Chanan Singh Dhillon
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Lieutenant-Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon (retd) (1920 - September 14, 2011), 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. While at the Odine POW camp, near Naples in Italy, he tried to escape by means of a tunnel.The Americans rescued him in 1944, where first he was taken to Paris, then brought 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 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. The London Memorial Gates are rekognition of this goal. 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. Chanan Singh Dhillon died after a prolonged illness on 14 September 2011. He was 91.
