Saragarhi Day - When the Valiant 21 Sikhs Battled 10,000 Men

A humble signal station manned only by Havildar Ishar Singh and twenty sepoys of the 36th Sikhs of the British Indian Army (now the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, Indian Army) finds itself beset by 10,000 attackers (It may have been as many as 24,000!). There is no hope for relief, but even knowing it will come at the cost of their lives, the Sikhs refuse to stand down.

The Battle of Saragarhi took place 126 years ago today in the North-West Frontier Province of British India (now in modern Pakistan). It is considered to be one of history's greatest last stands.

The 4th battalion of the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army commemorates the battle every year on 12 September, as Saragarhi Day

They died for their Queen-Empress. Lest we forget.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Here is a video about the Battle: 

One of the most incredible last stands in history occurred when 21 Sikhs under the command of the British fought against an army of over 10,000 men. Havildar Ishar Singh and his men decided they would buy time for the British by holding their position against incredible odds of an army of more than 10,000. It’s an amazing story of bravery in a battle that was documented as the Sikhs relayed information to the British using a Heliograph. In addition, the British could observe from another fort as this ultimate act of heroism played out. We’d like to thank Prabhjot Bhamrah Singh for giving authentic voice to the Valiant 21.

And another video from Chris Green, The History Chap:

An epic last stand by 21 Sikh soldiers against over 10,000 Pathan / Afghan tribesmen at the end of the 19th century in British India. This is the story of Havildar Ishar Singh and his brave unit, who despite being hopelessly outnumbered decided to fight rather than surrender. 

The Battle of Saragarhi occurred during an uprising by Pathan tribesmen in the North West Frontier province in India (now part of Pakistan) during the summer of 1897. The Pathans are a people who reside in both northern Pakistan and across the border in Afghanistan, where they form the largest ethnic grouping. The 21 Sikh soldiers under Havildar Ishar Singh were members of the 36th Sikh bengal Infantry (later the 36th Sikh infantry). Their main units, commanded by British officer, Lt. Colonel Haughton were based at the nearby forts of Lockhart and Gulistan. Whilst only 4 miles apart, the forts did not have a line of sight, making them particularly vulnerable during the 1897 uprising. Consequently, a small communication base was established at Saragarhi to relay messages between the two forts, using a heliograph. The 21 Sikhs held their enemy at bay for over 7 hours before dying to the last man. Afterwards, Pathan leaders claimed that 180 of their men had died in the battle and countless others had been injured. The widely accepted figure is that the Pathan’s suffered 450 casualties - an incredible toll dealt by the 21 Sikhs under Havildar Ishar Singh. Whilst not as known as other last stands, the battle of Saragarhi continues to inspire modern generations. Sikh’s celebrate Saragarhi Day, whilst the British armed forces commemorate the last stand as one of their battle honour days. In 2019, Bollywood re-told the story in a film, “Kesari”. This is the real story, using historical facts and sources. In 2021 a statue to Havildar Inshar Singh was unveiled in Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton in England.