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<div>{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}<br />
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox military person<br />
|name= Sher Shah Awan ( Sher Shah) <br />
|birth_date=14 February 1917 <br />
|death_date=20 January 1945 (aged 27)<br />
|birth_place= [[Chakrala]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br />
|death_place= near the [[Kaladan River]], [[British Burma]]<br />
|placeofburial=<br />
|image= Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png<br />
|caption=<br />
|nickname=<br />
|allegiance= {{flag|British India|23px}}<br />
|serviceyears=<br />
|rank= [[Lance Naik]] <br />
|branch={{army|British India|23px}}<br />
|commands= <br />
|unit=7th Battalion, [[16th Punjab Regiment]]<br />
|battles=[[World War II]]<br />
* [[Pacific War]]<br />
** [[Burma Campaign]]<br />
*** [[Burma campaign 1944-45|Burma campaign 1945]] {{KIA}}<br />
|awards= [[File:Victoria Cross (UK) ribbon.png|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]<br />
|laterwork=<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Sher Shah Awan''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (14 February 1917 – 20 January 1945) was a [[British Indian Army]] soldier who received the [[Victoria Cross]] which is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.<br />
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==Military career==<br />
Awan was a Muslim and the son of Barkhurdar and his wife Makda Bibi;<ref>''Our Heroes'' A Public Report issues by the Government of India in the Army Department, to promote various Indian soldiers who won high awards for their gallantry during the late [[World War II|War]], pub Delhi: AP, June–July 1946</ref> and husband of Mehr Bhari, from the village of [[Chakrala]], about 30&nbsp;km east from [[Mianwali]], [[Punjab region]] that is now [[Pakistan]]. He was 27 years old and a [[lance naik]] in the 7th Battalion of the [[16th Punjab Regiment]] in the [[Indian Army during World War II]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2525452/SHER%20SHAH CWGC entry]</ref><br />
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On 19/20 January 1945 at [[Kyeyebyin]], [[Kaladan]], [[Burma]] (now [[Myanmar]]), Lance Naik Sher Shah was commanding a left forward section of his platoon when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Japanese. He broke up two attacks by crawling right in among the enemy and shooting at point-blank range. On the second occasion he was hit and his leg shattered, but he maintained that his injury was only slight and when the third attack came, he again crawled forward engaging the enemy until he was shot through the head and killed.<ref name=VCref>{{London Gazette |issue=37066|date=4 May 1945 |page=2393|supp= y}}</ref><br />
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Sher Shah's Battalion 7/16 [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|Punjab Regiment]], affectionately known as "Saat Solah Punjab" is now a part of the Pakistan Army, proudly known as the "Sher Shah Battalion".<br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)<br />
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020618051944/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/VC/2SShah.html Sher Shah](This page/link not available)<br />
*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ggburma.htm Burial location of Sher Shah] "Burma"<br />
*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbshersh.htm News item] "Sher Shah's Victoria Cross sold at auction"<br />
*[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2525452 CWGC :: Casualty Details<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.cwgc.org Citation - Commonwealth War Graves Commission<br />
*[http://vconline.org.uk/sher-shah-vc/4588212768<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shah, Sher}}<br />
[[Category:1917 births]]<br />
[[Category:1945 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]<br />
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War II]]<br />
[[Category:People from Mianwali District]]<br />
[[Category:Punjabi people]]<br />
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