Karanbahadur Rana
| Karanbahadur Rana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
21 December 1898 Litung, Nepal |
| Died |
25 July 1973 (aged 74) Litung |
| Allegiance | Nepal |
| Service/branch | British Indian Army |
| Rank | Rifleman |
| Unit | 3rd Gurkha Rifles |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria Cross |
Karanbahadur Rana VC (21 December 1898 – 25 July 1973) was a Nepalese Gurkha recipient of 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.
Details
He was 19 years old, and a Rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 10 April 1918 at El Kefr, Egypt, during an attack, Rifleman Karanbahadur Rana and a few other men crept forward with a Lewis gun under intense fire to engage an enemy machine-gun. No. 1 of the Lewis gun team opened fire but was shot almost immediately, whereupon the rifleman pushed the dead man off the gun, opened fire, knocked out the enemy gun crew and then silenced the fire of the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work and finally assisted with covering fire in the withdrawal, until the enemy were close on him.[1]
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Gurkha Museum (Winchester, Hampshire, England).
See also
Notes
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30757. pp. 7307–7308. 21 June 1918. Retrieved 23 March 2009.