A most exceptional Immediate award of the Military Medal group of four to Sepoy Dadu Khan, Machine Gun Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment, who, following a ferocious bayonet attack on his Machine Gun position by 40 Japanese which resulted in his No.1 being killed and No.2 now left alone, he fixed bayonet and charged alone at the Japs and while doing so was badly wounded in the face. Despite these wounds, he then ran three times under a hail of rifle and automatic rifle fire to bring belts of ammunition to his gun so that it could be kept in action. It was due to his daring efforts over bullet swept ground that his gun was able to stay in action and repulse three vicious Jap attacks and hold on on to the feature that was vital to his unit.
Four: Military Medal, G.VI.R. (21743 SEP DADU KHAN SIKH R); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; WW2 War Medal.
Condition: Minor contact wear and light edge bring to the first, general Very Fine.
Military Medal London Gazette 14 Aug 1945. 21473 Sepoy DADU KHAN, M.G. Bn. 11th Sikh Regt., 19th Indian Division, 4th Indian Corps.
(P.M. Awan) Village Dhir Kot, Tehsil, Haripur. District Hazara.
The recommendation states:
'On feature’NEVIS’ at about mile 24 on the MAWCHI road in the afternoon of 1 July 1945, No. 21743 Sep DADU KHAN of the M.G. Bn. 11th Sikh Regt was an ammunition number pin the machine gun team when the 2 WELCH had evacuated the feature and a large number of Raj Rif had gone to the bottom of the hill to bring up ammunition and heavy stores when a party of about 40 Japs put in a ferocious bayonet attack under the cover of M.M.G. and L.M.G. fire.
Sep DADU KHAN, seeing that his No 1 had been killed and the the No 2 was alone at the gun with a limited amount of ammunition, charged alone at the Japs with fixed bayonet and while doing this he was badly wounded in the face. The No 2 then shouted to hime ton come and bring up ammunition at the supply was almost exhausted.
Despite his wound DADU KHAN went back over open ground under a hail of rifle and automatic fire and brought up two belts. Realising the seriousness of the situation and knowing that two belts would not last long he did another two trips to a point twenty yards behind the gun
It was due to his daring efforts over bullet swept ground while wounded that his gun was able to stay in action and repulse three vicious attacks one a feature that was vital to your troops.
Throughout the action this sepoy gave no thought for his own safety and by sheer devotion to duty and great bravery inspired our troops with confidence when they were in very dangerous positions.
The Machine Gun Battalion of the 11th Sikh Regiment was formed on January 15, 1942, in Nowshera, serving as a key motorized Vickers MG unit in the Burma Campaign during 1945. Attached to the 19th Indian Infantry Division in 1944–1945, the unit operated in company lots to support the advance to Rangoon, fighting at Mandalay and Toungoo before being disbanded in November 1946.
19th Indian Infantry Division – July 1944 to 31 August 1945
On arrival in Nasik in July 1944, the MG Battalion of the 11th Sikhs joined the 19th Indian Infantry Division. It moved to Moreh, Imphal on November 1st, 1944 with the division and served with the division in Burma until the end of the war. ‘A’ Company was sent to the 64th Indian Brigade at Sittaung and the rest of the battalion came under the 98th Indian Brigade at Thanan. The battalion (less ‘A’ Company) left Tonhe on December 16th and crossed the Chindwin and was located at Lobok by December 28th. It was under command of the 98th Brigade at Kanblu on January 2nd and then located at Kabwet from January 11th to February 2nd, 1945. The battalion then moved to Onbauk and ‘A’ Company returned from the 98th Brigade on February 6th at Kyaukmyaung. ‘B’ Company was also detached from January 8th to February 8th. The battalion helped extend the bridgehead and took Singuj by February 13th.
On March 3rd, the battalion was split among the brigades of the 19th Division with ‘A’ Company under the 98th Brigade, ‘B’ Company under the 62nd Brigade, ‘C’ Company under the 64th Brigade and ‘D’ Company under the divisional HQ. The division then advanced to Mandalay and the battalion was located at Meiktila on April 16th with ‘B’ Company under the 98th Brigade in the Thazi area. The battalion was at Toungoo on April 24th and operated in the Mawchi area from May 17th-28th. On June 1st, the battalion was deployed with the Battalion HQ under the 62nd Brigade at Pyonchaung, ‘A’ Company at MS15 Mawchi Road, ‘B’ Company (less one platoon) under the 8th Light Cavalry at MS211 on Rangoon Road, 1 platoon of ‘B’ Company at Toungoo railway station under the 33rd Anti-Regiment, RA, ‘C’ Company (less one platoon) under the 62nd Brigade at MS10 Mawchi Road, 1 platoon ‘C’ Company under the 64th Brigade in Kalaw area, and ‘D’ Company under the 62nd Brigade on the Mawchi Road. The battalion moved to Kywebwe on June 14th and then took over the Zeyawadi area south of Toungoo from July 23rd until the end of the war. ‘D’ Company was sent to Shwegyin on August 20th.
