VICTORIA CROSSES AWARDED IN BURMA 1941-1945

The following details are extractions from the
VICTORIA CROSS REFERENCE PAGES
created by Mike Chapman mikec@chapter-one.com
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Location of action where deed too place:

BHANDARI RAM V.C. - 25 years
Sepoy, 10th Baluch Regiment, Indian Army

On 22 November 1944 at East Mayu, Arakan, Burma (now Myanmar), Sepoy Bhandari Ram's platoon was pinned down by machine-gun fire. Although wounded he crawled up to a Japanese light machine-gun in full view of the enemy and was wounded again, but continued crawling to within 5 yards of his objective. He then threw a grenade into the position, killing the gunner and two others. This action inspired his platoon to rush and capture the enemy position. Only then did he allow his wounds to be dressed.
Later achieved rank of Subadar.

AGANSING RAI V.C., M.M.- 24 years - Nepalese
Naik, 2nd Bn. 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army

NETRABAHADUR THAPA V.C. - 28 yrs
Nepalese A/Subadar, 2nd Bn. 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army

On 25/26 June 1944 at Bishenpur, Burma (now Myanmar), Subadar Netrabahadur Thapa was in command of a small isolated hill post, when the enemy attacked in force. The men, inspired by their leader's fine example, held their ground and the enemy were beaten off, but casualties were very heavy and reinforcements were requested. When these arrived some hours later they too became casualties, but the subadar, undeterred, retrieved the ammunition himself and took the offensive with grenades and kukris, until he was killed.

On 2 March 1945 on the road between Kamye and Myingyan, Burma (now Myanmar), where the Japanese were strongly positioned, Naik Gian Singh who was in charge of the leading section of his platoon, went on alone firing his tommy gun, and rushed the enemy foxholes. In spite of being wounded in the arm he went on, hurling grenades. He attacked and killed the crew of a cleverly concealed anti-tank gun, and then led his men down a lane clearing all enemy positions. He went on leading his section until the action had been satisfactorily completed.

In Burma on 31st January 1945, near Kangaw, Lieutenant Knowland was commanding the forward platoon of a Troop positioned on the extreme North of a hill which was subjected to very heavy and repeated enemy attacks throughout the whole day. Before the first attack started, Lieutenant Knowland's platoon was heavily mortared and machine gunned, yet he moved about among his men keeping them alert and encouraging them, though under fire himself at the time.

When the enemy, some 300 strong in all, made their first assault they concentrated all their efforts on his platoon of 24 men but in spite of the ferocity of the attack, he moved about from trench to trench distributing ammunition, and firing his rifle and throwing grenades at the enemy, often from completely exposed positions. Later, when the crew of one of his forward Bren guns had all been wounded, he sent back to Troop Headquarters for another crew and ran forward to man the gun himself until they arrived. The enemy was then less than 10 yards from him in dead ground down the hill so in order to get a better field of fire, he stood on top of the trench, firing the light machine gun from his hip and successfully keeping them at a distance until a Medical Orderly had dressed and evacuated the wounded men behind him. The new Bren gun team also became casualties on the way up and Lieutenant Knowland continued to fire the gun until another team took over.

Later, when a fresh attack came in he took over a 2 inch Mortar and in spite of heavy fire and the closeness of the enemy, he stood up in the open to face them, firing the mortar from his hip and killing six of them with his first bomb. When all the bombs were expended he went back through heavy grenade, mortar and machine gun fire to get more, which he fired in the same way from the open in front of his platoon positions. When those bombs were finished he went back to his own trench and still standing up fired his rifle at them. Being hard pressed and with the enemy closing in on him from only 10 yards away, he had no time to re-charge his magazine. Snatching up the Tommy gun of a casualty, he sprayed the enemy and was mortally wounded stemming this assault, though not before he had killed and wounded many of the enemy.

Such was the inspiration of his magnificent heroism, that, though fourteen out of twenty-four of his platoon became casualties at an early stage, and six of his positions were over-run by the enemy, his men held on through twelve hours of continuous and fierce fighting until reinforcements arrived. If this Northern end of the hill had fallen the rest of the hill would have been endangered, the beach-head dominated by the enemy and other units farther inland cut off from their source of supplies. As it was, the final successful counter-attack was later launched from the vital ground which Lieutenant Knowland had taken such a gallant part in holding.

Lieutenant Knowland, who had been born at Catford in Kent, was only 22 when he was killed. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Taukkyan, Burma.

On 16/17 February 1945 at Kanlan Ywathit, Burma (now Myanmar), Jemadar Prakash Singh was commanding a platoon which took the main weight of fierce enemy attacks. He was wounded in both ankles and relieved of his command, but when his second-in-command was also wounded, he crawled back and took command again, directing operations and encouraging his men. Being again wounded in both legs, he continued to direct the defence, dragging himself from place to place by his hands. When wounded a third time and dying, he lay shouting the Dogra war-cry, so inspiring his company that the enemy were finally driven off.

On 25 October 1944 at Kennedy Peak in the Tiddim area, Burma (now Myanmar), two platoons were ordered to attack a particularly strong enemy position. The platoon commanded by Subadar Ram Sarup Singh attained its objective, completely routing the enemy, and although the subadar was wounded in both legs he insisted on carrying on. Later, the enemy's fierce counter-attack was only halted by Subadar Ram Sarup Singh's dashing counter-charge in which he killed four of the enemy himself. He was again wounded, in the thigh, but continued to lead his men, killing two more of the enemy, until he was mortally wounded.

Capt. J. N. Randle, V.C. Royal Norfolk Regiment. KOHIMA, 1944.

It was in the attack on "Norfolk Bunker" on the morning of May 6th that Captain John Randle won the second of the Regiments World War Two Victoria Crosses.

There are many Norfolks who contend that John Randle had already won the V.C. two days earlier; on the 4th he had taken over of his company when the company commander was wounded.  Although painfully wounded in the knee by grenade splinters, he continued to cheer his men on, until the company had captured its objective and consolidated the position.
He then when forward and brought in all the wounded men who were lying outside the perimeter. 

At dawn on the 6th the attack went in, led by Randle: one of his platoons managed to reach the crest of a hill held by the Japs; another ran into heavy machine gun fire from a bunker.   John  Randle immediately realized that this particular bunker covered not only the rear of his new position, but also the line of communication of the whole battalion.  His knee, from the wound he had received two days earlier, troubled him badly; he had been hit yet again, this time in the face.

Barely able to walk and with his face covered with blood, John Randle knew what he must do. Armed with a rifle and bayonet he charged alone at the machine -gun post. He was hit again an again by bursts of fire, but he reached the bunker and silenced the gun with a grenade which he threw through the slit. He was dying fast, but he had one more duty to perform in death;  he flung his body across the opening bunker slit so that the aperture should be completely sealed.  'The bravery of this officer could not have been surpassed,' says the official citation, and by his self-sacrifice he saved the lives of many of his men and enabled not only his own company, but the whole battalion, to gain its objective and win a decisive victory over the enemy.' 

The above entry is an extract from the book "The Royal Norfolk Regiment" by Tim Carew

On 18 January 1944 at Kyauchaw, Burma (now Myanmar), Lieutenant Horwood accompanied a company into action with his forward mortar observation post. Throughout the day he was in an exposed position and under intense fire, but he came back at night with most valuable information about the enemy. On 19 January he moved forward and established another observation post, directing accurate mortar fire in support of two attacks, and also carrying out personal reconnaissance, deliberately drawing the enemy fire so that their position could be definitely located. On 20 January he volunteered to lead the attack and while doing so was mortally wounded.

On 19/20 January 1945 at Kyeyebyin, Kaladan, Burma (now Myanmar), Lance-Naik Sher Shah was commanding a left forward section of his platoon when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Japanese. He broke up two attacks by crawling right in among the enemy and shooting at point-blank range. On the second occasion he was hit and his leg shattered, but he maintained that his injury was only slight and when the third attack came, he again crawled forward engaging the enemy until he was shot through the head and killed.

On 2 March 1945 near Meiktila, Burma (now Myanmar), during an attack, Naik Fazal Din's section was held up by fire from the enemy bunkers, whereupon he personally attacked the nearest bunker and silenced it, then led his men against the other. Suddenly six Japanese, led by two officers wielding swords rushed out and Naik Fazal Din was run through the chest by one of them. As the sword was withdrawn, the naik wrested it from the hands of its owner and killed him with it. Having killed another Japanese with the sword he waved it aloft, continuing to encourage his men before staggering back to make his report and collapsing.

On 18 March 1945 near Meiktila, Burma (now Myanmar), Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, a platoon commander of a company ordered to capture a cotton mill, dominated the battlefield by his numerous acts of gallantry. After eliminating ten enemy bunkers he directed one tank to within 20 yards of another and asked the tank commander to cease fire while he went in to mop up. While doing so he was mortally wounded.

WESTON V.C. , William Basil - 21 years - English
Lieutenant, The Green Howards (Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), British Army
attd. 1st Bn., The West Yorkshire Regiment

On 3 March 1945 during the attack on Meiktila, Burma (now Myanmar), Lieutenant Weston was commanding a platoon which, together with the rest of the company, had to clear an area of the town of the enemy. In the face of fanatical opposition he led his men superbly, encouraging them from one bunker position to the next. When he came to the last, particularly well-defended bunker, he fell wounded in the entrance. Knowing that his men would not be able to capture the position without heavy casualties he pulled the pin out of one of his grenades as he lay on the ground and deliberately blew himself up with the occupants of the bunker.

On 16 February 1944 near the Ngakyedauk Pass, Arakan, Burma (now Myanmar), Major Hoey's company came under devastating machine-gun fire, but Major Hoey did not waver in his advance on the objective. Although wounded in the head and leg he went forward alone and tackled a troublesome enemy strong point, destroying it and killing all the occupants, but he was mortally wounded.

GANJU LAMA V.C., M.M. - 21 years - Tibetan
Rifleman, 1st Bn. 7th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army

On 6/7 June 1944 at Ningthoukong, Burma (now Myanmar), when Sergeant Turner's platoon was obliged to give ground before strong enemy forces, he reorganised his party and withdrew 40 yards. Although the enemy tried repeatedly to dislodge them, they held the position throughout the night, repelling all attacks. Next day Sergeant Turner decided to take the initiative in driving the enemy off and went forward alone, armed with grenades which he used with devastating effect. When his supply was exhausted he went back for more - five times he did this and it was on the sixth occasion that he was killed while throwing a grenade.

On 11 June 1944 in Burma (now Myanmar), Captain Allmand's platoon came under heavy fire when attacking the Pin Hmi Road Bridge, and on being halted by casualties, he charged on alone, killing three of the enemy. Inspired by his example his surviving men followed him and captured the position. Two days later, owing to heavy casualties among the officers, Captain Allmand took command of the company and successfully led his men to seize a ridge of high ground. Again, on 23 June in the final assault on the railway bridge at Mogaung, he went forward alone, but in charging an enemy machine-gun nest, was mortally wounded.

On 21 March 1945 at Talaku, Burma (now Myanmar), Lieutenant Raymond was second-in-command of a reconnaissance patrol when they were fired on by a strongly entrenched enemy detachment and the lieutenant at once led his men towards the position. He was first wounded in the shoulder and then in the head, but continued leading his men forward, when he was hit a third time, his wrist being shattered. He still carried on into the enemy defences where he was largely responsible for capturing the position. In spite of the gravity of his wounds, he refused medical aid until all the other wounded had received attention. He died next day.

On 9 July 1944 near Taunghi, Burma (now Myanmar), Major Blaker was commanding a company which was held up during an important advance by close-range firing from medium and light machine-guns. The major went ahead of his men through very heavy fire and in spite of being severely wounded in the arm, located the machine-guns and single-handed charged the position. Even when mortally wounded he continued to cheer on his men whilst lying on the ground. His fearless leadership inspired his men to storm and capture the objective.