A missing piece of Canadian military history highlighted at The Military Museums
The Military Museums is celebrating Sikh heritage month with an exhibit on Sikh soldiers in Canada's military.
Photographs and other artifacts showcasing the Sikhs’ role in our military have been collected from different sources, including the Indian military and Canadian military.
“When they come here, they're going to see some of the soldiers they might not know, some of the presently serving soldiers, as well as soldiers from World War One World War Two and post-World Wars,” said Charan Kamal Singh Dullat, the Military Museums event organizer and an active member in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Among the artifacts are several medals belonging to Harry Sekhon, a veteran, who joined the Calgary Highlanders in the late 1980s.
Sekhon is also proud of a unique first.
“I was first Sikh which had the turban on and in the Canadian army,” he said. “My goal was to merge it in a proper and professional fashion and not artificial because it’s a question of the history of the Sikhs.”
Organizers say that kind of information is important to pass along.
“I think education of both members who have served Canada in the past from the Sikh community and bring their stories up,” says Dullat.
“This is one of the chapters from the history which has been missed.”
For some of the exhibit’s first visitors; it was an emotional experience.
“I’m very proud of Canada because of what they have put together today,” said Rajinder Singh Gill, whose father was a veteran.
“My dad was in the Second World War and the militia and the exhibit has profoundly effected me and I’m very sentimental about it.”
The exhibit runs at The Military Museums at 4520 Crowchild Tr. S.W. until April 30.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army on Monday ordered tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza's southern city of Rafah to start evacuating from the area, signalling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent.
'Love has no boundaries': Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.