZISANDFORCETHE
BRITISHOUTOFINDIA”

Below: Field Marshal Rommel assesses members of
the Indian Legion, who were still permitted to wear
their turbans, in February 1944
Bottom: A soldier of the Indian Legion armed with an
MG34inBordeaux,inMarch1944

59