The first ever full-sized statue of a Sikh soldier to be built in the UK has been unveiled.
The ‘Lions of the Great War‘ monument in Smethwick has been designed to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War One (WW1).
Hundreds of members of the public, as well as army and local government personnel, gathered to witness the grand unveiling of the prestigious monument.
The procession began with a commemorative parade down Smethwick High street, followed by a minute’s silence to honour fallen soldiers and speeches from those who had played a major role in creation of the monument.
Soldiers from the premier Reservist Logistics regiment in the Midlands attended the unveiling on Sunday.
The 10ft-high bronze statue, which depicts a Sikh soldier from WW1, sits in its own public square in the town’s High Street, outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, which is the largest Sikh temple in Europe. The statue stands on a 6ft plinth with inscriptions on all four sides. These inscriptions include recognition of the centennial anniversary of the end of the Great War and the role of Sikhs in the British Army and wider society.
The Gurdwara president, Jatinder Singh, said: “We are so proud to be unveiling this memorial to honour the sacrifice of all those brave men who travelled thousands of miles to fight for a country that wasn’t their own.”