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{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}} | {{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date= | {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} | ||
{{Infobox military person | {{Infobox military person | ||
|honorific_prefix = | |honorific_prefix = | ||
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== Details == | == Details == | ||
Bhandari Ram was born in 1919 at the village of Auhar, which was part of [[Kahlur|Bilaspur State]] (now [[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh]]). He was 25 years old, and a [[Sepoy]] in the 16th Battalion [[10th Baluch Regiment]], [[British Indian Army]] (now the [[Baloch Regiment]], [[Pakistan Army]]), fighting against the [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese Army]] in the [[Burma Campaign|Burmese Campaign]] during [[World War II]], when he performed deeds during the [[Third Arakan Offensive]] for which he was awarded the VC.<ref>Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1939-1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. pp. | Bhandari Ram was born in 1919 at the village of Auhar, which was part of [[Kahlur|Bilaspur State]] (now [[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh]]). He was 25 years old, and a [[Sepoy]] in the 16th Battalion [[10th Baluch Regiment]], [[British Indian Army]] (now the [[Baloch Regiment]], [[Pakistan Army]]), fighting against the [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese Army]] in the [[Burma Campaign|Burmese Campaign]] during [[World War II]], when he performed deeds during the [[Third Arakan Offensive]] for which he was awarded the VC.<ref>Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1939-1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. pp. 138–39. {{ISBN|1-84574-094-7}}</ref><ref>Thatcher, WS. (1980). ''The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War''. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre. pp. 499–501.</ref> | ||
The citation reads: | The citation reads: | ||
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When fifty yards from the top, the platoon came under heavy and accurate light machine gun fire. Three men were wounded, amongst them Sepoy Bhandari Ram, who received a burst of light machine gun fire in his left shoulder and a wound in his leg. The platoon was pinned down by the intense enemy fire. | When fifty yards from the top, the platoon came under heavy and accurate light machine gun fire. Three men were wounded, amongst them Sepoy Bhandari Ram, who received a burst of light machine gun fire in his left shoulder and a wound in his leg. The platoon was pinned down by the intense enemy fire. | ||
[[File:Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, VC.jpg|thumb|right|Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, 22 November 1944, Arakan, Burma|300px]] | [[File:Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, VC.jpg|thumb|right|Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, 22 November 1944, Arakan, Burma|300px]] | ||
This Sepoy then crawled up to the Japanese light machine gun, whilst in full view of the enemy, and approached to within fifteen yards of the enemy position. The enemy then hurled grenades at him, seriously wounding him in the face and chest. Undeterred, severely wounded by bullets and grenade splinters and bespattered with blood, this Sepoy, with superhuman courage and determination, crawled up to within five yards of his objective. He then threw a grenade into the position, killing the enemy gunner and two other men, and continued his crawl to the post. Inspired by his example, the Platoon rushed up and captured the position. It was only after the position had been taken that he lay down and allowed his wounds to be dressed. | This Sepoy then crawled up to the Japanese light machine gun, whilst in full view of the enemy, and approached to within fifteen yards of the enemy position. The enemy then hurled grenades at him, seriously wounding him in the face and chest. Undeterred, severely wounded by bullets and grenade splinters and bespattered with blood, this Sepoy, with superhuman courage and determination, crawled up to within five yards of his objective. He then threw a grenade into the position, killing the enemy gunner and two other men, and continued his crawl to the post. Inspired by his example, the Platoon rushed up and captured the position. It was only after the position had been taken that he lay down and allowed his wounds to be dressed. | ||
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|London Gazette, 8 February 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=36928 |page=792 |supp=y| date=8 February 1945 }}</ref>}} | |London Gazette, 8 February 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=36928 |page=792 |supp=y| date=8 February 1945 }}</ref>}} | ||
He continued to serve in the post-independence [[Indian Army]], receiving promotion to ''[[subedar]]'' on 13 May 1958,<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=209 |date=13 September 1958 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> and to ''[[subedar major]]'' on 30 March 1967.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=445 |date=3 June 1967 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> Bhandari Ram retired from the army in August 1969 with the honorary rank of captain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=92 |date=15 August 1969 |publisher=The Gazette of India - Extraordinary}}</ref> | He continued to serve in the post-independence [[Indian Army]], receiving promotion to ''[[subedar]]'' on 13 May 1958,<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=209 |date=13 September 1958 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> and to ''[[subedar major]]'' on 30 March 1967.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=445 |date=3 June 1967 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> Bhandari Ram retired from the army in August 1969 with the honorary rank of captain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=92 |date=15 August 1969 |publisher=The Gazette of India - Extraordinary}}</ref> He died in 2002. | ||
==Awards== | ==Awards== | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|[[Victoria Cross]] | |[[Victoria Cross]] | ||
|[[ | |[[1939–45 Star]] | ||
|[[Burma Star]] | |[[Burma Star]] | ||
|[[War Medal 1939-1945]] | |[[War Medal 1939-1945]] | ||
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020618045032/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/VC/2BRam.html Bhandari Ram] | * [https://web.archive.org/web/20020618045032/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/VC/2BRam.html Bhandari Ram] | ||
* {{Find a Grave|7710062}} | * {{Find a Grave|7710062}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Bhandari}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Bhandari}} | ||
[[Category:1919 births]] | [[Category:1919 births]] | ||
[[Category:2002 deaths]] | [[Category:2002 deaths]] | ||