100yrs ago in 1921, the first Sikh VC winner

davidbfpo · Apr 15, 2021

Taken from a local WFA Newsletter; the first I'd heard of this Sikh soldiers valour in Waziristan in April 1921, to Ishar Singh,a Sepoy of the 28th Punjabis. An official report:

On 25th April a longer communique was issued from Simla, providing more sp ecific details:“Waziristen Further information shows the desperate nature of the fighting on April 10th near Haidari Kach.

News had been received on April 9th that a gang or Mahsuds had assembled in Splitoi [north east of Haidari Kach] and had disc ussed a plan of action for attacking the convoy on the 10th. This consisted in laying an ambush for the escort between Haidari Kach and Sarwekai [south west of Haidari Kach], surprising and overpowering the escorting troops, and looting the camels.
Accordingly on April 10th precautions were made to defeat any such attempt. Two companies of the 28th Punjabees and a squadron of the 17th Cavalry moved upstream from Haidari Kach. One of those companies escorted the convoy whilst the other company and a squadron surrounded the place in which the Mahsuds had decided to lay an ambush.
It was found that there were no enemy there. They had probably changed their plans on
seeing the precautions taken.
The down convoy on the same day between Haidari Kach and Shakan Tangi [to the east] was escorted by one company of the 25th Punjabees which was disposed of as an advanced guard, a support, and two flank guards. Visibility was very low. A dust storm had been blowing for five days and the hills on either s ide of the route were barely visible.
Before the convoy had gone two miles the advanced guard came under heavy fire from both sides of the valley and were practically wiped out. A party of 120 men who had been lying in ambush in a nullah [riverbed] by t he road fired a couple of rifle bombs with good effect and followed up with a whirlwind attack on the survivors.
They were gallantly met and suffered casualties. The British officer commanding the company was killed. One of the most conspicuous among t he gallant acts of the day was the conduct of Lewis gunner Ishar Singh of the 28th Punjabees. He was wounded [in the chest] and his Lewis gun taken from him. Seizing a rifle he gave chase to three Mahsuds who were making off with it and threw a bomb at them. Two were hit and fell. The other then dropped the Lewis gun which Ishar Singh took back with him and got into action with
the help of Sepoy Harnam Singh of the 28th Punjabees. Lance Naik Sahib Singh and Sepoy Ram Singh of the 28th Punjabees collected and dumped all the arms they could find and defended this dump against all attacks.
Meanwhile the British officer on duty in the camp at Haidari Kach, hearing the firing collected the available men in the camp, amounting to 40 men, and went out to relieve the camping company attacked. Although unable to advance to the scene of action owing to heavy fire, he was able to collect the convoy under a cliff and march it back to camp. An aeroplane conveying a medical officer to Sarweki passed over the s cene of action. Four hours later it returned with a consignment of bombs and materially assisted in extricating
the survivors of the action who brought their wounded with them
Click to expand...

There is more detail on the attachment. Curiously the next Sikh VC was awarded in 1944.

JITTER PARTY · Apr 15, 2021

Havildar Parkash Singh, 5/8 Punjab - VC awarded 1943.

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100yrs ago in 1921, the first Sikh VC winner

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Attached Files:

WFA Branch Newsletter April 2021 pdf.pdf

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100yrs ago in 1921, the first Sikh VC winner

davidbfpo Patron Patron

Attached Files:

WFA Branch Newsletter April 2021 pdf.pdf

JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

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