Canada Post honours Sikh soldiers with new Remembrance Day stamp unveiled in Kitchener

Canada Post has released a new Remembrance Day stamp to recognize the historic contributions of Sikh soldiers who served with Canadian and Allied forces. The unveiling took place Sunday during the annual Sikh Remembrance Day Ceremony at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener, Ontario.

The design pays tribute to Private Buckam Singh, one of the first Sikh Canadians to serve in the First World War and the youngest known Sikh soldier to enlist at age 22. Singh fought with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Europe, was twice wounded in action, and later died of tuberculosis in 1919. His gravesite in Kitchener remains the only known resting place in Canada of a Sikh soldier from the world wars.

More than 300,000 Sikh soldiers served under British command during both world wars, yet in Canada, racial discrimination restricted enlistment. Only ten Sikh men were able to join the Canadian military during the First World War, most before conscription began. Their stories have since become a symbol of perseverance and equality, reflecting the Sikh faith’s emphasis on courage and service to humanity.

The stamp, designed by Larry Burke and Anna Stredulinsky of Burke & Burke and illustrated by Parm Singh, depicts a Canadian Sikh soldier standing in reflection beside Private Singh’s grave. The stamp’s cancellation mark is based in Kitchener, and the poppy featured in the design is used under licence from the Royal Canadian Legion.

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