Kamal Ram

He attacked enemy gun posts to secure his company's advance.

Kamal Ram was born in the Karauli area of Rajasthan on 17 December 1924. He enlisted in December 1942 and served with the 3rd Battalion, 8th Punjab Regiment. The battalion took part in the Italian campaign with the 8th Indian Division.

On 12 May 1944, after the crossing of the River Gari south of Monte Cassino, several machine-gun posts stopped his company's advance. When the commander called for a volunteer to work around one position, Ram went forward alone through the wire. He attacked the first post at close quarters, overcame its defenders and immediately continued against a second.

After forcing that position to surrender, he joined a havildar preparing an attack on another post. He covered his companion, then helped complete its destruction. Later, when fire from a house threatened the widening bridgehead, he again went forward and captured its defenders. His initiative enabled the company to secure ground needed for the crossings and bridging work.

King George VI presented him with the Victoria Cross ribbon in Italy in July 1944. Lord Wavell formally invested him at the Red Fort in Delhi that October. Ram was nineteen when he performed the action.

After the war he continued in military service. At independence he transferred to the Rajput Regiment and advanced through the non-commissioned and Viceroy's commissioned ranks. He became subadar-major in 1968 and received honorary commissioned rank before retiring as an honorary captain in March 1973.

He attended the Victoria Cross centenary celebrations and later reunions. He died at his home village on 1 July 1982 and was cremated at Sawai Madhopur. His long post-war career followed an action fought during his first day in combat with the division in Italy.

Official award citation

In Italy, on 12th May, 1944, after crossing the River Gari overnight, the Company advance was held up by heavy machine-gun fire from four posts on the front and flanks. As the capture of the position was essential to secure the bridgehead, the Company Commander called for a volunteer to get round the rear of the right post and silence it.

Volunteering at once and crawling forward through the wire to a flank, Sepoy Kamal Ram attacked the post single handed and shot the first machine-gunner; a second German tried to seize his weapon but Sepoy Kamal Ram killed him with the bayonet, and then shot a German officer who, appearing from the trench with his pistol, was about to fire.

Sepoy Kamal Ram, still alone, at once went on to attack the second machine-gun post which was continuing to hold up the advance, and after shooting one machine-gunner, he threw a grenade and the remaining enemy surrendered.

Seeing a Havildar making a reconnaissance for an attack on the third post, Sepoy Kamal Ram joined him, and, having first covered his companion, went in and completed the destruction of this post.

By his courage, initiative and disregard for personal risk, Sepoy Kamal Ram enabled his Company to charge and secure the ground vital to the establishment of the bridgehead and the completion of work on two bridges.

When a platoon, pushed further forward to widen the position, was fired on from a house, Sepoy Kamal Ram, dashing towards the house, shot one German in a slit trench and captured two more. His sustained and outstanding bravery unquestionably saved a difficult situation at a critical period of the battle and enabled his Battalion to attain the essential part of their objective.