Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony honours WW1 hero at Kitchener grave site

Political leaders, veterans and the public gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener for the 17th Sikh Remembrance Day on Sunday.

The ceremony was created to honour Private Buckam Singh, who was one of nine Sikh soldiers allowed to serve in the Canadian army during the First World War.

His grave is the only known grave for a Sikh soldier in Canada.

Sandeep Singh Brar is the chief organizer of Sikh Remembrance Day.

The annual tradition began in 2008, after Brar acquired Singh's military medal, which eventually led him to his grave in Mount Hope Cemetery.

“I acquired his military medal and I was kind of shocked that this is a Canadian soldier,” said Brar. “I didn't know that there were Sikh soldiers fighting on behalf of Canada. I spent about two years researching and uncovering his life story.”

The formalities consisted of speeches from keynote speakers, a moment of silence and a wreath-laying to honour the fallen.

Major Sarabjot Anand works for the Canadian Armed Forces and attended the ceremony.

“I'm thankful for Private Buckam Singh. The hero of today's ceremony has ultimately paved the path for soldiers like me to serve the nation that we all love,” said Anand.

Singh died in 1919 in Kitchener's Freeport Hospital.