Indian Army During World War II - George Cross

George Cross

The George Cross (GC) is the counterpart of the Victoria Cross and the highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for military personnel in actions which are not in the face of the enemy, or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted. The following members of the Indian Army were recipients of the George Cross in World War II;

• Captain Mateen Ahmed Ansari, 7th Rajput Regiment (posthumous award)
  • He was taken prisoner by the Japanese after they invaded Hong Kong in December 1941. After the Japanese discovered that he was related to the ruler of one of the Princely States they demanded that he renounce his allegiance to the British and foment discontent in the ranks of Indian prisoners in the prison camps. He refused and was thrown into the notorious Stanley Jail in May 1942 where he was starved and brutalised. When he remained firm in his allegiance to the British on his return to the prison camps he was again incarcerated in Stanley Jail where he was starved and tortured for five months. He was then returned to the original camp, where he continued in his allegiance to the British, and even helped to organise escape attempts by other prisoners. He was sentenced to death, with over thirty other British, Chinese and Indian prisoners and beheaded on 20 October 1943.

• Sowar Ditto Ram, Central India Horse (posthumous award)
  • Sowar Ditto Ram was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his gallantry in helping a wounded comrade on 23 July 1944 at Monte Cassino in Italy.

• Lieutenant Colonel Mahmood Khan Durrani, 1st Bahawalpur Infantry, Indian State Forces
  • At the time of his capture, he was attached to the 1st Bahawalpur Infantry of the Indian State Forces. During the retreat in Malaya in 1942, he and small party of soldiers managed to evade capture for three months before their location was betrayed to the Japanese sponsored Indian Nationalist Army. He refused to co-operate with the INA and worked to counter their attempts to infiltrate agents into India. In May 1944 he was arrested and systematically starved and tortured by the Japanese but refused to betray his comrades. He was then handed over by the Japanese to the INA where he was again brutally tortured and, at one point, sentenced to death. He stood firm throughout his ordeal.

• Lance Naik Islam-ud-Din, 9th Jat Regiment (posthumous award)
  • 12 April 1945 in Pyawbwe, Central Burma when he sacrificed his own life to save others.

• Naik Kirpa Ram 13th Frontier Force Rifles (posthumous award)
  • During a field firing exercise at a rest camp in Bangalore a rifle grenade misfired and fell only 8 yards from his section. The twenty eight year old soldier rushed forward, shouting at the men to take cover and attempted to throw it to a safe distance. It exploded in his hand, wounding him fatally, but his self sacrifice saved his comrades from harm.

• Havildar Abdul Rahman, 9th Jat Regiment (posthumous award)
  • He was awarded the decoration for the gallantry he showed in attempting an air crash rescue on the 22nd of February, 1945 in Kletek in Java.

• Lieutenant Subramanian, Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners (posthumous award)
  • Sacrificd his own life on 24 June 1944 by throwing himself over a mine to protect others from the blast.