Sikh war memorial statue proposed for Southall

A war memorial paying tribute to Sikh soldiers who fought in the British Indian Army has been proposed for a west London park.

The project, which could cost up to £2m in private funds, is understood to have been proposed by a Tory peer and would sit in Southall Manor House Grounds.

A memorial in Southall honouring Sikh soldiers was previously approved in principle by Ealing Council, but the applicant revised the plan and moved it to Manor House Grounds to consolidate existing commemorative features within the park.

More than 83,000 Sikh soldiers died fighting for the British Empire in World War One and World War Two.

The memorial applicant was listed as the British Sikh Association, chaired by Lord Rami Ranger, a Conservative peer in the House of Lords. It appeared he was the primary commissioner for the memorial.

If approved, work is expected to begin this summer and be completed by September 2026, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The memorial would feature a 5ft 9in (1.8m) tall bronze statue of a Sikh soldier on a padstone surrounded by three steps.

An engraving on the stone would honour the "Sikh soldiers of the British Indian army who fought in the two World Wars", attributed to the Sikh Soldier Organisation.

It would also pay tribute to the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi, considered by some military historians as one of history's great last-stands.

During the battle, 21 Sikh soldiers from the British Indian Army died defending a British army post from thousands of Afghan tribesmen.

The plans are under consultation until 28 April.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk