GOBIND SINGH, V.C.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9309, 1 June 1918, Page 8

GOBIND SINGH, V.C.

DEATH DEFIED

Tho latest Indian V.C, Jemadar (Lieutenant) Gobind Singh, who recently visited London on short leave from tho Western theatre of war, was decorated for an act of great daring. .J."'he squadron to which ho was attached found itself completely cut off from the armies against the Germans durincr the " push " at Cambrai. Enjirclcd by the enemy on three sides, with a stream canal on the fourth, the men dug themselves in, determined to give the Huns a hot time. The officer in command, finding it imperative bo get into communication with the General Staff, asked for a volunteer to his despatch. To go .by the stream route was out of the question. The only alternative was to brave the anemy lire over a distance of a mile md a-half. Mounted on his horse, an Indian fared forth into "No Man's Land." He had not gone very far when German bullets struck down him and his horse. One after another other Indians followed this volunteer and shared his fate. ,

Gobind Singh, then a 1 Lance-Dcfadar (lance-sergeant), was among the men who saw the orderlies shot down by the enemy. -His-Rathore blood boiled in him,; and he asked the commander to let him try his luck. Mounted on his charger, he galloped at full speed into " No Man's Land," and made straight for his objective. The German ma-chine-guns riddled his horse's body, describing with their bullets on either 'iide of the animal a curve the shape of his leg, not far from where it hung from the saddle. His horse fell under him, but the brave Rathore escaped unhurt, and completed on foot the 600 yards of his journey that remained. Tho reply had to be carried back to the trench, over -the mile and a-half stretch raked by German bullets. Mounted on the horse that belonged to the General's orderly, he sallied forth on fche return journey. He was instantly greeted with heavy machineo;un fire. About half-way across "No Man's Land" his horse fell under him, and he ran for dear life. The Germans gave chase, firing all the time. Gobind Singh kept well ahead of them, and after a few moments that seemed an •sterility counter-fire from the isolated Indian squadron stopped the pursuit, and he jumped into the trench, once rno7'e having successfully performed his mission.

The despatch that he brought required a reply. His offer to ride through the Valley of the Shadow of Death for the third time was accepted. He was given leave to choose any horse that he wanted, and brave hearts wished God-speed to their comrade, who appeared to bear a charmed life. When Gobind Singh galloped into " No Man's Land" he missed the usual Gernmn greeting of machine-gun fire. Not ii bullet, whizzed past him. For all the noise that was being made the German trench might have been empty. He must have covered half his mile and a-half flight when he discovered the German game. Their big guns suddenly began to thunder forth, creating in front of him a wall of bursting shells. A British gunner who was sheltering in a shell-hole told him that to attempt to ride- through that barrage meant certain death. Gobind Singh replied that he did not mind risking hi.s life for the success of his mission, and ho charged the wall of fire. Just then a shell fell on the horse that the Indian was riding. ILs hindquarters were blown to atoms. The shock did not render him senseless, but the sight of the horse's blood with which lie was covered made him think he had been mortally wounded. Convinced that ho could not run, he slowly walked the 200 yards or so that still stretched before him, the Germans constantly firing at him.

On arriving at headquarters, Gobind Singh discovered that he had come unscathed for the third time out of tho laws of death. The surgeon who examined him foimd that he had not suffered a scratch. The General found his spirit as high as ever. He asked if there was another message to be sent, and declared that he was willing to take it through the German lines if hhat were necessary. It only remains to add that soon afterwards our armies, Rushing from behind, dislodged the Germans from their positions, and rescued the Indian cavalry that had been isolated.