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Kitchener-Waterloo

More than 200 people gather to honour Sikh soldier, veterans in Waterloo Region

More than 200 people gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo Region on Nov. 6 to honour Sikh-Canadian veterans and soldiers as part of Sikh Remembrance Day, which has been happening for the last 15 years in the region.

The event was held at the grave of Pte. Buckam Singh who died in Kitchener in 1919

James Chaarani · CBC News ·
A man wearing a red turban stands outside facing away from camera. Other people in uniforms can be seen in the background during a remembrance ceremony.
Hundreds gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo Region to honour Pte. Buckam Singh. (James Chaarani/CBC)

More than 200 people gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo Region on Nov. 6 to honour Sikh-Canadian veterans and soldiers as part of Sikh Remembrance Day, which has been happening in the region for the last 15 years.

The event at Mount Hope Cemetery has been happening in the region for the last 15 years. (James Chaarani / CBC)

This comes ahead of the nationally observed Remembrance Day on Nov. 11, to honour Canadian soldiers who lost their lives in service. 

"It's important because it really draws a very clear connection that Sikh history, Sikhs in Canada are part of Canadian history," said Rupinder Kaur, a spokesperson for the service.

The event was held at the grave of Sikh World War One soldier, Pte. Buckam Singh. According to SikhMuseum.com, which is an event partner, there were only a few known Sikh-Canadian soldiers who served in the First World War, including Singh.

Of them, he's the only one with a known military grave. 

A gravesite says: Service Number 454819 Private Bukkan Singh 28th Battalion." The date of death is listed as "27th Aug 1919."
Pte. Buckam Singh's grave was discovered in Kitchener by SikhMuseum.com’s curator, Sandeep Singh Brar. (James Chaarani/CBC)

"It's so beautiful to see people of different faiths and different backgrounds that all come together at this event," Kaur said. 

Not only were members of the Canadian military in attendance, but there were police officers in uniform, as well as residents from Waterloo Region of all ages and backgrounds.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic was one of the many politicians in attendance. (James Chaarani / CBC)

Several politicians were there too, including Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and Kitchener Centre MP Mike Morrice.

Kaur explained that SikhMuseum.com's curator, Sandeep Singh Brar, had discovered that private Singh had served during World War One through a war medal he found, and he subsequently tracked his grave back to Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener. 

Pte. Buckam Singh was one of a handful of Sikh-Canadian soldiers to have fought in World War One. (James Chaarani / CBC)

'Often underrepresented' 

"I'm really happy to be here to see so many Sikh men, women, people who represent a community that I feel is often underrepresented within Remembrance Day ceremonies in attendance today," said Amanpreet Dhaul from Cambridge who was in attendance.

"They're all gathered here together at Pte. Buckam Singh's burial site to honour him, and honour so many that we've lost from the World Wars."

Cambridge resident, Amanpreet Dhaul, was in attendance on Sunday. (James Chaarani / CBC)

Singh died on Aug. 27, 1919 in Kitchener after getting tuberculosis, as he was recuperating from battle wounds in hospital. He was 25 years old.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Chaarani

Associate Producer / Reporter

James Chaarani is an associate producer with season nine of CBC's "Now or Never." He also worked as a reporter in the Kitchener-Waterloo and London, Ont. newsrooms and did a stint with Ontario syndication, covering provincial issues. You can reach him at james.chaarani@cbc.ca.

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