"83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded." (Mohindra S Chowdhry, ‘Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars’, p. 349)
"Sikh Regiment had nine Infantry Battalions and a Machine Gun Battalion in the field, plus various training and administrative units." (Mohindra S Chowdhry, ‘Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars’, p. 350)
Naik Gian Singh of the 15th Punjab Regiment awarded Victoria Cross. (Gian Singh (soldier), Wikipedia, 2025)
Naik Nand Singh of the 1st Sikh regiment won Victoria Cross against the Japanese in Burma. (Nand Singh, Wikipedia, 2025)
Sikh Soldiers also participated in the Burma Campaign, Italy, North Africa, and Battle of Malaya.
Why did Sikhs fight with the West against the Nazis in the Second World War even though Sikhs were ruled by the British? Sikhs did not fight as mercenaries. “We have stood against fundamentalist religion, caste, and stood for liberty and democracy for all of the last 500 years. In lots of forms. Which is why fighting with the British in the first World War and against the Nazis in the Second World War was inevitable for us.” (Mohindra Chowdhry, Bristol Live, 2019)