Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George Regional Heritage Fair
Sikhs In The Canadian Armed Forces
My project is about Sikh soldiers, who served in the First World War and the Second World War. Sikh soldiers played a very important part in the First World War and the Second World War. Sikh Soldiers made many contributions to the Canadian Army and the British Indian Army. Many Sikhs served for the British Indian Army in the First and Second World War, even after the British annexed the Sikh Kingdom into the British Empire. The British Sikh Soldiers fought alongside Canadian Soldiers for the British Commonwealth in both World Wars. They faced many hardships and sacrificed a lot in their journey to serve and show their loyalty to their country and the British.
What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?
The most interesting thing I learned about my topic is that only nine Canadian Sikhs severed in the Canadian Army for First Word War and their stories and contributions to the Canadian Army were not well known for almost 100 years. I thought that the contributions of these Sikhs would be known earlier due to the discrimination they were facing during the time.
What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?
I have learned that it is important to remember and be grateful for all the Sikh Soldiers, Canadian Soldiers, and the other soldiers did to serve and protect Canada and the British Commonwealth. The Sikh Soldiers worked very hard, faced many hardships, and sacrificed a lot to show their loyalty to Canada and the British. They helped to make Canada and the whole world a peaceful, safe, and happy place to live.
How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?
Today, I live a peaceful, safe, and happy life. But the Sikh soldiers serving in the Canadian Army and the British Indian Army during the First World War and Second World War faced many hardships and sacrificed a lot to protect their country and make the world a better place to live. Sikhs were also not treated equally during this time and had to work very hard and face many hardships to show their loyalty and dedication to Canada and the British Commonwealth. Today many Sikhs serve in the Canadian Armed Forces and their religious beliefs are respected because of the hard work Sikh Soldiers did before to show their loyalty to Canada and the British.