© Crown Copyright Imperial War Museum (Ref
MH2606)
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Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun VC,
Chindit |
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Extract from
Supplement
to
The London Gazette
of Tuesday, the 7th of November, 1944
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War Office, 9th
November, 1944
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The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award
of the VICTORIA CROSS to :- |
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No. 10119 Rifleman Tullbahadur Pun, 6th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army.
In Burma on June 23rd, 1944, a Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles
was ordered to attack the Railway Bridge at Mogaung. Immediately the
attack developed the enemy opened concentrated and sustained cross
fire at close range from a position known as the Red House and from
a strong bunker position two hundred yards to the left of it.
So intense was this cross fire that both the leading platoons of 'B'
Company, one of which was Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun's, were pinned to
the ground and the whole of his Section was wiped out with the
exception of himself, the Section commander and one other man. The
Section commander immediately led the remaining two men in a charge
on the Red House but was at once badly wounded. Rifleman Tulbahadur
Pun and his remaining companion continued the charge, but the latter
too was immediately wounded.
Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun then seized the Bren Gun, and firing from
the hip as he went, continued the charge on this heavily bunkered
position alone, in the face of the most shattering concentration of
automatic fire, directed straight at him. With the dawn coming up
behind him, he presented a perfect target to the Japanese. He had
to move for thirty yards over open ground, ankle deep in mud,
through shell holes and over fallen trees.
Despite these overwhelming odds, he reached the Red House and closed
with the Japanese occupations. He killed three and put five more to
flight and captured two light machine guns and much ammunition. He
then gave accurate supporting fire from the bunker to the remainder
of his platoon which enabled them to reach their objective.
His outstanding courage and superb gallantry in the face of odds
which meant almost certain death were most inspiring to all ranks
and beyond praise. |
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