Chanan Singh Dhillon
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon (retd) (born 1920), is a famous Punjabi Indian Sikh World War II
hero and veteran. He fought in world war two in the British Indian army. He was later taken prisoner (PoW) by the Germans in 1943. He stayed in PoW camps in Italy, France and Germany. In Germany he remained confided to POW Camp XII in Limburg
near Frankfurt. In addition, the International Red Cross, Geneva who was responsible for the welfare of POWs, appointed him Chief Man of confidence. He escaped many times only to be recaptured by the Germans. One example is when with the help of some Canadian, British and Australian POW soldiers managed to dig a tunnel out of Odine POW camp, near Naples
in Italy. When the Germans arrested Marshal Benito Mussolini
the Italian guards became so disheartened that they became increasingly lax, he and the others used this opportunity to escape but they were soon recaptured. The Americans rescued him in 1944, where first he was taken to Paris, then bought to London and then sent back to India. After WW2 he rose to the rank Lieutenant-Colonel in the Indian Army. After retiring he became president of the ex-services league (Punjab and Chandigarh), in India. He has tireless campaigned for the full recognition of the sacrifice and courage of the Indian-subcontinent, African and Caribbean
origin soldiers who fought in WW2 for the allies and the British. This campaign was realised by the building of a large memorial in London (the Memorial Gates
) on August 1, 2001. Queen Elizabeth
laid the foundation of the memorial on August 1, 2001 and she inaugurated it the next year, on November 6, 2002.
Lt. Col. Dhillon fought in World War II in the British Indian Army. Lt. Col Dhillon was an NCO when he was taken a POW in 1943 and remained confided to POW Camp XII in Limburg near Frankfurt in Germany. He was rescued by Americans in December 1944 and taken to Paris from where he was brought to London and sent back to India.
In the camp, he was responsible for the welfare of the POWs. He along with some Canadian, British and Australian soldiers managed to dig a tunnel while at the Odine POW camp near Naples in Italy.
When the Germans arrested Marshal Missolini, Italian soldiers were disheartened. In the resultant laxity, Lt. Col. Dhillon and others managed to stage a dramatic escape. But he was caught soon along with others and brought back to Germany. Lt. Col Dhillon, who rose from being a Havildar during the war, was instrumental in successfully persuading the British Government to erect a war memorial for all those who had perished in the world wars in the early 2000s in London.
He was invited to attend the Victory Parade in August, 1995. As part of marking 50 years of the war, he attended Liberation Day at Bethune in France, 29 km north of Arras, where two memorials have been erected for Indian soldiers who died in the two wars. He also visited the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium, also in the memory of the Indian soldiers.
At both the places, local inhabitants took his hand and kissed it, calling him their saviour. They thanked him for fighting for them. To his surprise during the Victory Parade in London, there was no mention of the Indian forces. This forced him to write to Queen Elizabeth. He also met the then Prime Minister John Major.
Lt. Col. Chanan Singh Dhillon passed away after a prolonged illness 14 Sep 2011 . He was 91.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero and veteran. He fought in world war two in the British Indian army. He was later taken prisoner (PoW) by the Germans in 1943. He stayed in PoW camps in Italy, France and Germany. In Germany he remained confided to POW Camp XII in Limburg
Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Limburg lies in western Hesse between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn....
near Frankfurt. In addition, the International Red Cross, Geneva who was responsible for the welfare of POWs, appointed him Chief Man of confidence. He escaped many times only to be recaptured by the Germans. One example is when with the help of some Canadian, British and Australian POW soldiers managed to dig a tunnel out of Odine POW camp, near Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in Italy. When the Germans arrested Marshal Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
the Italian guards became so disheartened that they became increasingly lax, he and the others used this opportunity to escape but they were soon recaptured. The Americans rescued him in 1944, where first he was taken to Paris, then bought to London and then sent back to India. After WW2 he rose to the rank Lieutenant-Colonel in the Indian Army. After retiring he became president of the ex-services league (Punjab and Chandigarh), in India. He has tireless campaigned for the full recognition of the sacrifice and courage of the Indian-subcontinent, African and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
origin soldiers who fought in WW2 for the allies and the British. This campaign was realised by the building of a large memorial in London (the Memorial Gates
Memorial Gates (Constitution Hill)
The Memorial Gates are a war memorial located at the Hyde Park Corner end of Constitution Hill in London, UK. Also known as the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, they commemorate the armed forces of the British Empire from five regions of the Indian subcontinent , as well as Africa and the Caribbean,...
) on August 1, 2001. Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
laid the foundation of the memorial on August 1, 2001 and she inaugurated it the next year, on November 6, 2002.
Lt. Col. Dhillon fought in World War II in the British Indian Army. Lt. Col Dhillon was an NCO when he was taken a POW in 1943 and remained confided to POW Camp XII in Limburg near Frankfurt in Germany. He was rescued by Americans in December 1944 and taken to Paris from where he was brought to London and sent back to India.
In the camp, he was responsible for the welfare of the POWs. He along with some Canadian, British and Australian soldiers managed to dig a tunnel while at the Odine POW camp near Naples in Italy.
When the Germans arrested Marshal Missolini, Italian soldiers were disheartened. In the resultant laxity, Lt. Col. Dhillon and others managed to stage a dramatic escape. But he was caught soon along with others and brought back to Germany. Lt. Col Dhillon, who rose from being a Havildar during the war, was instrumental in successfully persuading the British Government to erect a war memorial for all those who had perished in the world wars in the early 2000s in London.
He was invited to attend the Victory Parade in August, 1995. As part of marking 50 years of the war, he attended Liberation Day at Bethune in France, 29 km north of Arras, where two memorials have been erected for Indian soldiers who died in the two wars. He also visited the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium, also in the memory of the Indian soldiers.
At both the places, local inhabitants took his hand and kissed it, calling him their saviour. They thanked him for fighting for them. To his surprise during the Victory Parade in London, there was no mention of the Indian forces. This forced him to write to Queen Elizabeth. He also met the then Prime Minister John Major.
Lt. Col. Chanan Singh Dhillon passed away after a prolonged illness 14 Sep 2011 . He was 91.