Smethwick’s Great War Lions statue has been given a facelift ahead of the milestone anniversary

Community leaders have come together to celebrate recent work on the iconic Lions of the Great War statue in Smethwick. 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 Kaur Gill MP and councillors, met at the memorial on July 12 at the Gurdwara-led event to mark the completion of the work.

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.

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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 would also like to express our gratitude to Sandwell Council for their continued support.”

Luke Perry emphasized the importance of regular maintenance of the tan, he said: “It is important to maintain the tan regularly, otherwise it can turn green, which would make the repair more time-consuming and expensive.”

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.