Sowar Waryam Singh 47 Sikhs d.21/12/14

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: WARYAM SINGH

Nationality: Indian

Rank: Sepoy

Regiment: 47th Sikhs

Date of Death: 21/12/1914

Service No: 1237

Additional information: Son of Jaman Singh, of Chatte, Patiala, Punjab.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 37.

Cemetery: NEUVE-CHAPELLE MEMO

[Will O'Brien]

& the memorial info

Cemetery: NEUVE-CHAPELLE MEMORIAL

Country: France

Locality: Pas de Calais

Location Information: The village of Neuve Chapelle is some 5 kilometres north of La Bassee and 20 kilometres west-south-west of Lille. The Memorial is 800 metres south-west of the village on the east side of the road from La Bassee to Estaires. The Memorial takes the form of a circular enclosure, in the foreground of which is a column nearly 15 metres high, recalling the pillars of Asokar, surmounted by a Lotus capital, the Star of India and the Imperial Crown. On either side of the column two carved tigers guard this temple of the dead. The column and the tigers are supported by a "podium", on the near side of which is carved "INDIA 1914-1918", while on the far side are the Battle Honours of Indian units on the Western Front. From the ends of the podium a pierced stone railing extends half-way round the circle, and the ends of the semicircle are marked by two small domed "chattris", roughly East and West. The far semicircle is enclosed by a solid wall on which are carved the names of over 4,700 soldiers of the Indian Army. Also engraved on the Memorial is the following inscription: TO THE HONOUR OF THE ARMY OF INDIA WHICH FOUGHT IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM, 1914-1918, AND IN PERPETUAL REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. In 1964 a Special Bronze Panel was designed to add to this memorial the names of 210 servicemen of undivided India who died during the 1914-1918 war, whose graves at Zehrensdorf Indian Cemetery, East Germany, were unmaintainable. The following inscription is also engraved on the panel of the Neuve-Chapelle (Zehrensdorf Cem) Memorial: IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THESE MEN WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY AND WERE BURIED AT ZEHRENSDORF NEAR BERLIN. Also to be found at this site is the Neuve-Chapelle 1939-1945 Cremation Memorial. In 1964 the remains of 8 Indian soldiers (including 2 unidentified) were exhumed from Sarrebourg French Military Cemetery Extension and Cremated. The names of the 6 identified soldiers are engraved on panels at the Neuve Chapelle Memorial, together with the following inscription: 1939 - 1945 IN HONOUR OF THESE SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE AND WHOSE MORTAL REMAINS WERE COMMITTED TO FIRE.

No. of Identified Casualties: 4743

[Will O'Brien]

Note the difference in rank...............The GWF remembrance has Waryam Singh's rank as Sowar & CWGC as Sepoy...............I think the general equivalent in British Army ranks is Trooper for Sowar & Private for Sepoy....................Which should it be...................Was the 47th Sikhs an infantry or cavalry regiment?

[ChrisC]

The most important thing about Waryam Singh in the multicultural Britain that is today is that it has been a "multicultural" Britain for a long time - particularly in terms of sacrifice.

I recall Remembrance days in Southall, my home town with proud Sikh gentlemen with their medals. I also recall the racists in the local British Legions who would not want Asians, Ghurkas included in their clubs.

I recall with respect and affection all those who, loyal to the Raj served and died.

Chris

[Will O'Brien]

Was the 47th Sikhs an infantry or cavalry regiment?

A quick bit of research would suggest that the 47th Sikhs was an Infantry battalion.........However, not fully understanding the Indian battalion set up I suppose it is quite possible to have Sowar's & Sepoy's serving in an infantry battalion..............so no further forward as to the correct rank.............Here's a little bit of info regarding the 47th Sikhs

The 47th Sikhs were raised in 1901 & comprised entirely of Jat Sikhs.

La Bassee was the pinnacle of the battalions’ service on the Western Front. The 47th Sikhs were part of a planned group attack on the German trenches, but this attack was cancelled. Two companies of the 47th Sikhs did not receive the cancellation order & so on the 28th October 1914 they went into attack all by themselves & reached the German trenches where fierce hand to hand fighting took place. Out of 280 men who went into the attack only 68 returned, in spite of this heavy casualty rate the Sikhs had captured & destroyed the strongly held German feature. The British Parliament specially commended the battalion for valour during this attack. After their service in France, the 47th Sikhs saw service in Mesopotamia & Palestine.

In 1922 the regimental pattern was introduced in the infantry & all the battalions were renumbered. The 47th Sikhs became 5th Battalion the Sikh Regiment

Source 'Gateway to Sikhism'

[Glosters]

He was a Sepoy, which is a Private in an infantry regiment. 47th Sikhs were 100% infantry. A Sowar is a cavalryman.

On 21 Dec. 1914 the 47th Sikhs were attached to the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade (dimsounted), along with 2/8th Gurkhas. (maybe this was the cause of confusion, still an odd mistake to make).

They attacked near Givenchy:

"Capt. Padday, 47th Sikhs, with a bombing party of his regiment, then made a gallant attempt to clear the enemy out, but the machine guns were merciless, and many of the party were killed, including their brave leader. ... In the 47th Sikhs Capt. Padday and 7 men were killed and 2 officers and 120 men wounded or missing."

(Ref. The Indian Corps in France)

Steve