Feature

The 10 Sikh Superman & John Smyth

Rehmat Kaur

Image Provided by Rehmat Kaur

Picture provided by Rehmat Kaur – shows a kara which is one of the five external articles a baptized Sikh wears. A kara is an iron bracelet which is worn on the right hand. It symbolizes that God has no beginning or ending and acts as a reminder that a Sikh should do not that the anything that God would disapprove of.

Background

It was May 16th, 1915, in the trenches of northern France during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. The British army's first battalion of Highland Light infantry ran across no man's land and seized a section of the German trench. The Highlanders were isolated in a 200-yard stretch of enemy trench, separated from reinforcements by 250 yards of no man's land.

The next day, another party of troops was dispatched from Commander Officer Lieutenant John Smyth's trench, and the same thing happened to them. The Germans were steadfast in their refusal to allow the British troops to send assistance. The Senior British Commander gave the order to continue the mission and dispatch more soldiers. With the orders, Smyth requested volunteers from his 4th company, 115 men, to accompany him on the exceedingly perilous mission. But every single man rushed forward and offered to accompany him. Smyth picked ten recruits and proceeded to plan their mission.

The Ordeal

At 3:00 p.m., Smyth and his ten Sikh men head to the frontline trench with two crates containing 48 grenades apiece. They plunged over the parapet and into a destroyed exploratory trench, gaining yards into no man's land. They were subjected to a persistent storm of German artillery fire, and a fire cascade dropped on them. However, it produced coverage as bodies and smoke were strewn across the ground. They leaped from cover to cover, attempting to reach the stream that runs through the middle of the no-man's land. However, two Sikh troops died in the mud after a shell struck them.

Symth instructed the guys to continue marching through the dust caused by shell falls. He made it to the next cover, but the ground fell faster than predicted, exposing two more Sikh men to the enemy's fire. Seven soldiers remained as they lunged toward the stream and fell into the waist-deep water. Four more troops fell when gunfire struck them. Only Smyth and Sikh soldier Lal Singh remained, making progress toward their goal. They arrived at the frontline with only one box, but it was sufficient to hold the trench until dark when further supplies were sent. Smyth was eventually able to return to his trench after nightfall.

When Smyth returned, he noticed his orderly, Ishar Singh, waiting for him on the parapet. Ishar Singh had sat there since the mission began, even though Smyth's death had been reported a long time ago. He was confident that his commanding officer would return. Ishar saluted and said the Sikh greeting or Warcry, “Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Shri Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh” which means the Khalsa (Sikhs) are of Vaheguru (God), so the victory of Khalsa as the Army of the Timeless Being – is Vaheguru’s victory.

Legacy

Armed with only a few tools and unwavering drive, their gallantry would be remembered throughout military history. All ten Sikh warriors were given the Indian Distinguished Service Medal. When discussing the events John Smyth stated, “What kept me going was the courage of my men. I gave them leadership and they gave me support.”

The narrative of the ten Sikh Supermen is a timeless tale of bravery, sacrifice, and perseverance. It exemplifies humanity's tenacious spirit, telling us that even in the worst of circumstances, hope and bravery can prevail.

Names of the 10 Sikh Supermen:

Service Number 131, Lance Naik, Mangal Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 702, Sepoy Lal Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 638, Sepoy Sucha Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 962, Sepoy, Sapuran Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1255, Sepoy, Sarain Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1036, Sepoy, Fateh Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1001, Sepoy, Ujagar Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1249, Sepoy, Sundar Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1339, Sepoy, Ganda Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

Service Number 1360, Sepoy, Harnam Singh, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs

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