INDIAN SAVES BRITONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 February 1940, Page 2

INDIAN SAVES BRITONS

WOUNDED. BROUGHT IN.

LONDON, December-29;

A British officer and an Indian -corporal figure■ in 'the latest immediate awards for gallantry in action on the'North-West Ffbh'tier-'of India last month. The awards,/which-^ere announced by the India Office yesterday, .are:—, ’ .'/ ' v Military Cross.;. Cap.t. M. E. Ovans i; Ist... 8n.2 ’jStbMGurkha . - ; In,dian. ; -pistinguishefl Service. Meda.l: c NaikiDalbahaduit Gurung, Ist Bn. Bth. Gurkha Rifles..

While on road protection duty at Razmak on November 14, states the official announcement, Capt. Ovans was..s,§nt up. with his company to reinforce‘‘the’rear party of the Ist Leicestershire Regiment who were holding Gaj . Ridge. . iOn ajriyal he took over pa\’t ? of the ; ridge and organised a covering party, for the wounded. Later.on he also tdok over the duty of rear party commander.

By this time there'had' been several other casualties,,-on, the. .right flank, and an,o.tl^g^bmp^ny.'of • the - Ist Bn. Sth Gurlcha Rifles had come up under his command.

Darkness was rapidly approaching, and Capt. Ovans, displaying great ene.rgw-and Z) ppwer- ? pf . command, . organised’' a defensive’ position and enabled the.: cgsiialtie.s. to be evacuated. He mog^i^ab.OjUtijind.er^,heavy fire, ... peer's, ;; to 7;t ,his platqQn,.ppnvnand,ers.r,. ; The other iOOm-< pany of the Gurkhas had by. this time lost its company, commander,- thereby making ■ Gapt.;. Qyan’s task. more diffi-i cult. - . n: ci':.

Heoe-yientudlly'.Esu.cceeded in -withdrawing all troops from -this area-, surrounded by the enemy ‘ and ‘ ; in plete darkness, without-the toss of a : single wounded man. He •’ "showed-. , great skill, ’ leadership ' and courage; "in carrying out ■ this ; difliciilt-task! During the same operation, Dalbahadur Gurung, ' a '' member “of “A” Company, saw a number of casualties of the. Leicestershire. v ,Jßegiv ment lying out on the ground'a’bpup 50 yards in front of his position,' Under heavy enejny. fire, he twice ran out and brought 'ip a jw.ounded man each time. He showed great gallantry in the face of the enemy and undoubtedly. riskpd his life..to.-.save I British soldiers. I