Free Talk by distinguished Australian military historian (27 May, West London)Exactly 100 years ago Sikh soldiers were fighting for the British empire on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. Though many Sikhs know some of this history – such as the sacrifice of the 14th Ferozepore Sikhs in the attack of 4 June – in the century that has passed no book has appeared devoted to the experience of Indian soldiers on Gallipoli.

It has taken one of Australia’s most distinguished military historians, Professor Peter Stanley, to tell this story, and later this month his book ‘Die in Battle, Do not Despair: the Indians on Gallipoli, 1915’, will be published by Helion & Co.

UKPHA are delighted to announce an exclusive free talk by Peter. He will tell some of the stories of Sikh soldiers on Gallipoli, both men of the Ferozepore Sikhs, mountain gunners, men of the Patiala Infantry and transport drivers. He will be talking about individual Sikh soldiers, rescued from obscurity a century on, partly thanks to families who have preserved stories that can now be told.

Don’t miss your chance to hear their story at this very special event.

WHEN
6.30pm, Wednesday 27 May 2015

WHERE
Exhibition Hall, 1st Floor, New Annexe, Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Alice Way, Hanworth Road, Hounslow TW3 3UA

ABOUT
The Speaker – Professor Stanley who is over from Australia where he is Research Professor at the University of New South Wales, Canberra. He has written 27 books, mainly on Australian military history, and appears frequently on television documentaries. He now writes mainly about the Great War of 1914-18, though his most recent book was the Cunning man, an historical novel set in the First Anglo-Sikh War.

The Venue – see www.sgss.org

Image: Sikh soldiers of 29th Indian Infantry Brigade rest in a trench, Gallipoli, 1915 (National Army Museum, acc. no. 1976-05-52-77)