GURKHA WINS V.C.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 84, 6 October 1944, Page 6

GURKHA WINS V.C.

CHARGED MACHINE-GUNS

Rec. 12.45 p.m.

RUGBY, October 5,

The Victoria.Cross has been awarded to Rifleman (acting Naik) Agansing Rai, of the Fifth Royal Gurkha Rifles, Frontier Force, Indian Army. The citation states that in Burma, on June 25, after fierce fighting, the enemy, With greatly superior forces, captured two posts, the possession of which threatened our communications, and a company of the Fifth Royal Gurkha Rifles was ordered to recapture them.

About eight yards from its objective, the company was pinned down by heavy and accurate fire from the ,enemy in the jungle and suffered many casualties. Rai, appreciating that more delay would inevitably result in heavier casualties, at once led his section under withering fire directly at a machine-gun and charged the position himself, killing three of the machine-gun crew of four. Inspired by his coolness, his section soon routed the enemy, but soon was under intense fire from the second position. Rai and his escort at once again advanced and wiped out a machine-gun crew. They then returned, after having suffered severe casualties, and joined up with the rest of the platoon which was forming up for the final assault.

Once more Rai advanced through devastating fire, and with a grenade and bursts from a sub-machine-gun killed another machine-gun crew. The enemy fled and the position was captured.—B.O.W.