A wreath was laid on the grave of an “untouchable” Indian soldier of the First World War in Brockenhurst.
At St Nicholas Churchyard in Brockenhurst, Harmeet Singh Brar, chairperson of the Friends of the Indian Soldiers Memorial (FISM) group, paid an emotional tribute to an infantryman from India who made the ultimate sacrifice when he laid a remembrance wreath at the grave of Indian First World War soldier Sukha.
Sukha belonged to an “untouchable” caste and passed away due to pneumonia while serving as a cleaner in army camps in France and at the Lady Hardinge Hospital in Brockenhurst in January 1915.
The commemoration held by FISM was meant to honour all those Indians who served their country with courage and commitment during WW1 and it served as a powerful reminder of their contribution to global peace and stability despite leading lives that were filled with unimaginable hardship.
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