KITCHENER, ON: The annual Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony was held on Sunday, November 6 at the military grave of Canadian World War I hero, Private Buckam Singh, in Kitchener, Ontario; with over 200 people attending.
It is the only military grave in Canada of a Sikh soldier from the World Wars, and the ceremony is said to be the largest annual gatherings of Sikh soldiers and veterans in North America.
“Sikhs have a long tradition of military service,” said Sandeep Singh Brar, Curator of SikhMuseum.com and the chief organizer of the annual event. “The Sikh community has organized this Remembrance Ceremony every year at the historic location of Private Buckam Singh’s military grave to remember the 117,000 Canadian soldiers, like Private Singh, that have died since we became a nation and the 83,000 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army that died fighting along their Canadian comrades in two World Wars,” said Brar.
The ceremony allows Canadians the opportunity to appreciate the inclusive nature of country and the sacrifices made by heroes from diverse backgrounds in making our nation strong and secure.
This year’s program featured youth from the community participating in the ceremony as well as students from the new Private Buckam Singh Public School, in Brampton, that opened its doors last year.
Wounded twice on the battlefields of France in WWI, Canadian soldier Private Buckam Singh was one of only nine Sikh soldiers allowed to serve with Canadian Forces in WWI. The discovery of his war medal and military grave has led the Sikh community to reclaimed a forgotten son and Canada to reclaimed the story of a war hero.
The ceremony, now in its 15th year, was attended by members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Police Services across Ontario, Royal Canadian Legion members, veterans and elected officials from federal, provincial and municipal governments.
