ASPIRING TO BUILD MEMORIAL IN PUNJAB TO COMMEMORATE HEROISM OF WW-I REGIMENT
Face2News/Chandigarh
In a stirring tribute to valour and shared history, Manpreet Singh, also known as Manu Singh, an enthusiastic youth leader and community advocate, is championing the recognition of Sikhs and Punjab regiment soldiers who fought alongside ANZAC troops in World War-I. His mission is to ensure their sacrifices, long overshadowed in mainstream narratives and are etched into Australia’s collective memory. After returning from Australia he is aspiring to build a memorial in Punjab to commemorate their heroism and to be remembered by the generations to come.
While the ANZAC legend is a cornerstone of Australian identity, Manu Singh is determined to bring the “forgotten Anzacs” – particularly the Sikh soldiers who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Australian troops at Gallipoli – into the light. On June 4, 1915, the 14th Sikh regiment alone lost 379 men in a single day of brutal combat, embodying the same courage and sacrifice that define the ANZAC spirit.
The growing recognition of this shared history was evident at this year’s ANZAC Day commemorations in New Delhi, where the Australian high commissioner Barry O Farrell, New Zealand High Commissioner Patrick John Rata, the Australian Army’s Chief of Defence Staff Damien Scully O’Shea and representatives from the Returned and Services League (RSL) gathered to honour all who served – including the Sikh and Indian soldiers who fought alongside ANZAC forces.