Lions of the Great War
52°29′45″N 1°58′14″W / 52.49583°N 1.97056°W
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The Lions of the Great War is a war memorial in Smethwick, in Sandwell in the West Midlands of England, dedicated to the memory of the Sikh soldiers from the British Indian Army who fought in the First World War. It was unveiled on 4 November 2018 as part of the centenary of the end of the war. The bronze sculpture is a 10 ft (3 metres) high depiction of a Sikh soldier of the First World War on a 5 ft granite plinth; it was created by Luke Perry.[1][2][3][4][5]
The Sikh Soldiers
[edit]The Sikh soldiers contributed the most volunteers of any of the British holdings that had fought in that war. In 1919, India solely produced around 1 to 1.5 million troops for combat. Among these troops, the Sikhs rallied in large numbers for the King, Empire, and the defence of Europe.[1]
Chattri
[edit]The Chattri is a war memorial similar to the Lions of the Great War on a hill above the city of Brighton and Hove, England. The Chattri was built on the site where Indian soldiers were cremated. The structure is classified as Grade II listed status, reflecting its significance.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Sandwell remembers | Sandwell Council". www.sandwell.gov.uk. October 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ Archer-Fox, Megan (4 November 2018). "UK's first statue of South Asian WW1 soldier unveiled in Smethwick". Express & Star. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ Makin, George (4 November 2018). "UK's first statue of South Asian WW1 soldier unveiled in the Midlands". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Industrial Heritage Stronghold". industrialheritagestronghold.com. Retrieved 26 September 2021. Search for Lions of the Great War under artwork
- ^ "Lions of the Great War | Fields in Trust". www.fieldsintrust.org.
- ^ Dale, Antony (1989). Brighton Churches. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-00863-8.