The Sikh policeman
JIWAN Singh enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1913 and never thought he would one day become a police instructor for the Fiji Police Force.
The police Corporal, who was born and raised in Hoshiarpur Punjab, India, retired from the force after 19 years of service and shared his story with this newspaper on July 21, 1958.
The Fiji Times reported that before coming to Fiji, he had served in the army in Lahore, Punjab, and had joined the 32nd Sikh Pioneers Regiment.
“I remember distinctly in 1917 when I was a sergeant and the regiment was ready to proceed into action (WWI), my instructions were to remain as an instructor to the recruits,” he said.
Corporal Singh said he wasn’t pleased with the idea of staying behind as an instructor because he wanted to go to the frontline and fight alongside his brothers.
“In 1918, I was promoted to the rank of regimental sergeant-major and I was in charge of 2000 recruits. Later in 1922, I re-enlisted in the army at Ambala, India as a lance corporal in the 23rd Sikh Pioneers Regiment,” he said.
Determined to move up the ranks, he worked hard and later got promoted to Sergeant and in 1933, had an early retirement from the army on pension.
“I arrived in Fiji on January 14, 1939 with my wife. I joined the Fiji Police Force on March 14, 1939 and remember those days clearly when Colonel J E Workman was the Commissioner of Police,” he said.
“I was posted as a drill instructor at Nasova Police Training School and I was taken in for that particular job. I remember when I received my pay at the pay parade, my envelope contained four pounds, two shillings and six pence (4/2/6) and I compared that with the 34 pounds I received today upon my retirement.
“It was in 1942 when I was promoted to the rank of corporal in the force. I remained as a drill instructor until 1945.”
As an instructor, he had a language barrier when he trained the police personnel.
“In 1945, I was transferred to the charge room on routine police duties and then in 1948, I was transferred to the prosecutions branch and was engaged in serving summons and executing warrants and I remained in the branch until my retirement,” he said.
“Though it sounds very simple, the work of serving summons and executing warrants is not so easy. As a matter of fact, I found it most difficult,” he said.
“I remember an incident in 1948 when I first started serving summons. This was an interesting case of a man who always avoided the police and a summons for non-payment of residential tax against him remained unserved for three years because of some confusion in his name.
“After extension inquiries, eventually I found the whereabouts of this person and tried to approach him while he was working in a rice field. I saw him running and hiding in a heap of paddy grass while other members of his family were standing in the field.
“When I asked them, they seemed to have no knowledge whatsoever about this person. I called him to come out from his hiding place but he did not. I told him that if he didn’t, I would set the paddy grass on fire. It was a sight to be seen, how he came out yelling from his hiding place.”
Corporal Singh said he always tried to learn something new in the force even though he was not educated in English.
“I always carried out my duties to the best of my knowledge and ability,” he said.
“I would like to mention that I also had to face many difficulties in life and the worst was in 1941 when my brother suddenly died. The responsibility of maintaining his wife and children fell on my shoulders. I have two children and we all live together as a happy family.”
Cpl Singh simply retired from the force with a gratuity with effect from July 4, 1958.
“I think myself very fortunate that I had an opportunity to serve both the British Indian Army in India and the Fiji Police Force,” he said.
“After the Second World War, I was issued with the Defence Medal 1939 – 45.”
In his last few years as a policeman, Cpl Singh was the only officer with a beard and turban in Suva.
“I was surprised to see that my post card photos in uniform are being sold in almost every studio in Suva,” he said.
“I naturally attracted the attention of the tourists and every day, I had to pose for numberless times in the streets of Suva for tourists to take my photo.”
He told this newspaper that he was surprised to see that in Fiji, his turban had attracted more attention than the sulu or the sari.
He said he was proud of the career he chose.
I naturally attracted the attention of the tourists and every day, I had to pose for numberless times in the streets of Suva for tourists to take my photo – Jiwan Singh