Khudadad Khan

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Khudadad Khan

Khudadad Khan VC (20 October 1888 - 8 March 1971) was the first Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first native-born Indian to win the VC. Khan later achieved the rank of subedar. Khudadad Khan hailed from village of Dub in Chakwal District (Previously the District of Jhelum) of the Punjab Province of present day Pakistan. He belonged to the famous Mair-Minhas, Muslim Rajput tribe of Punjab.

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[edit] Details

Khan was a 26-year old Sepoy in the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, British Indian Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC, the citation was published in a supplement to the London Gazette of 4 December 1914 (dated 7 December 1914), and read:

War Office, 7th December, 1914.

His Majesty the KING-EMPEROR has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned soldiers of the Indian Army for conspicuous bravery whilst serving with the Indian Army Corps, British Expeditionary Force: —

[...]

4050, Sepoy Khudadad, 129th Duke of Counaught's Own Baluchis.

On 31st October, 1914, at Hollebeke, Belgium, the British Officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other gun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though himself wounded, remained working his gun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed.^[1]

He was left by the enemy for dead, but later managed to crawl away and rejoin his unit.