The Lions of the Great War memorial in Smethwick

The Lions of the Great War is a war memorial in Smethwick, in Sandwell in the West Midlands of England, dedicated to the memory of the Sikh soldiers from the British Indian Army who fought in the First World War.

Unveiled on 4 November 2018 as part of the centenary of the end of the war, the bronze sculpture is a 10 ft (3 metres) high depiction of a Sikh soldier of the First World War with a rifle slung over his left arm. Created by Luke Perry, the statue is mounted on a 5 ft granite plinth.

During the First World War, Sikh soldiers made a disproportionately large contribution to the British Indian Army, despite forming a small minority of the population. In another location, there exists a war memorial known as the Chattri, located on a hill above the city of Brighton and Hove, England.

The Chattri was built on the site where Indian soldiers were cremated and is classified as Grade II listed status, reflecting its significance. This structure is similar to the Lions of the Great War memorial.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons