Aman Sher Singh was born in the city of Jalandhar in the state of Punjab, India in 1896. His parents were Sikhs and, if not exactly affluent, had prospered enough to give their children a comfortable life. He was the middle child of the family, between an older brother, Kamal, and a younger sister, Indira.
While Kamal excelled in riding, hunting and other such pursuits, Aman was always the quieter and more academic of the boys. He always felt somewhat deficient for this, especially compared to his brother. He read of the great Sikh warriors of the past and part of him wanted to share in that grand history, especially living in the age he did, with the Raj so firmly in control of Sikh land and the destiny of his people.
He eventually went on to attend college in Lahore but the world would soon call him away from that. When war broke out in Europe Kamal enlisted almost immediately in the British Indian Army, to serve in the cavalry. He fought with distinction at Gallipolli and later in Mesopotamia while Aman studied in India. But, finally, Aman could not just sit by anymore. He enlisted in the British Indian Army and was sent to serve as a combat engineer on the Western Front in France.
War was not what he'd expected. Far from the tales of honorable warriors, bold cavalry charges and feats of arms he'd learned from his father and grandfather, he found a world of darkness and gas where faceless enemies shot desperately at each other without ever coming face to face. Still, he served as best he could. He even managed to win the respect of some of his comrades, despite his race and was promoted to the rank of corporal.
Though he longed to see Jalandhar again, Singh would never make it back to India. When the Germans pushed toward Arras in full force, during the Spring Invasion, he was on the front lines…and was one of the first to fall.
Singh's Headstone
Singh's grave reads thusly:
Aman Sher Singh
Born: October 12, 1896
Died: March 1918
Killed by the first wave of Germans who broke the Allied lines during the Spring Offensive.
Epitaph: When England needs a favor, her subjects should NOT volunteer.
Logs
Singh is Taught First Aid - In which Singh receives his promotion and mucks about the aid station.
Chaloux in a Tutu - In which levity ensues.
The First Wave - In which the Spring Invasion begins, and Singh comes to an end.
