b. 12/04/1919 Khere, India. d. 25/10/1944 Kennedy Peak, Burma.
Ram Sarup Singh (1912-1944) was born on 13th April 1919 in Khere, Patiale District, India, and little is known of his early life before he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment on the outbreak of World War II.
Ram Sarup Singh VC
He had reached the rank of Jemadar and then acting Subedar prior to his involvement in the Burma Campaign in the latter half of 1944. On 25th October 1944, at Kennedy Peak, in the Tiddim area of Burma, he was in charge of one of two platoons ordered to take part in a diversionary attack on the Japanese.
This feature was of exceptional natural strength and was defended by a large force of fresh Japanese troops who had turned the hill into a fortress. Every approach was covered by medium and light machine guns sited in bunkers. The platoon of Subadar Ram Sarup Singh at once charged the position with another section. This instantaneous action completely bewildered the enemy, who fled from the bunkered positions suffering casualties in their retreat. The Subadar was wounded in the legs but took no notice of his wounds. While he was consolidating his position, the enemy opened heavy fire with grenade dischargers, and at the same time put in a strong counter-attack in three waves of twenty each from a flank. It seemed that the platoon must be overwhelmed, but Subadar Ram Sarup Singh got another light machine gun into position and led a charge against the advancing enemy, bayonetting four himself, and checking them. Although badly wounded in the thigh, he got up and, ignoring his wound, again went for the enemy shouting encouragement to his men. He bayonetted another Japanese and shot a further one, but was mortally wounded by a burst of medium machine gun fire in the chest and neck.
Sadly, Ram Sarup Singh’s body was not recovered from the battlefield, and he is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial. His posthumous VC was gazetted on 8th February 1945. In 2013, his medal group was acquired privately by Michael Ashcroft and are now on display in the Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: LORD ASHCROFT GALLERY, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON.
BURIAL PLACE: NO KNOWN GRAVE – ON RANGOON MEMORIAL, BURMA. FACE 30.
