Capt Umrao Singh: A WW-II legend of valour

Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

“Guns are our colours. We never abandon them”: Artillery Gunners. 

Late Honorary Capt Umrao Singh, son of the soil of present day Haryana, was among the bravest of the braves of 40 Indian winners of Victoria Cross, the Indian equivalent of Param Vir Chakra, Umrao Singh, son of Mohar Singh, was born in Ahir-dominated Palda village, 62 km west of Delhi in Jhajjar tehsil of then undivided Punjab, on November 21, 1920. He studied in local primary school and joined Royal Indian Artillery in November 1939, two months after the outbreak of the Second World War. Within three years, Umrao as Havildar was commanding a gun detachment of 33 Mountain Battery deployed in the Kaladan Valley in Burma. In the Second World War, during a Japanese assault on his gun position, he single-handedly thwarted three waves of attacking infantry—first with a Bren gun, then with grenades and finally he pulled out the hand spike (detachable solid iron rod used to traverse the gun manually) and in a hand-to-hand fight knocked down Japanese one after another till he was overwhelmed and knocked senseless. He fought like a wounded tiger to defend his gun, his colour. For his supreme example of gallantry and devotion to duty, Havildar Umrao Singh was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation of the Victoria Cross, which he received from King George VI at Buckingham Palace on October 15, 1945, describes his act of exemplary courage.

De-mobilised in 1946, Havildar Umrao Singh joined 22 Mountain Regiment in Independent India’s Regiment of  Artillery in 1948. He became Subedar Major in 1965 and finally retired from the Indian Army as Honorary Captain in 1970. He passed away at the Army's R & R Hospital on November 21, 2005. His mortal remains were cremated with full military honours in the presence of the serving Army Chief, many high ranking serving and retired defence officers, the Chief Minister of Haryana, a representative of the British High Commission and around 1,000 people from his village and the area around.

Umrao Singh had dedicated his Victoria Cross to the country and the countrymen. Many a time, buyers, especially British medal collectors, approached him offering him a princely sum of Rs 50 lakh for his Victoria Cross but he refused to part with it saying, “Such an act would dishonour his comrades who fell in the battle where he won his medal and also the medal is not his alone-every citizen of the country has a share in it”. He wanted his legacy to live on. “My Victoria Cross will be worth it if it inspires valour in the defence of the country,” he would often say with pride.

Umrao Singh’s valour has become the stuff of a legend in his village. Even seven decades after his World War-II courageous deed, he continues to be an enduring symbol of pride and an inspiration for the young Ahir blood to sign up for defence services.  Not surprising, there is not a single family in Palda village that has not enlisted its men in the Indian Army. His village with a population of around 5,000 may well have the highest number of men in uniform in the country.

Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valour ‘in the face of the enemy’ was introduced by a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria on January 29, 1856. Indian troops were not originally eligible for the Victoria Cross as they were initially controlled by the East India Company. It wasn’t until a Royal Warrant was signed by King George the V on October 21, 1911, that the eligibility for the Victoria Cross was extended to the native officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Indian Army.

Victoria Cross winner Umrao Singh

“In the Kaladan Valley in Burma, on 15 /16 December 1944, Havildar Umrao Singh was in charge of one gun in an advanced section of his battery when it was subjected to heavy fire from 75 mm guns and mortars for one and a half hours prior to being attacked by two Companies of Japanese. When the attack came he so inspired his gun detachment by his personal example and encouragement to fight and defend their gun that they were able to beat off the attack with losses to the enemy. Though twice wounded by grenades in the first attack, he again held off the second enemy attack by skilful control of his detachment’s small arms fire, and by manning a Bren gun himself which he fired over the shield of his gun at the Japanese who had got to within five yards range. Again the enemy were beaten off with heavy losses. Third and fourth attacks were also beaten off in the same manner by the resolute action and great courage of Havildar Umrao Singh. By this time all his gun detachment had been killed or wounded with the exception of himself and two others. When the final attack came, the other gun having been over-run and all his ammunition expended, he seized a gun bearer and calling once again on all who remained, he closed with the enemy in furious hand-to-hand fighting and was seen to strike down three Japanese in a desperate effort to save his gun, until he was overwhelmed and knocked senseless. Six hours later, when a counter-attack restored the position, he was found in an exhausted state beside his gun and almost unrecognisable with seven severe wounds, and ten dead Japanese round him. By his personal example and magnificent bravery, Havildar Umrao Singh set a supreme example of gallantry and devotion to duty. When recovered, his gun was fit to fire and was in fact in action again and firing later that same day”. 

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)