Remembrance service held for British Indian Army soldiers
Tributes were paid at Kingussie cemetery earlier
Last updated 26th Oct 2021
A multi-faith remembrance service has been held in the Highlands today for south Asian soldiers who fought alongside British troops in both world wars.
Tributes were paid to the soldiers of Force K6 of the British Indo Pak Army from present-day Pakistan who died in Scotland after being evacuated from Dunkirk.
The service at Kingussie Cemetery , where nine Force K6 soldiers are buried, was attended by representatives of the British Armed Forces, members of the charity Colourful Heritage, Pakistan Consul General Syed Zahid Raza, members of the Glasgow South Asian community including Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims, and local Highland councillors.
Local resident Isobel Harling, who is in her late nineties, has tended for the Kingussie graves since the 1940s – receiving the British Empire Medal in 2020.
She was unable to attend today’s commemorations, but members of her family were also present.
The charity Colourful Heritage has organised annual remembrance events at Kingussie since 2018, and is also campaigning for a permanent memorial to all British Indo Pak Army soldiers in Glasgow.
During the Second World War, an urgent call was made to the Indian empire - then the joint Indian and Pakistan subcontinents - for animal troop companies to come out to France to help.
Force K6 – Mule Transport Corps initially arrived in Marseilles in December 1939. The bulk of Force K6 was then evacuated out of Dunkirk in France to Britain, initially staying in Brecon Beacon in Wales before being moved to Scotland.
Scotland hosts the largest concentration of WW2 Muslim soldiers’ graves from Force K6 in the UK.
There are 13 graves spread out in four cemeteries, with nine graves at Kingussie cemetery.
Most of the young soldiers died while training in the cold mountainous regions of Scotland. These soldiers buried in Scotland are primarily from the Punjab region and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (previously known as NWFP) from present day Pakistan.
Omar Shaikh, founder of Colourful Heritage, said: "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Gurkhas from the British Indo Pak Army fought alongside British troops in the world wars, and more than 160,000 soldiers sadly lost their lives. They travelled halfway around the world to fight alongside our forces.
"But the reality is that not enough people know this story.
"We want people to learn about the sacrifices that were made and reflect on the commonality of our humanity.
"Scotland has a special connection through Force K6, and this was a moment to commemorate those who fought for us and lost their lives.
"In the months ahead, we plan to ensure there is a permanent memorial to all soldiers of the British Indo Park Army in Scotland so that we never forget their contribution and sacrifice."