Ed_Haynes

To see the VrC in context, this is the group to 2941940 Naik Udairaj Singh, VrC, 6th Rajput Regiment (it has been shown before).

His award was also for the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

"On 11 December 1971, Sepoy Udai Raj Singh was with a company of Rajput Regiment which was assigned the task of attacking an enemy position in the Eastern Sector. As the assault progressed half way up to the objective, the enemy brought heavy machine gun fire. With utter disregard for his safety, he rushed forward, took up position and started engaging the enemy machine gun. Later, he moved towards the bunker, leapt inside and killed the crew.

"Thereafter, he fought from bunker to bunker along with his section and was instrumental in capturing the objective.

"In this action, Sepoy Udai Raj Singh displayed determination and devotion to duty of a high order."

The third-tier military gallantry award of India is the Vir Chakra, awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy.

Through 2003, this medal has been awarded 1,315 times with 10 first bars and no second bars.

The example shown was awarded for gallantry on 4 December 1971 to 3554638 NC(E) Mangat Ram, Sikh Regiment. This is the only VrC to ahve been awarded for combat gallantry to a non-combatant (enrolled).

The Gazette notification:

"NC(E) Mangat Ram was in a company-defended locality in Jammu and Kashmir. The enemy subjected this locality to repeated attacks in battalion strength, supported by heavy artillery fire. With utter disregard for his personal safety, he carried ammunition over gazardous hilly terrain and kept the forward defended localities supplied with ammunition.

?In this action, NC (E) Mangat Ram showed courage and determination of a high order."

Like the other gallantry awards, a bar has been designed for second or subsequent awards of the MVC. Unlike the other awards, this bar has actually been awarded six times (that Rana and I could trace); to date, no second bars have been awarded.

The same bar is used for the other gallantry awards.

The second-tier military gallantry award of the Republic of India is the Maha Vir Chakra, awarded for acts of valour in the presence of the enemy. Like the PVC, the MVC was created in 1950 with retrospective awards back to 15 August 1947.

Through 2003, there have been 212 awards of this decoration.

I know of only one MVC "in captivity". What I show here is another ex-ANS-collection mint specimen.

To show an awarded specimen of this series, I'll show the Ashoka Chakra, class II, awarded to 90919 L/Nk Amar Singh Rana, 9 Bn. Assam Rifles, in 1959. This medal is awarded for conspicuous gallantry in non-combatant situations.

The notification reads:

?On the 14th Aug 1957 at about 1800 hours two sections of Assam Rifles while escorting some porters and stores from Lukhyekhe to Seyochang ran into a hostile ambush. Due to poor visibility the troops got seperated from the porters and there was much confusion. L-Nk Amar Singh Rana and another Rfn found themselves cut off from the rest by a group of hostiles. The first volley of hostile fire badly wounded his comrade in the stomach. L-Nk Rana dashed forward to rescue the wounded Rfn. In doing so he was wounded in the left arm. Despite this injury he engaged the enemy group of about 10 men singlehanded for some time and carried the wounded Rfn to safety. As the return of fire from him was intermittent, the hostile party took courage and charged the cover behind which L-Nk Rana and his companion were sheltered. L-Nk Rana then pulled out a grenade and removing the pin with his teeth threw it at the charging hostiles. The first grenade killed the leader of the hostile party. He then quickly threw a second grenade removed from the wounded Rfn and inflicted wounds on two more of the hostiles causing them to retreat.

"L-Nk Amar Singh Rana's courageous action prevented the wounded soldier and his weapons and ammunition from falling into the hands of the hostiles. His gallant action was in the highest traditions of the Assam Rifles."

This award was renamed as the Kirti Chakra in 1967.

As with the PVC, a bar has been designed for second or subsequent awards, though, to date, none of the ACI/AC have been made.

Ashoka Chakra

Awarded for the highest degree of bravery other than in the face of the enemy.

Created 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947), this is the highest award for non-combatant military and civilian gallantry. The award was originally created in three classes for various deghrees of gallantry, but this class distinmction was removed in 1967. The lower two classes were renamed as the Kirti Chakra (old 2nd class) and Shaurya Chakra (old 3rd class).

Shown here is the Ashoka Chakra, Class I. This, like the PVC I presented, is a Mint specimen, also ex-ANS collection. I do not know of any ACs that have come on the market.

The Ashoka Chakra, class I, and (after 1967) Ashoka Chakra has, to date, been awarded 57 times (including two awards to foreigners). There are expected to be more awards this coming Republic Day in the context of the recent Mumbai attacks.

While, to date, no second or subsequent awards have been made, a special bar was designed for such awards.

While some of these have been shown in another thread -- http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18141 -- I have come to know that some interest apparently exists in having dedicated threads on some of these awards.

So, in partial commemoration of India's upcoming (26 January) 59th Republic Day, . . . .

Param Vir Chakra

Awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy.

While a draft warrant was prepared in 1948, constitutional issues postponed the creation until India became a republic on 26 January 1948. In many ways, and the design suggests this, this is a close parallel to the British Victoria Cross. This is the only easy comparison to make between the awards of independent India and the old British awards.

To date, there have been 21 awards, 20 to the Indian Army and one to the Indian Air Force.

I know of only one PVC that has come on the market and its background was rather "cloudy". What is shown here is an unawarded specimen, as used to be sold by the Indian Mint; this is ex-ANS Collection.

Glance over at the Middle East section and you'll see some discussion of this order.

I assume there was never (following the "Vorislov badge pattern") an excellent horseman badge. All Mongolians are expected to be excellent housemen.

Reverse.

Very nice. And it is a badge. I have seen the excellent swordsman badge (which Battushig shows) and I have the excellent shooter badge (not in Battushig). Which is yours, Sparks? This is mine:

Tan?csk?zt?rsas?gi Eml?k?rem, 1959 / Commemorative Medal of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, 1959

Szahmz Kiv?l? M?szaki Dolgozja - G?pipar / Excellent Engineering Worker of the Trade - Engineering Industry

The documents:

Kiv?l? M?szaki Dolgoz? / Excellent Engineering Work

The small group (all documented and cased) to Bosz? Ferenc that was up for sale here -- http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=33043 -- is now settling into a new hope quite happily, thank you. Before the old thread vanishes (as the "for sale" threads do), I thought I should thank all involved there (especially Bryan and Gordon) and re-document the group here.

Three medals:

-- Kiv?l? M?szaki Dolgoz? / Excellent Engineering Work -- unnumbered, but documented (1955), cased, and with miniature

-- Szahmz Kiv?l? M?szaki Dolgozja - G?pipar / Excellent Engineering Worker of the Trade - Engineering Industry -- numbered (11592) with matching document (1955), case, and miniature

-- Tan?csk?zt?rsas?gi Eml?k?rem, 1959 / Commemorative Medal of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, 1959 -- documented (1959), with case, and miniature

The recipient seems to have worked at the Klement Gottwald Electrical Factory. While he pops up (or at least someone of that name) a couple of times on Google, all is in Hungarian, which can't be Babel-Fished.

(Please correct me if I got my Hungarian wrong here.)

Does the Ozzy version use the words "For Valour" or Pro Valore" like the Canadian type?

No linguistic issues in Australia and too many Original Australian languages to contend with that complexity (though, interestingly, New Zealand missed out on that dimension?)?

Best thing about Republic is that it has pub in it...

Good on ya, mate.

1) I didn't mention the VC, just the source in reference to Australia; and 2) I said our table of awards, not the table of wear.

We are not some offshoot of the Empire anymore. The sooner we get rid of that foreign flag from the canton of our flag, or a new flag, the better.

Regards,

Johnsy

Republic.

Nice word, Johnsy.

Just when you think it can't get WORSE!!!

Though old Tammy might enjoy the joyous and self-fulfilling profligate insanity.

'Tis phleristic nonselse nevertheless.

Tom gets it right:

The Ozzy VC also supersedes the Imperial VC.

If you need to, check the meaning of the words.

The Australian VC is not the British VC. It (like the Canadian VC) is something new.

That is the normal naming style for Indian Army medals. Anyone with access to the Indian Army List for that period can check him out.

Thanks. Trying to find a way to write it up. Maybe for JOMSA.

We alla wait a Pakistani book eagerly.

Freudian typo aside , I'd love to be working on one. But there are no records in Islamabad and not even a complete run of the Gazette of Pakistan to be found.