VICTORIA CROSS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21634, 10 February 1945, Page 4

VICTORIA CROSS

BRITON AND INDiANS 2 POSTHUMOUS AWARDS ITALY & BURMA ZONES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Feb. 3. Three awards of the Victoria Cross have been made, the recipients being Lieutenant (temporary Captain) J. H. C. Brunt. M.C., of the Sherwood Foresters, Jemadar (acting Subadan Ram Sarup Singh, of the First Punjab Regiment. Indian Army, ootn posthumously. Sepoy Bhandari Ram. of the Tenth Balucli Regiment. Indian Army.

In Italy on December 9. UH-k a platoon commanded by Lieutenant Brunt was holding a vital sector m the line. At dawn the German 9fuh Panzer Grenadier Division counterattacked a forward position in great strength and the whole ol Inc platoon's area was subjected to intense mortar fire. The situation became critical but Lieutenant Brunt rallied his remaining men, moving to alternate positions and continued to hold the enemy infantry, although outnumbered by at least three to one. Receiving ci message to witnciraw. he remained behind to give covering IhC When his ammunition was exhausted lie fired a Pint and a 2in mortar before lie dashed over the open ground to a new position. This aggressive action caused the enemy to pause, so Lieutenant Brunt took a party bars to the previous position and. although fiercely engaged by small arms fire carried away the wounded who had been left there. Later, the enemy again counter-attacked on two Lieutenant Brunt immediately ser/ec a share Bren-gun and rallied ins men and leaping on a Sherman tank sunporting the company, ordered the tang commander to drive Irom one Imposition to another while lie sal or stood on the turret directing fire a‘ the advancing enemy regardless < the hail of small arms fire. Tlier seeing small parties of the enemv armed with bazookas trying t-c approach round the left flank, hi lumped off the tank and. taking the Bren-gun he stalled these parties we 1 i„ front of the company positions killing more and causing the enemy finally to withdraw in great haste. Wherever Fight Was Heaviest “Wherevc-r the fighting was heaviest Lieutenant Brunt was always to be found. The magnificent aclior fought by this officer, his coolness., bravery, devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own persona, safety under the most intense and concentrated fire was beyond praise.’ says the citation. "His personal example and individual action were responsible to a very great extent fo: the successful repulse of these fierce counter-attacks. Next day Lieutenant Brunt was killed by mortar fire. In Burma in 1944, two platoons o! the First Punjab Regiment put m a diversionary attack on the flank o. an enemy position. This feature was of exceptional natural strength, de--1 ended by a large force of fresh •Japanese’ troops who had turned flic hill into a fortress. Every approach was covered by machine-guns, sited ia bunkers. The platoon of Subadar ream Sarup Singh at once charged the position with another -section. This instantaneous action complete!.! bewildered the enemy who (fed from their bunkered positions. The subadar was wounded in the legs but hi took no notice. While he was consolidating this position, the enemj opened fire with grenade dischargers, at the same time counter-attacking in three waves of 20 men in each from the flank. Singh got a machine-gun into position and led a charge agains; the enemy, bayonetting four himself Though badly wounded in the thigi' he got up. and ignoring the wound again went for the enemy, shout ins encouragement to his men. TTt bayonetted and shot further Japanese but was mortally wounded by a burst of machine-gun fire. “It would be difficult to find a finer example of cool bravery, cheerful ness, leadership and determination, says the citation. “His action had i profound effect on the rest of the company, and when volunteers were called for to bring in his body under llie heaviest fire the entire company volunteered. Climbed Precipitous Slope Sepoy Bhandari Ram. of the Tenll Balucli Regiment, won his award or November 22. 1944, in east Mayu. Arakan, during a company attack e.:a strongly-held Japanese bunkei position. He was in the leading section. and his platoon, in order to reach its objective; found it necessary to climb a precipitous slope. When 50 yards from the top the leading section came under heavy and accurate light machine-gun fire Sepoy Bhandari Ram. who received a burst of machine-gun fire in Ms left shoulder and a wound in the leg when th 6 platoon was pinned down by intense fire, crawled up to the Japanese machine-gun while in full view of the enemy and approached to within 15 yards of the enemy position. The enemy then hurled grenades at him, wounding him seriousb'. but undeterred the sepoy, with superhuman courage and determination climbed to within five yards of hlr cbWtive and then threw a grenade into the position, killing file enemy gunner and two other men. Inspired bv his example, the platoon rushed uo and captured the posit! m. “By his outstanding gallantry and determination to destroy the enemy at all costs and entire disregard for his personal safety, this young sepoy enabled his platoon to capture what be knew to be the key to the whole enemy position.