Sher Shah Awan
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person
Sher Shah Awan Template:Post-nominals (14 February 1917 – 20 January 1945) was a British Indian Army soldier who received the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Military career
Sher Shah was an Awan Muslim and the son of Barkhurdar and his wife Makda Bibi;<ref>Our Heroes A Public Report issues by the Government of India in the Army Department, to promote various Indian soldiers who won high awards for their gallantry during the late War, pub Delhi: AP, June–July 1946</ref> and husband of Mehr Bhari, from the village of Chakrala, about 30 km east from Mianwali, Punjab region that is now part of Pakistan. He was 27 years old and a lance naik in the 7th Battalion of the 16th Punjab Regiment in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.<ref>CWGC entry</ref><ref>mianwali.org - SHER SHAH (VICTORIA CROSS)</ref><ref>Forevermore (2023) LANCE NAIK SHER SHAH VC</ref>
On 19/20 January 1945 at Kyeyebyin, Kaladan, Burma (now Myanmar), Lance Naik Sher Shah was commanding a left forward section of his platoon when it was attacked by overwhelming numbers of Japanese. He broke up two attacks by crawling right in among the enemy and shooting at point-blank range. On the second occasion he was hit and his leg shattered, but he maintained that his injury was only slight and when the third attack came, he again crawled forward engaging the enemy until he was shot through the head and killed.<ref name=VCref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>Burma Star Memorial - Lance-Naik Sher Shah Awan, 16th Punjab Regiment</ref><ref>War Time Memorial Project - British Indian Army 7th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment</ref><ref>Victoria Cross Association - The Second World War 1945, Sher SHAH, Lance-Naik of the 7th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment, 53rd Brigade, 25th Division, Indian Army</ref>
Sher Shah's Battalion 7/16 Punjab Regiment, affectionately known as "Saat Solah Punjab", is now a part of the Pakistan Army, proudly known as the "Sher Shah Battalion".
See also
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
References
External links
- Sher Shah(This page/link not available)
- Burial location of Sher Shah "Burma"
- News item "Sher Shah's Victoria Cross sold at auction"
- CWGC :: Casualty Details at www.cwgc.org Citation - Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- [1]