Soldier statue begins to take shape
PREPARATION work is starting for a landmark memorial in Wednesfield which commemorates the bravery of 19th century Sikh soldiers.
The Saragarhi Monument will stand on land in Well Lane and has been commissioned by Guru Nanak Gurdwara whose members have raised funds for the monument; City of Wolverhampton Council will also contribute £35,000 towards the memorial.
It is the work of Black Country sculptor Luke Perry and he has released pictures showing the memorial as it moves through the casting process, with the separate sections of the figure of a Sikh solider. The bronze sections will now be carefully pieced together by Luke, and the completed statue, which will stand at 10 feet tall, will be officially unveiled in September.
Commemorate
The statue will commemorate the Battle of Saragarhi, a conflict which took place on September 12, 1897. The conflict saw 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army fight against thousands of Afghan tribesmen.
The battle centered on an outpost in Saragarhi which was surrounded and attacked. The 21 soldiers inside the outpost chose to fight to the death rather than surrender. A further man, believed to be a Muslim cook who was not enrolled as a solider, also died after choosing to join the battle to defend the outpost.
The conflict is considered by military historians to be one of the greatest last stands in history. Saragarhi Day is commemorated by the Indian Army’s 4th battalion of the Sikh regiment every year on September 12. The statue in Wednesfield is also planned to be unveiled on that date.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, ward member for Wednesfield South, has worked closely with the Gurdwara to develop plans for the memorial. He said, “I’m thrilled to be on site to see the start of the work to create this important monument. It will be very important to a large number of people, both in the city and beyond.
“The bravery shown by the soldiers at Saragarhi was breathtaking and I hope that this fantastic statue will help us to recognise the contributions they made as well as celebrating the city’s diversity and increasing visitors to Wednesfield.”
Councillor Gakhal said his interest in the Battle of Saragarhi stemmed back to a family trip to India in December 1980 when he saw a calendar on the wall of a bank.
Transfixed
“The picture on the calendar was in black and white, it was of old ruins and Sikh soldiers stood on guard. I was just transfixed on this photo and asked the bank manager what it was all about,” he said.
“The bank manager looked at me over his spectacles and said, ‘Son, that photo is of Saragarhi it’s one of the famous last stands, it’s a part of your history.”
City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Councillor Ian Brookfield, said: “I am delighted that the council is able to support this incredible monument to the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the British Indian Army. It’s a powerful symbol of both the diversity and the togetherness of our city and this impressive artwork celebrates that.”
Sculptor Luke Perry said he believed the statue, which will stand on a six-foot plinth and have a large metal plate depicting the hills around Saragarhi behind it, could be the best he has ever made.
“I’m really excited to be progressing with the work for the Saragarhi Monument. Each commission that I create is inspired by the people I work with,” he said.
“With artworks like this I want to create sculptures that are a visible marker of the under-represented but vital, real people in our communities because when people are represented, they are empowered. I am so proud to be a part of the positive movement in art that is recognising the rich history of our past. The heritage of our diversity has been overlooked for too long”