Karanbahadur Rana Magar

Seized a fallen gun and covered comrades under intense fire.

Karanbahadur Rana Magar came from the Gulmi region of Nepal and was born in December 1898. He joined the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, in December 1916. His battalion served in the Palestine campaign as part of the 75th Division, advancing against Ottoman forces.

On 10 April 1918, during an attack at El Kefr, an enemy machine gun inflicted casualties and prevented his comrades from advancing. Rana and a small party crawled forward with a Lewis gun despite intense fire. The gun's first operator was killed as soon as he began firing. Rana immediately took his place. Under fire from both flanks and with bombs falling near him, he killed the opposing machine-gun crew, then turned his fire on enemy riflemen and bombers.

The Lewis gun stopped twice, but he cleared the defects and kept it operating. His fire helped release men who had been pinned down for hours. When withdrawal was ordered later that day, he remained in action to cover it until the enemy had approached close to his position. His initiative and persistence earned the Victoria Cross.

Rana took part in the procession of Indian troops through London in August 1919. King George V presented his VC on 2 August. His subsequent service included the Waziristan campaign of 1919–21. He later returned to Nepal, where his family lived in the Litung area. He died there in July 1973 and was cremated at Bharse Gulmi. The following year his son transferred his Victoria Cross and six other medals to the Gurkha Museum at Winchester, where the group preserves the record of his service.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery, resource in action under adverse conditions, and utter contempt for danger. During an attack he, with a few other men, succeeded under intense fire, in creeping forward with a Lewis gun in order to engage an enemy machine gun which had caused severe casualties to officers and other ranks who had attempted to put it out of action. No. 1 of the Lewis gun opened fire, and was shot immediately. Without a moment’s hesitation Rifleman Karanbahadur pushed the dead man off the gun, and in spite of bombs thrown at him and heavy fire from both flanks, he opened fire and knocked out the enemy machinegun crew; then, switching his fire on to the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him, he silenced their fire. He kept his gun in action and showed the greatest coolness in removing defects which on two occasions prevented the gun from firing. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work, and when a withdrawal was ordered he assisted with covering fire until the enemy were close on him. He displayed throughout a very high standard of valour and devotion to duty.

Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette of 18 June 1918. 21 June 1918, Numb. 30757, pp. 7307-08