The National Memorial Arboretum
Exploring some of the memorials with South Asian connections at the year-round centre for Remembrance.
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Born in Chambra, Uttarakhand in 1895, Gabar Sing Negi was just twenty years of age when, along with his comrades in 2nd Battalion 39th Garhwal Rifles, he sailed for Europe in the autumn of 1914.
Like many soldiers making up the Indian Corps in the Great War, life on the Western Front came as a real shock. Trench warfare, freezing winter conditions and an unknown land combined to make that first year of warfare a particularly difficult one. By the Spring of 1915, the men of the Indian Corps had proved their mettle and were chosen to lead the first major offensive action of the Great War at Neuve Chapelle.
It was during this action that Rifleman Negi was to play a prominent part. A report written shortly after the battle records:
For most conspicuous bravery on 10th March 1915, at Neuve Chapelle. During an attack on the German position, Rifleman Gabar Singh Negi was one of a bayonet party with bombs who entered their main trench, and was the first man to go round each traverse, driving back the enemy until they were eventually forced to surrender. He was killed during this engagement.
For his incredible personal bravery and leadership, Rifleman Gabar Sing Negi was to become the first of only six Indian men to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) during the Great War. Sadly, he did not live to learn of his award, and today he is named alongside 4,700 fallen countrymen on the Neuve Chapelle Indian Memorial in France.
In recognition of his bravery, the Garwhal Regiment unveiled a memorial in 1971, in Gabar’s home town of Chambra and each year the town’s fair, called The Gabar Sing Negi Fair, is held in his honour. 1 2 3
1 General References – Commonwealth War Graves Commission (cwgc.org – accessed 3rd May 2021)
2 The London Gazette Archive, 28 April 1915
3 Image Ref: Wiki Commons
Exploring some of the memorials with South Asian connections at the year-round centre for Remembrance.
An aviation enthusiast’s special mission to honour a Second World War agent in occupied France.
The Indian Army Memorial Room stands as a tribute to the rich history and enduring spirit of the Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army.
The story behind the tribute to commemorate the service of Sikh members of the Armed Forces.
The first of the Trust’s projects is the South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), which first took place in 2020 and runs from the 18th of July to the 17th of August each year.
SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities.
It seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia.
© South Asian Heritage Trust | All Rights Reserved
