Sher Shah (VC)

Sher Shah
Born 14 February 1917
Chakrala, Punjab (in what is now Pakistan.)
Died 20 January 1945 (aged 27)
Kyeyebyin, Burma
Allegiance British India,  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Indian Army
Rank Lance Naik
Unit 7th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Victoria Cross

Sher Shah VC (14 February 1917 – 20 January 1945) was a British Indian Army soldier who received the Victoria Cross which is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Military career

He was the son of Barkhurdar (probably of a Rajput tribe[1]) and Makda; husband of Mehr Bhari, from the village of Chakrala, about 30 km east from Mianwali, Punjab region that is now Pakistan. He was 27 years old, and a Lance Naik in the 7th Battalion of the 16th Punjab Regiment, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.[2]

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.

Sher Shah's Battalion 7/16 Punjab Regiment, affectionately known as "Saat Solah Punjab" is now a part of the Pakistan Army, proudly known as the "Sher Shah Battalion".

See also

References

  1. ↑ Some sources, including the Indian Army Lists, enter his tribe as Rajput. However, most records and archival sources simply list him as 'Sher Shah' without any reference to any tribe or caste
  2. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2525452/SHER%20SHAH

External links