Battle of Saragarhi (In the memory of 21 Sikh soldiers)

“It is no exaggeration to record that the armies which possess the valiant Sikhs cannot face defeat in war” Queen Victoria, British Parliament 1897. In terms of the ratio on the odds faced, only a few battles come close to those faced by 21 Sikh soldiers of the 36thSikhs. The staggering ratio of 1:500 stacked against the Sikhs is both unmatched and unprecedented, ensuring their “last stand” will never be forgotten in history.The epic Battle of Saragarhi one of the greatest last stands in military history was fought between 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army over 10,000 Pashtun tribesmenrampagingforover six hours.
Saragarhi was a tiny nondescript village. The battle of Saragarhi was fought on September 12, 1897 between the British Indian Empire and the Afghan tribesmen. On 20thApril 1894, the 36thSikhsof the British Indian Army was created.On 12 September 1897, estimated 12,000 – 24,000 Orakzai-Afridi tribes were seen near Gogra, at Samana Suk and around Saragarhi, severing Fort Gulistan from Lockhart. The Afghans attacked the little post of Saragarhi where thousands swarmed and surrounded it.The Sikhs, led by HavildarIshar Singh chose to fight to the death.
The British had partially succeeded in getting control of this volatile area, but tribal Pashtuns continued to attack British personnel from time to time. Thus a series of forts, originally built by Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Sikh Empire, were consolidated. Two of the forts were Fort Lockhart, and Fort Gulistan situated a few miles apart. Due to the forts not being visible to each other, Saragarhi was created midway, as a heliographic communication post. The Saragarhi post, situated on a rocky ridge, consisted of a small block house with loop-holed ramparts and a signaling tower. 
A general uprising by the Afghans began there in 1897, and between 27 August and 11 September many vigorous efforts by Pashtuns to capture the forts were thwarted by the 36thSikhs. In 1897, insurgent and inimical activities had increased, and on 3 and 9 September Afridi tribesmen, allied with the Afghans, attacked Fort Gulistan. Both the attacks were repulsed, and strength of signaling detachment at Saragarhi, increased to 21.
Ishar Singh orders his men to fall back to secure the last line of defense. The Sikh casualties are mounting. It’s now down to the last few men. Signalman Gurmukh Singh with a shout of “Jo Bole Sau Nihal, Sat Sri Akal,” the 19-year-old soldier joins the battle. One after the other, the brave Sikh slashes the invaders, killing nearly 20 of them. Unable to get the last of them, the tribesmen set the fort on fire.Eventually, each of the soldiers succumbed. The total casualties in the entire campaign, including the Battle of Saragarhi, numbered around 4,800. On hearing the acts of valor, the British Parliament had then risen in unison to pay homage to the fallen soldiers.The 21 soldiers posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit (Victoria Cross).