Buckam Singh
Encyclopedia
Buckham Singh was a Canadian Sikh
war veteran.
, India
to parents Badan Singh Bains and Chandi Kaur. In March 1903, at age 10, the young Singh was married to Pritam Kaur of Jamsher in an arranged marriage
. At the time, India was still under British control, and as such, many Sikhs enlisted in the British Army
due to their warrior tradition that dated back to the time of Guru Hargobind in the 17th century. In 1887 some Sikh soldiers travelled from India (Punjab) to reach Britain in order to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
and fell in love with the landscape. Upon their return to Punjab, word about Canada spread and the 14-year-old Singh left for British Columbia
in 1907.
At the time of Singh's immigration to Canada there was a labour shortage in British Columbia, and while the Canadians did not like to give jobs to foreigners, they had no choice. Later in 1907, riots in Vancouver prompted the Canadian government to institute racist laws which required all South Asian immigrants to come from their homeland to Canada in one continuous journey, a feat impossible for the Sikhs as there was no direct route from India to Canada. Additionally, all new immigrants had to have $250 in savings, ten times the amount European immigrants had to have. This was quite a large amount as at the time wages were just cents a week. Due to these discriminatory conditions, Singh moved to Ontario
and began working for a farmer in Rosebank.
as a member of the British Empire
. On April 23 the next year, Singh enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force and became one of just nine Canadian Sikhs to fight in World War I. He was then sent to Barriefield Camp near Kingston
and joined the 59th Battalion. On his attestation papers he was recorded as of the Church of England
religion, as there was no option for Sikh
.
Due to the need to deploy troops to the Western Front as quickly as possible, Singh received little training and was shipped out in the first of two contingents of 250 men aboard the S.S. Scandinavian 2 on August 27, 1915, arriving in England on September 5. There, Singh was transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion to await deployment to a combat battalion. On January 21, 1916 Singh arrived in France
and joined the 20th Battalion. However, while fighting he was hit on the head with shrapnel on June 2, 1916 and sent to hospital until the end of the month, when he rejoined his battalion. However, he was again wounded at St. Eloi on July 20 and sent to a hospital run by John McCrae
and then crossed the English Channel to make his recovery in the Manchester
.
On March 11, 1917 Singh was considered fit enough to rejoin active combat and was sent to the Central Ontario Regimental Depot and waited to be sent to France again, however he developed severe tuberculosis
and was sent back to Canada in May. He was discharged on August 1, 1918 and spent the remainder of his days at Freeport Military Hospital, where he died on August 27, 1919. He is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery
in Kitchener, Ontario
. His grave is the only known Canadian Sikh soldier's grave in existence.
Sikhism in Canada
Canadian Sikhs are the largest religious group among Indo-Canadians. According to the 2001 census there are 278,410 Sikhs in Canada. However, in 2004 the true number was revealed to be closer to 400,000....
war veteran.
Early life
Buckham Singh was born on December 5, 1893 in the farming town of MahilpurMahilpur
Mahilpur is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state Punjab. It is situated on Hoshiarpur Chandigarh Road from Hoshiarpur. It is famous for the game of football in the region.-Demographics:...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to parents Badan Singh Bains and Chandi Kaur. In March 1903, at age 10, the young Singh was married to Pritam Kaur of Jamsher in an arranged marriage
Arranged marriage
An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...
. At the time, India was still under British control, and as such, many Sikhs enlisted in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
due to their warrior tradition that dated back to the time of Guru Hargobind in the 17th century. In 1887 some Sikh soldiers travelled from India (Punjab) to reach Britain in order to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
and fell in love with the landscape. Upon their return to Punjab, word about Canada spread and the 14-year-old Singh left for British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1907.
At the time of Singh's immigration to Canada there was a labour shortage in British Columbia, and while the Canadians did not like to give jobs to foreigners, they had no choice. Later in 1907, riots in Vancouver prompted the Canadian government to institute racist laws which required all South Asian immigrants to come from their homeland to Canada in one continuous journey, a feat impossible for the Sikhs as there was no direct route from India to Canada. Additionally, all new immigrants had to have $250 in savings, ten times the amount European immigrants had to have. This was quite a large amount as at the time wages were just cents a week. Due to these discriminatory conditions, Singh moved to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and began working for a farmer in Rosebank.
Wartime
On August 5, 1914, Canada entered World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a member of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. On April 23 the next year, Singh enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force and became one of just nine Canadian Sikhs to fight in World War I. He was then sent to Barriefield Camp near Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
and joined the 59th Battalion. On his attestation papers he was recorded as of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
religion, as there was no option for Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
.
Due to the need to deploy troops to the Western Front as quickly as possible, Singh received little training and was shipped out in the first of two contingents of 250 men aboard the S.S. Scandinavian 2 on August 27, 1915, arriving in England on September 5. There, Singh was transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion to await deployment to a combat battalion. On January 21, 1916 Singh arrived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and joined the 20th Battalion. However, while fighting he was hit on the head with shrapnel on June 2, 1916 and sent to hospital until the end of the month, when he rejoined his battalion. However, he was again wounded at St. Eloi on July 20 and sent to a hospital run by John McCrae
John McCrae
Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres...
and then crossed the English Channel to make his recovery in the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
On March 11, 1917 Singh was considered fit enough to rejoin active combat and was sent to the Central Ontario Regimental Depot and waited to be sent to France again, however he developed severe tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and was sent back to Canada in May. He was discharged on August 1, 1918 and spent the remainder of his days at Freeport Military Hospital, where he died on August 27, 1919. He is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery may refer to:in Canada* Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery, Toronto, Ontarioin the United States* Mount Hope Cemetery, San Diego California* Mount Hope Cemetery, Worth Township, near Chicago, Illinois...
in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. His grave is the only known Canadian Sikh soldier's grave in existence.