2011 Service Details
Held on Sunday November 6, 2011
The ceremony took place at a historic location of great significance. The grave site of Pvt. Buckam Singh at Kitchener Mount Hope Cemetery, it is the only military grave in Canada of a Sikh soldier from the World Wars.
View Photos of the 2011 Ceremony
Special Guests included
Brigadier General Matthew K. Overton, C.D., Director General Military Careers, Canadian Forces
Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion from July 1998 to June 2000. Commander of Canadian Forces Recruiting Group from May 2007 to May 2009. Member of the European Community Monitoring Mission in Yugoslavia, he has also served as the Army Advisor in the Canadian High Commission, London, UK and as the Canadian Defence Attaché in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Lt.- Col Harjit Singh Sajjan
Commanding Officer of the British Columbia Regiment, Duke of Connaught's Own. Veteran of Bosnia and 3 tours of duty in Afghanistan.
Letter and memorial plaque from King George to the family of a fallen soldier.
Honour and Sacrifice
Military Heritage
With a long military tradition Sikhs have always been at the forefront in serving their country. Over 65,000 Sikh soldiers fought in WWI as part of the British Army and over 300,000 Sikhs fought against German and Japanese tyranny in WWII.
Past and Present
We will honour the service of our men and women of the Canadian Forces as well as remember all those who have served and sacrificed for their country in past wars.
Reclaiming a Forgotten Hero
Wounded twice on the battlefields of France in WWI, Canadian soldier Pvt. Buckam Singh was one of only 9 Sikh soldiers allowed to serve with Canadian Forces in WWI. With the discovery of his war medal and military grave the Sikh community has reclaimed a forgotten son and Canada has reclaimed the story of a hero.
Watch a Newsreport of a Previous Ceremony
Courage
Letter from Pvt. Waryam Singh, 38th Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
Canadian Expeditionary Force, Nov 1916, France, later wounded Apr 1917.
“ Shells and bullets were falling like rain and one's body trembled to see what was going on. But when the order came to advance and take the enemy's trench, it was wonderful how we all forgot the danger and were filled with extraordinary resolution. We went over like men walking in a procession at a fair, and shouting, we seized the trench and took the enemy prisoner.„
Downloads
2011 Sikh Remembrance Day Flyer (pdf) - print it out
Brochure (pdf) about Pvt. Buckam Singh
More Information