Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra.
Naik Jadu Nath Singh, a Rathore Rajput,was born on 21 November 1916 in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was enrolled in the 1 Rajput (now 4 Guards (1 Rajput))on 21 November 1941.
During the Jammu & Kashmir operations in the winter of 1947, the capture of Jhangar on December 24, by the Pakistani raiders, placed them in an advantageous position in the Naushahra sector. Being in full command of the communication lines from Mirpur to Poonch, they could now build up their forces for attack on Naushahra. The Army was alive to this threat. In January 1948, they conducted operations to prevent the enemy build up in the area and in the process occupied Kot village to the Northwest of Naushahra. In any case an attack on Naushahra was imminent. Brigadier Usman of the 50 Para Brigade had made adequate preparation to thwart this attack by establishing strong pickets on possible enemy approaches. One of these approaches lay to the north of Naushahra through Tain dhar.
The expected enemy attack came on the foggy morning of February 6, at 0640 hrs. The enemy started the attack by opening fire from their pickets on the Taindhar ridge on an Indian patrol. Simultaneously, the whole of Tain dhar and the surrounding hills became live with bursts of machine gun and crunches of mortar fire. Meanwhile under the cover of darkness the enemy crept up to the Indian pickets. In the first light of dawn the men on the post saw thousands of hostiles creeping up to them. On the crucial day of February 6, Naik Jadunath Singh was in command of a forward post of picket No.2 at Taindhar. 9 men garrisoned the post.
The enemy launched their attack in successive waves to take this post. At this juncture Naik Jadunath Singh displayed great valour & superb leadership and used his small force in such a manner that the enemy retreated in utter confusion. When four of his men were wounded he re-organised the battered force for meeting another onslaught. The post did not give in despite its being outnumbered. When all men including him were wounded, he personally took over the Bren gun from the wounded Bren-gunner. The enemy was now right on the walls of the post. Naik Jadunath Singh, unmindful of personal safety encouraged his men to fight. His fire was so devastating that what looked like a certain defeat was turned into a victory. Thus the post was saved a second time.
By now all men of the post had turned into casualties. The enemy put in his third and final attack determined to capture the post. Naik Jadunath Singh, wounded and alone, rose to give a battle for the third time. He came out of the Sangar and firing his sten gun charged on the advancing enemy. The surprised enemy fled in disorder. He met a gallant death, in this third and last charge, when two enemy bullets pierced him in the head and the chest. At a most critical stage in the battle for the defence of Naushahra, he saved his picket from being overrun by the enemy. Naik Jadunath Singh was honoured with the highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.
For this ultimate act of personal sacrifice for the sake of the nation, Naik Jadu Nath Singh was decorated with the nation's highest award of gallantry.
A sports stadium is named after him in his birth place Shahjahanpur.
Citation
The citation for the Param Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:
NAIK JADUNATH SINGH
1S T BATTALION, RAJPUT REGIMENT (NO 27373)
At No 2 picquet on Taindhar on 6 February 1948, No 27373 Naik Jadunath Singh was in command of a forward section post, which bore the full brunt of the enemy attack. Nine men against overwhelming odds garrisoned the little post. The enemy launched its attack in successive waves and with great ferocity to overcome this post. The first wave swept up to the post in a furious attack. Displaying great valour and superb qualities of leadership Naidk Jadunath Singh so used the small force at his disposal that the enemy retired in utter confusion. Four of his men were wounded but Naik Jadunath Singh again showed his qualities of good leadership by reorganizing the battered force under him, for meeting another onslaught. His coolness and courage were of such an order that the men rallied and were ready for the second attack which came with greater determination and in larger number than the preceding one. Though hopelessly outnumbered, this post under the gallant leadership of Naik Jadunath Singh resisted. All were wounded, and Naik Jadunath Singh, though wounded in the right arm, personally took over the Bren gun from the wounded Bren gunner. The enemy was right on the walls of the post but Naid Jadunath Singh once again showed outstanding ability and valour of the highest order in action. By his complete disregard for his personal safety and example of coolness and courage, he encouraged his men to fight. His fire was so devastating, that what looked like impending defeat was turned into a victory and the enemy retreated in chaos leaving the dead and wounded littered on the ground. With this act of supreme heroism and outstanding example of leadership and determination, Naik Jadunath Singh saved the post from the second assault. By this time, all men in the post were casualties. The enemy put in his third and final attack in undiminished numbers and determination to capture this post. Naik Jadunath Singh, now wounded, prepared literally single-handed to give battle for the third time. With great courage and determination, he came out of the sangar and finally with the Sten gun, made a most magnificent single-handed charge on the advancing enemy, who, completely taken by surprise, fled in disorder. Naik Jadunath Singh, however, met his gallant death in his third and last charge when two bullets hit him in the head and chest. Thus, charging single-handedly at the advancing enemy, this Non-Commissioned Officer, performed the highest act of gallantry and self-sacrifice and by so doing saved his section-nay, his whole picquet from being overrun by the enemy at the most critical stage in the battle for the defence of Nushera.
Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria (born 29 November 1935; Gurdaspur, Punjab 1961) is a military war hero, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime military award. In the 1988 television serial Param Vir Chakra by Chetan Anand, Captain G.S. Salaria was played by actor Brando Bakshi.
Gurbachan Singh Salaria was from village Jangla near Dinanagar in Pathankot distt, Punjab. His father's name was Chaudhary Munshi Ram Salaria.He belongs to the Saini community.
He started his education at the famous Bangalore Military School, Bangalore (erstwhile King George School, Bangalore (more popularly known as King George Royal Indian Military College [KGRIMC], Bangalore) before moving to King George School, Jalandhar (now known as Chail Military School). He joined the 9th batch of National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla. He was in 'Bravo' squadron. His cadet number was 1317.
Commissioned in the 1st Gorkha Rifles (the Maluan Regiment) on 9 June 1957, he was posted to the third battalion of the Regiment. In 1961, Salaria was posted abroad with his battalion in Katanga.
After the Belgians quit Congo, a civil war situation developed in that country. When the United Nations decided upon military intervention to retrieve the situation, India contributed a brigade of around 3000 men to the U.N. force. In November 1961, the U.N. Security Council decided to put a stop to the hostile activities of the Katangese troops in Congo. This greatly angered Tshombe, Katanga's secessionist leader, and he intensified his 'hate the UN' campaign. The result was more violence against UN personnel.
On 5 December 1961, a 3/1 GR Company supported by 3-inch mortar attacked a road-block, established by the Katangese troops, between HQ Katanga command and the Elisabethville airfield at a strategic roundabout. The enemy roadblock was destroyed and the Gorkhas established a UN roadblock there. When Captain Salaria, with his platoon, tried to link up with the Gorkha Company to reinforce the roadblock, he met strong opposition in the old airfield area. The enemy held the area strongly with two armoured cars and 90 men and brought down heavy automatic and small arms fire on his force from a dug-in position on the right flank. Undeterred by the superior enemy strength and firepower, Salaria decided to take the enemy, head-on, to achieve the objective. The Gorkhas then charged the enemy with bayonets, khukris and hand-grenades. A rocket launcher supported them in the attack. In this sharp encounter, Captain Salaria and his men killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out two enemy cars. His bold action completely demoralised the enemy who fled despite numerical superiority and well-fortified positions. In the engagement, Captain Salaria was wounded in the neck by a burst of enemy automatic fire. Ignoring the injury, he continued to fight till he collapsed due to excessive bleeding, dying subsequently of his wounds.
Captain Salaria's actions prevented the Katangese rebels from encircling the UN Headquarters in Elisabethville. His leadership, courage, unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for personal safety were in the best traditions of the Indian Army and for which Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was posthumously awarded the highest wartime medal, Param Vir Chakra.
CAPTAIN GURBACHAN SINGH SALARIA
3/1 GORKHA RIFLES (IC-8947)
On 5 December 1961, 3/1 Gorkha Rifles was ordered to clear a roadblock established by the gendarmerie at a strategic roundabout at Elizabethville, Katanga. The plan was that one company with 2 Swedish armoured cars would attack the position frontally and Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria with two sections of Gorkhas and two Swedish armoured personnel carriers would advance towards this roadblock from the airfield to act as a cutting-off force.
Captain Salaria with his small force arrived at a distance of 1500 yards from the roadblock at approximately 1312 hours on 5 December 1961 and came under heavy automatic and small-arms fire from an undetected enemy position dug in on his right flank. The enemy also had two armoured cars and about 90 men opposing Captain Salarias small force.
Captain Salaria appreciating that he had run into a subsidiary roadblock and ambush and that this enemy force might reinforce the strategic roundabout and thus jeopardize the main operation, decided to remove this opposition. He led a charge with bayonets, khukris, and grenades supported by a rocket launcher. In this gallant engagement, Captain Salaria killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out the two armoured cars. This unexpected bold action completely demoralised the enemy who fled despite their numerical superiority and protected positions.
Captain Salaria was wounded in his neck by a burst of automatic fire but continued to fight till he collapsed due to loss of blood. Captain Salarias gallant action prevented any enemy movement of the enemy force towards the main battle scene and thus contributed very largely to the success of the main battalions action at the roundabout and prevented the encirclement of UN Headquarters in Elizabethville. Captain Salaria subsequently died of his wounds.
Captain Salairas personal example, utter disregard for personal safety and dauntless leadership inspired his small but gallant force of sixteen Gorkhas to hold on to their position, dominate the enemy and to inflict heavy casualties despite the enemys superiority in numbers and tactical position.
Captain Gurbachan Singh Salarias leadership, courage, and unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for personal safety were in the best traditions of our Army
Company Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhawat(20 May 1918 18 July 1948) was a soldier in the British Indian Army. He died in service during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest award for valour in the face of the enemy.
COMPANY HAVILDAR MAJOR PIRU SINGH
6th BATTALION THE RAJPUTANA RIFLES (NO 2831592)
"South of Tithwal, D Company, of which No 2831592 Piru Singh, was Havildar Major was detailed to attack and capture an enemy occupied hill feature. The enemy had well dug in positions and had sited his MMGs so as to cover all possible approaches. As the attack advanced, it was met with heavy MMG fire from both flanks. Volleys of grenades were hurled down from enemy bunkers. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh was then with the forward most Section of the company."
"Seeing more than half of the Section killed or wounded, he did not lose courage. With battle cries he encouraged the remaining men and rushed forward with great determination onto the nearest enemy MMG position. Grenade splinters ripping his clothes and wounding him at several places, he continued to advance without the least regard for his safety. He was on top of the MMG position wounding the gun crew with Sten gun fire. With complete disregard to his bleeding wounds he made a mad jump on the MMG crew bayoneting them to death, thus silencing the gun.
"By then he suddenly realized that he was the sole survivor of the section, the rest of them either dead or wounded. Another grenade thrown at him wounded him in the face. With blood dripping from his face wounds in his eyes, he crawled out of the trench, hurling grenades at the next enemy position."
"With a loud battle cry, he jumped on the occupants of the next trench bayoneting two to death. The C Company Commander who was directing fire in support of the attacking company witnessed this action."
"As Havilder Major Piru Singh emerged out of the second trench to charge on the 3rd enemy bunker, he was hit in the head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that his grenade had done its work. By then Company Havildar Major Piru Singhs wounds had proved fatal."
"He had paid with his life for his singularly brave act, but he had left for the rest of his comrades an unique example of single-handed bravery and determined cold courage."
