Kelowna 
Canada Post has released a new Remembrance Day stamp paying tribute to Sikh soldiers who served with courage and distinction, many of whom were long overlooked in Canadian military history.
Credit: Canada Post
The stamp was unveiled on Sunday during the annual Sikh Remembrance Day Ceremony in Kitchener, Ontario.
The release highlights the service of more than 250,000 Sikh soldiers who fought for Britain and its allies in both world wars. In Canada, racial discrimination restricted enlistment, and only 10 Sikh men were able to join the Canadian forces during the First World War. Eight of them enlisted before conscription and served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Europe.
The stamp centres on the story of Private Buckam Singh, who enlisted at age 22 and became one of the first Sikh soldiers to serve in the Canadian military. Singh was wounded twice in action and later succumbed to tuberculosis in 1919. His grave at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener remains the only known resting place in Canada of a Sikh soldier from the world wars. The site now hosts one of North America’s largest annual Sikh remembrance gatherings.
Designed by Larry Burke and Anna Stredulinsky of Burke & Burke, with illustration by Parm Singh, the stamp depicts a Sikh soldier paying his respects beside an image of Private Singh’s grave. The Poppy Design, appearing under licence from the Royal Canadian Legion, is also featured.
The Private Singh stamp and related collectibles are available through Canada Post’s website and postal outlets across the country.
