LEST WE FORGET: GUTS AND GLORY ON FOREIGN SOILS – VIII
The Brave Dogra: Lala Ram
(Maj Gen Harvijay Singh, SM)
Lance Naik Lala Ram of 41ST Dogra (Now 3rd Battalion, the DOGRA Regiment) was awarded two gallantry awards; the Victoria Cross and the St George 1st class by Russia in 1916, a rare honour.
During World War I, in Mesopotamia the Allies were in running battle with the Ottoman Turkish forces for control of Baghdad in Nov 1915. The force was thrown back to Kut-Al-Amara about 160 kms from Bagdad, and put under a painful and humiliating siege by the Turks.
A large British and Indian force was launched from Mesopotamia to break the siege. 41st Dogra was part of one such assault on 20/21 Jan 1961. The force of 10,000 suffered heavy casualties: 2700 killed. According to the War diary of Expeditionary Force Delta, only 25 men of 41st Dogra reached the enemy trenches.
In this attack Lance Naik Lala earned his Victoria Cross for rescuing six including two British officers, The Citation:
For conspicuous bravery. Finding a British officer of another regiment lying seriously wounded near the enemy trenches, he dragged him to temporary shelter which he himself had made and in which he already had 4 wounded men. After bandaging his wounds, he heard the cries of call of his own Adjutant who was lying in the open seriously wounded a little away. The enemy was not more than 100 yards distant, and it seemed certain death to go out in that direction, but Lance Naik Lala insisted on going out for assisting his adjutant and offered to crawl back with him on his back at once. When this was not permitted, he stripped of his own clothing to keep the officer warmer, and stayed with him just before dark, when he returned to his shelter. After dark he carried the first wounded officer back to the main trenches and then returning back with stretcher carried back his adjutant. He set a magnificent example of courage and devotion to his officers. (London Gazette-13 May 1916).
The Adjutant just before being taken to the Operating Room, where he died, dictated this account to another officer: Then, as I lay in great pain, suddenly appeared Lala and lay down beside me with cheering words. First he bound up my wounds and then taking off his own coat spread it over me. He then lay down lengthways so as to protect me from the enemy’s bullets. For five hours he lay like this in the wet and cold and all the time kept talking to me cheerfully and encouragingly to keep my spirits up. At length, when it grew dark, he crept off and said he was going back to get assistance and would soon return. I slept or dozed for some time and then heard Lala’s return. “It is good, Sahib, very good. I have brought up some stretcher-bearers not far from here. I will lie flat whilst you get on my back and then I will crawl away with you on my hands and knees”…….
Maj Gen Sir George Younghusband, commanding the assaulting force wrote in his book: A Soldier’s Memoirs of Peace and War. ”……… The Victoria Cross had only recently been granted to Indian soldiers and perhaps there is no worthier wearer of the badge of honour than Lance Naik Lalla of the Dogras”. (pp. 334–336)
Lala returned to India in 1917 and again saw action in 1919 in the third Afghan war. He was promoted to the rank of Jemadar in 1923 and retired after 25 years of service in 1926.
I built up this story by simply quoting those who witnessed this extraordinary event. Reading the accounts gave me Goosebumps, I did not have the strength to say anything more.
The Indian Armed Forces stand tall among their global peers because of their rich battle-hardened heritage, high motivation and tough training.
………………Contd, because these stories must be told