#subahdar

In Italy, during the crossing of the River Senio, near Fusignano, in daylight on 9th April 1945, a Company of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles were ordered to assault the enemy positions strongly dug in on the far bank. These positions had been prepared and improved over many months and were mainly on the steep flood banks, some 25 feet high.

Sepoy Ali Haidar was a member of the left-hand Section of the left-hand Platoon. As soon as the Platoon started to cross, it came under heavy and accurate machine gun fire from two enemy posts strongly dug in about 60 yards away. Sepoy Ali Haidar's Section suffered casualties and only 3 men, including himself, managed to get across. The remainder of the Company was temporarily held up.

Without orders, and on his own initiative, Sepoy Ali Haidar, leaving the other two to cover him, charged the nearest post which was about 30 yards away. He threw a grenade and almost at the same time the enemy threw one at him, wounding him severely in the back. In spite of this he kept on and the enemy post was destroyed and four of the enemy surrendered.

With utter disregard of his own wounds he continued and charged the next post in which the enemy had one Spandau and three automatics, which were still very active and preventing movement on both banks. He was again wounded, this time in the right leg and right arm. Although weakened by loss of blood, with great determination Sepoy Ali Haidar crawled closer and in a final effort raised himself from the ground, threw a grenade, and charged into the second enemy post. Two enemy were wounded and the remaining two surrendered.

Taking advantage of the outstanding success of Sepoy Ali Haidar's dauntless attacks, the rest of the Company charged across the river and carried out their task of making a bridgehead. Sepoy Ali Haidar was picked up and brought back from the second position seriously wounded. The conspicuous gallantry, initiative, and determination combined with a complete disregard for his own life shown by this very brave Sepoy in the face of heavy odds were an example to the whole Company.

His heroism had saved an ugly situation which would - but for his personal bravery - have caused the Battalion a large number of casualties at a critical time and seriously delayed the crossing of the river and the building of a bridge. With the rapid advance which it was possible to make the Battalion captured 3 officers and 217 other ranks and gained their objectives.

-London Gazette, 3 July 1945.

King George VI invested Ali Haidar with his VC at Buckingham Palace on 30 October 1945. He later achieved the rank of Naib Subahdar. Haidar passed away 15 July 1999 in Pakistan.

Lal Bahadur Thapa was a Subahdar in the 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army during World War II when he was awarded his Victoria Cross for his actions on the night of 5-6 April 1943. He led two sections of 'D' Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurka Rifles, in an attack on the position in Resse-es-Zouai near Wadi Arakit in Tunisia. The capture of this position was vital to the company's advance and could only be achieved by an advance up a narrow gully that could be swept with fire from a series of enemy machine gun positions.

The garrisons of the outer posts were all killed by Subadar Lal Bahadur Thapa and his men by kukri or bayonet in the first rush and the enemy then opened very heavy fire straight down the narrow enclosed pathway and steep arena sides. Subadar Lal Bahadur Thapa led his men on and fought his way up the narrow gully straight through the enemy's fire, with little room for manoeuvre, in the face of intense and sustained machine gun concentrations and the liberal use of grenades by the enemy. Next the machine-gun posts were dealt with, Subadar Lal Bahadur Thapa personally killing two men with his kurki and two with his revolver. This Gurkha officer continued to fight his way up the narrow bullet-swept approaches to the crest. He and two riflemen managed to reach the crest, where Subadar Lal Bahhadur Thapa then secured the whole feature and covered his company's advance up the defile.

-The London Gazette, June 1943

He went on to achieve the rank of Subahdar-Major and earn an Order of British India (1st Class) and star of Nepal (4th Class). Lal Bahadur Thapa passed away on 19 October 1968, aged 62, in Nepal.

Singh had faced Japanese tactics before the day he earned his Victoria Cross on 2 March 1945. In May 1944 he and his regiment were involved in repelling the Japanese from Kohima, which was a strategically vital location, giving access to the plains of India. The defence held, the Japanese were pushed back, and the route to Calcutta was safe.

In 1945 Niak (Corporal) Gian Singh was once again fighting the Japanese, but now in Burma. His company was advancing between Kamya and Myingyan on 2 March 1945 when they came under heavy fire. He witnessed numerous losses and injuries among his comrades, inflicted from concealed positions. He launched a single handed attack against the Japanese and despite being wounded in the arm he continued throwing grenades and attacking enemy foxholes with his sub-machine gun.

Gian Singh's extraordinary bravery followed the tradition of Ishar Singh, who won his Victoria Cross in 1921, also of the 4th Battalion. Just sixteen days later, the actions of Lieutenant Karameet Singh Judge earned the 4th Battalion its third Victoria Cross. On 16 October 1945, Gian Singh was awarded the Victoria Cross by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

Singh continued to serve in the Indian Army until his retirement, reaching the rank of Subahdar-Major. He passed away in 1996 in Jullundur.

On 12 May 1944, on the Gustav Line in Italy, the advance of Sepoy Ram’s company was halted by firing from four German machine gun posts. The Company Commander requested a volunteer to silence one of them. Sepoy Ram volunteered and successfully captured the post after killing the crew. He succeeded in capturing another on his own and a third with the help of a Havildar. As a result of his bravery Sepoy Ram was awarded the Victoria Cross by King George VI in Italy on 26 July 1944.

In Italy, on 12 May 1944, after crossing the River Gari overnight, the Company advance was held up by heavy machine-gun fire from four posts on the front and flanks. As the capture of the position was essential to secure the bridgehead, the Company Commander called for a volunteer to get round the rear of the right post and silence it. Volunteering at once and crawling forward through the wire to a flank, Sepoy Kamal Ram attacked the post single handed and shot the first machine-gunner; a second German tried, to seize his weapon but Sepoy Kamal Ram killed him with the bayonet, and then shot a German officer who, appearing from the trench with his pistol, was about to fire. Sepoy Kamal Ram, still alone, at once went on to attack the second machine-gun post which was continuing to hold up the advance, and after shooting one machine-gunner, he threw a grenade and the remaining enemy surrendered. Seeing a Havildar making a reconnaissance for an attack on the third post, Sepoy Kamal Ram joined him, and, having first covered his companion, went in and completed the destruction of this post. By his courage, initiative and disregard for personal risk, Sepoy Kamal Ram enabled his Company to charge and secure the ground vital to the establishment of the bridgehead and the completion of work on two bridges. When a platoon, pushed further forward to widen the position, was fired on from a house, Sepoy Kamal Ram, dashing towards the house, shot one German in a slit trench and captured two more. His sustained and outstanding bravery unquestionably saved a difficult situation at a critical period of the battle and enabled his Battalion to attain the essential part of their objective.

-The London Gazette, 27 July 1944.

 He later achieved the rank of Subahdar.

Dast was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the 26 April 1915 in Belgium. He and his regiment were ordered to advance toward the front-firing line. However, they encountered an attack of German poison gas and half his detachment fell back. Dast made the decision to hold their position. He was aware that all of the British officers had fallen, leaving Dast to assume command of the remainder of his regiment. The Germans maintained a relentless attack of poison gas and shellfire, which was effectively eroding company morale. Dast did his best to keep his men focused and motivated. In the midst of German attack, Dast was able to single-handedly recover eight injured men, including an office, even though he inhaled poison gas and was shot several times.

On the return to camp, he continued to save as many men from his detachment as he could find, carrying them back behind the lines. After he had recovered from his wounds, Dast received his Victoria Cross from the King in England, and later obtained an Indian Order of Merit (IOM).