Sikhs and soldiers mark anniversary of Battle of Ferozeshah
Soldiers and representatives from Wolverhampton's Sikh community joined together to commemorate the 170th anniversary of a key battle.
More than 80 civilians joined 180 soldiers from the Mercian Regiment to honour the Battle of Ferozeshah.
The Battle of Ferozeshah was fought in what is now Northern India on December 21 and 22, 1845, during the first Anglo-Sikh War.
Among those involved were soldiers from the 80th Regiment of Foot – antecedents of the Staffordshire Regiment and in turn the Mercians and in total 694 people were killed and 1,721 wounded.
To mark the anniversary a parade was held on Saturday inside the Army Reserve Centre at Wolseley House, in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton.
Captain Austin Miller, operations support officer at the 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment, said: "The initial plan was to hold it outside but because of the weather and the fact we had invited a lot of civilians we decided to move it indoors.
"The day included a parade and procession while a soldier from the Mercian Regiment was commended for his action in Afghanistan.
"The Sikh community provided lunch for the soldiers.
"These days we are not so much celebrating the battle because historically we have all moved on.
"This is all part of bringing the community back together."
Captain Miller, who has served for 35 years with the army, said they tried to remember and commemorate the battle as close to the original date as possible.
He said: "In 2010 we sent 120 soldiers on an operational tour of Afghanistan.
"When we returned we went to a local Sikh temple in Wolverhampton, sat through a service and enjoyed a meal with them. We host something every year."
