Works protect ‘beautiful glow’ at Smethwick’s Lions of the Great War memorial

Black Country sculptor Luke Perry has given a wax coating to the 10ft tall bronze statue of a Sikh soldier – and it is timed just before the 110th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Representatives from Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick and Sandwell Council, along with Preet Gill MP and councilors, met at the memorial today for an event led by the Gurdwara to mark the completion of work which is helping to protect it for the future.

The Lions of the Great War became the first complete statue of a South Asian First World War soldier in the UK when it was unveiled in November 2018 – 100 years since the end of the First World War.

The Gurdwara commissioned Luke Perry to create the statue to honor the sacrifices made by South Asian service personnel of all faiths from the Indian subcontinent who fought for Britain in the Great War and other conflicts. Millions of men from the Indian subcontinent fought in the two world wars, serving in the British Indian Army. Most never visited the country they were fighting for, yet many sacrificed their lives on the battlefield or afterwards.

In 2018, Sandwell Council worked with the Gurdwara to create a paved public space with seating and lighting, as well as improving an adjacent green space. The site gained Community Green Flag status in 2020 and Gurdwara volunteers help keep it clean and tidy.

Kuldeep Singh Deol, President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick, said: “The Great War Lion statue is a beautiful monument and we are fortunate to have it at Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick. On behalf of the congregation and the steering committee, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Luke Perry for his work in the creation and renovation of this statue.

“We also want to express our gratitude to Sandwell Council for their continued support. In addition, we are deeply indebted to our generous congregation and volunteers who consistently provide invaluable support and help maintain the Lions of the Great War website.”

Luke Perry said: “It’s important to maintain your tan regularly, otherwise it can turn green, which would make it more time-consuming and expensive to fix. To avoid this, the wax needs to be covered every five or six years, so it was the perfect time to carry out this work at the Lions of the Great War.

“We set up scaffolding and spent time stripping the dirt, bugs and old wax residue without damaging the paint. The next step was more interesting and required one of us to use a large propane flame set to heat the bronze metal to 300 degrees, after which our other worker brushed the wax into the sculpture, which was then absorbed. This then protects the patina and restores the piece to a beautiful shine.”

Councilor Kerrie Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: “We are very proud to have the Lions of the Great War in Sandwell. Many people from the Indian subcontinent have made Smethwick their home and it is important to remember the sacrifices that people from South Asia and the Commonwealth made for our country during the First World War and other conflicts.

“We are now approaching 110 years since the start of the First World War and I am very pleased to see that this memorial is so well looked after.”