Flanders, Belgium – November 1915. The story your textbook never told you.
The Man Who Ran Through Hell
His name was Harbhajan Singh. He was 23 years old, from a small village in Punjab, India. He was among the many Sikh soldier World War 1 who bravely fought for their country. The legacy of the Sikh soldier World War 1 continues to inspire generations.
Six months ago, he’d never been more than 50 miles from home. Today, he’s standing in a waterlogged trench in Belgium, his sacred turban soaked with mud and rain, a British military insignia pinned to it, about to run straight into machine gun fire.
This is his story. And the story of 1.5 million Indian soldiers, including Sikh soldier World War 1, the world chose to forget. Each Sikh soldier World War 1 played a crucial role in shaping history.
The Turban That Means Everything
Before we follow Harbhajan into battle, you need to understand one thing: his turban isn’t just a hat.
For Sikhs, the turban (dastar) represents:
- Honor – Worn by warriors for centuries
- Equality – Everyone stands equal before God
- Faith – A sacred commitment you don’t break
- Identity – Visible proof of who you are
Every morning, Harbhajan unwraps 15 feet of cloth, combs his hair and beard, and carefully re-ties his turban. It takes 15 minutes. This isn’t vanity. This is who he is.
When British recruiters came to his village in 1914, promising adventure and honor, Harbhajan signed up. He believed his service might earn India respect, maybe even freedom.
The British let Sikh soldiers keep their turbans—they needed fighters too badly to refuse. But there was a catch: British military insignia must be pinned to it.
That small metal badge on sacred cloth symbolized everything: An Indian warrior wearing both his faith and his colonizer’s symbol, about to fight in a European war that had nothing to do with him.
The tale of the Sikh soldier World War 1 is not just one of bravery, but a testament to their commitment and sacrifice.
Countless Sikh soldier World War 1 faced unimaginable challenges and displayed remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.
The British Army’s acceptance of the Sikh soldier World War 1 into their ranks was essential for their military efforts.
Many Sikh soldier World War 1 wore their turbans with pride, symbolizing their cultural identity even in foreign lands.
Welcome to Hell: The Trenches
Imagine a ditch 6-8 feet deep, stretching for miles, filled with:
- Water up to your knees (constant rain)
- Mud so thick it swallows boots
- Rats feeding on corpses
- The constant smell of death
- Explosions that never stop
That was home for months.
By November 1915, Harbhajan had been there almost a year. He’d learned to sleep between artillery barrages. He’d learned not to flinch at bullets. He’d learned to keep his turban wrapped even when everything else fell apart.
November 12, 1915: The Day Everything Changed
5:45 PM – The order comes: “We’re taking the German trench 200 yards ahead. Sikh soldier World War 1, prepare yourselves!”
Harbhajan’s stomach drops. He’s done this twice before. Half the men who go over don’t come back.
He checks his Lee-Enfield rifle. Touches his turban—British insignia still there, faith still there.
As we remember the Sikh soldier World War 1, we also honor their contributions to the war effort.
6:00 PM – The whistle blows.
Over the Top
“Over the top” means climbing out of the trench and charging the enemy. Once you’re up there, you’re a target.
In the chaos, the spirit of the Sikh soldier World War 1 pushed through, inspiring others to follow.
Harbhajan climbs the ladder. Says a prayer. Then runs.
Everything happens at once:
- Machine guns rattling
- Men screaming
- Artillery exploding
- His heart pounding like it’ll burst
His turban is instantly soaked with rain and sweat. His boots weigh extra pounds from mud. Each step is a struggle.
To his left, a soldier falls. To his right, another.
He keeps running.
The Explosion
He’s 50 yards from the German trench when an artillery shell lands 30 feet away.
The blast hits him like a wall. Mud, water, metal shrapnel fly through the air in slow motion. The sound isn’t just loud—it’s a physical thing that slaps his eardrums.
Harbhajan dives into a shell crater, landing face-first in muddy water. His turban comes partially unwound.
For three seconds, he lies there thinking: I’m dead.
Then he realizes: I can still breathe.
He’s alive.
He finds his rifle. Re-wraps his turban as best he can while bullets fly overhead. The British insignia is bent but still attached.
Then he gets up and runs again.
The Final Sprint
The last 30 yards. Where most men die.
Harbhajan sprints harder than ever. His lungs burn. Bullets whiz past his head—one so close he feels the wind.
He’s 10 feet from the trench when he sees a German soldier taking aim directly at him. Eye contact. For half a second, two terrified young men look at each other.
The German soldier is maybe 20 years old. Just like Harbhajan.
The rifle comes up—
And then a British artillery shell lands in the German trench, right where that soldier stood.
The explosion throws Harbhajan backward. When he looks up, his unit is pouring into the captured position.
He’s alive. Against impossible odds, he survived.
After the Battle: The Truth
The captured trench looks exactly like the one they left: muddy, waterlogged, miserable.
They’ve won 200 yards of mud.
Cost: 47 Indian soldiers dead. 23 wounded.
No officer thanks them. Just: “Sikh soldier World War 1, get ready for sentry duty in 20 minutes.”
That night, Harbhajan tries to write to his mother. He starts: “Dear Mother…”
Then stops. How can he describe what he’s seen? The German soldier he killed yesterday? His best friend who stepped on a mine last week?
He can’t. So he writes: “I am well. The food is good. We will come home soon.”
All lies. Comforting lies.
Each Sikh soldier World War 1 returned home with stories of valor and sacrifice.
In the darkness, another Sikh soldier whispers: “Do you think they’ll remember us? After this war?”
Harbhajan doesn’t answer.
The Homecoming That Wasn’t
November 1918. The war ends. Harbhajan survived—barely. He has shrapnel scars, hearing damage, and memories that will never leave.
He returns to India in 1919, imagining celebration and honor.
The reality: A small village ceremony. No British officials attend. No medals. Within a week, everyone expects him to forget Belgium and resume normal life.
His pension? Two rupees per month. British veterans get pensions they can live on. Indian veterans get insulting pocket change.
In 1925, his son studies WWI in school. The textbook says: “The British Empire, with help from France and America, defeated Germany.”
No mention of 1.5 million Indian soldiers, including the Sikh soldier World War 1 who fought valiantly.
No mention of 74,187 who died, or of Sikh turbans in Flanders trenches.
When Harbhajan dies in 1957, his death certificate lists his occupation as “Farmer.” Not “war veteran.” As if Belgium never happened.
The legacy of the Sikh soldier World War 1 is a reminder of their unwavering commitment to their land and faith.
For generations, the sacrifices made by Sikh soldier World War 1 have been overshadowed but now deserve recognition.
Remembering each Sikh soldier World War 1 helps us acknowledge the diverse contributions to world history.
Why Your Textbook Lied
This wasn’t an accident. After WWI, British officials faced a problem:
The history relating to the Sikh soldier World War 1 must be preserved for future generations.
If we admit 1.5 million Indians were crucial to winning… if we acknowledge their bravery… how do we justify continued colonial rule?
Honoring the Sikh soldier World War 1 reflects our commitment to truth and remembrance.
Answer: We don’t acknowledge it.
They minimized Indian contributions in official histories. Listed Indian casualties in smaller letters in annexes nobody read. Lost military records. Ensured school curricula didn’t teach it.
By 1980, it was almost completely forgotten.
The Turban That Survived
In 2015, construction workers in Belgium found a turban. Faded, rotted, but unmistakably Sikh. Still pinned to it: a British Indian Army insignia.
It’s now in a museum with a plaque:
“Turban belonging to unknown Sikh soldier, circa 1915-1918. Represents 140,000 Sikh soldiers and 1.5 million Indian soldiers whose contribution was largely forgotten by history.”
Proof that Harbhajan Singh and hundreds of thousands like him were there. They existed. They fought. They bled. They died in foreign soil, wearing their turbans, maintaining their faith.
And history erased them.
Why This Matters Today
Truth: These men deserve to be remembered. Better late than never.
Pattern: The erasure of marginalized voices isn’t unique to this story. Recognizing the pattern helps us see it happening now.
Each Sikh soldier World War 1 deserves a place in the annals of history, remembered for their sacrifice.
Justice: When entire populations are erased from history, it affects how they—and the world—see them.
Education: You deserve the truth, not the sanitized version designed to make empires look good.
The Message of the Turban
If that muddy turban could speak:
“I traveled 5,000 miles.
I was wrapped with faith every morning.
I carried insignia I never asked for.
I was soaked with rain, blood, and tears.
I witnessed courage history ignored.
I am proof. I am memory.
I demand to be remembered.”
How You Can Honor Them
- Share this story – Every person who learns becomes part of the remembering
- Visit memorials – India Gate in Delhi, WWI cemeteries in Europe
- Teach it – Tell your children, students, friends
- Demand better – Ask why textbooks still ignore this
- Speak their names – When you talk about WWI, mention Indian soldiers
As we teach the stories of the Sikh soldier World War 1, we help ensure they are never forgotten.
Remember
In 1915, a Sikh soldier World War 1 wearing his sacred turban ran through the waterlogged trenches of Flanders. He was one of 1.5 million Indian soldiers who fought in WWI. 74,187 died, including countless Sikh soldier World War 1. Their contribution was erased from history for over 100 years.
Today, we remember.
Today, we honor.
Today, we refuse to let them be forgotten.
Remember Harbhajan Singh.
Remember them all.
Jai Hind. 🇮🇳
#NeverForget
