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{{Use dmy dates|date=January | {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=January | {{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}} | ||
{{Infobox military person | {{Infobox military person | ||
|name=Kirpa Ram | |name=Kirpa Ram | ||
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[[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] '''Kirpa Ram''' (1916 – 12 September 1945) was a [[posthumous recognition|posthumous]] recipient of the [[George Cross]], the highest [[United Kingdom|British]] (and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]) medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy. | [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] '''Kirpa Ram''' (1916 – 12 September 1945) was a [[posthumous recognition|posthumous]] recipient of the [[George Cross]], the highest [[United Kingdom|British]] (and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]) medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy. | ||
Born in 1916,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gc-database.co.uk/recipients/KirpaRam.htm |title=Kirpa Ram (posthumously) |work=The George Cross database |first=Marion |last=Hebblethwaite |publisher=Chameleon HH Publishing Ltd |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531180020/http://www.gc-database.co.uk/recipients/KirpaRam.htm |archivedate=31 May 2008 }}</ref> Kirpa volunteered to join the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] in 1935. During the [[Second World War]] he was a member of 8th Battalion, [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]. He served in the [[Burma Campaign]] and his unit then returned to India.<ref name=Tribune>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070124/himachal.htm#1|title=Widow fights a lone battle|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|date=23 January 2007|accessdate=1 December | Born in 1916,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gc-database.co.uk/recipients/KirpaRam.htm |title=Kirpa Ram (posthumously) |work=The George Cross database |first=Marion |last=Hebblethwaite |publisher=Chameleon HH Publishing Ltd |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531180020/http://www.gc-database.co.uk/recipients/KirpaRam.htm |archivedate=31 May 2008 }}</ref> Kirpa volunteered to join the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] in 1935. During the [[Second World War]] he was a member of 8th Battalion, [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]. He served in the [[Burma Campaign]] and his unit then returned to India.<ref name=Tribune>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070124/himachal.htm#1|title=Widow fights a lone battle|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|date=23 January 2007|accessdate=1 December 2009}}</ref> | ||
On 12 September 1945, during a field firing exercise at a rest camp at [[Thondebhavi]], [[Bangalore]] a rifle grenade misfired and fell only eight yards from Kirpa's section. The 28-year-old soldier rushed forward, shouting at his men to take cover and attempted to throw it to a safe distance. It exploded in his hand, wounding him fatally, but his self-sacrifice meant that only two men of the section were slightly wounded.<ref name=Tribune /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8306598|title=Recommendations for Honours and Awards (Army)—Image details—Kirpa Ram—part 2—Image Reference 1 / 279|pages=294–6|work=DocumentsOnline|publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]]|format=}}</ref> The posthumous award of the George Cross was announced on 15 March 1946, the citation read:<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37500|supp=y|page=1371|date=12 March 1946}}</ref> | On 12 September 1945, during a field firing exercise at a rest camp at [[Thondebhavi]], [[Bangalore]] a rifle grenade misfired and fell only eight yards from Kirpa's section. The 28-year-old soldier rushed forward, shouting at his men to take cover and attempted to throw it to a safe distance. It exploded in his hand, wounding him fatally, but his self-sacrifice meant that only two men of the section were slightly wounded.<ref name=Tribune /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8306598|title=Recommendations for Honours and Awards (Army)—Image details—Kirpa Ram—part 2—Image Reference 1 / 279|pages=294–6|work=DocumentsOnline|publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]]|format=}}</ref> The posthumous award of the George Cross was announced on 15 March 1946, the citation read:<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37500|supp=y|page=1371|date=12 March 1946}}</ref> | ||
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No. 15634 Naik KIRPA RAM, 8th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, Indian Army.}} | No. 15634 Naik KIRPA RAM, 8th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, Indian Army.}} | ||
In 2002 Kirpa's GC was among the contents of a trunk stolen from his widow's house at [[Bhapral]], [[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh|Bilaspur]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]. Although investigations were made at the time, no trace was found until the medal was presented for auction in London in late 2009. The medal was due to go under the hammer on 2 December 2009, but after the widow, Brahmi Devi, was alerted to the sale, steps were taken to suspend the sale.<ref name=Tribune /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-26/india/28064780_1_naik-kripa-ram-george-cross-dix-noonan-webb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025121210/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-26/india/28064780_1_naik-kripa-ram-george-cross-dix-noonan-webb|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2012|title=Stolen from Himachal, George Cross to go under hammer in UK|date=26 November 2009|work=[[The Times of India]]|accessdate=1 December | In 2002 Kirpa's GC was among the contents of a trunk stolen from his widow's house at [[Bhapral]], [[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh|Bilaspur]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]. Although investigations were made at the time, no trace was found until the medal was presented for auction in London in late 2009. The medal was due to go under the hammer on 2 December 2009, but after the widow, Brahmi Devi, was alerted to the sale, steps were taken to suspend the sale.<ref name=Tribune /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-26/india/28064780_1_naik-kripa-ram-george-cross-dix-noonan-webb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025121210/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-26/india/28064780_1_naik-kripa-ram-george-cross-dix-noonan-webb|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2012|title=Stolen from Himachal, George Cross to go under hammer in UK|date=26 November 2009|work=[[The Times of India]]|accessdate=1 December 2009}}</ref> Finally, on 11 May 2015, Kirpa's GC was returned to his widow by the British government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/british-government-to-present-1946-george-cross-medal|title=British government to present 1946 George Cross medal|work=Gov.uk|date=8 May 2015|accessdate=3 April 2016}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||