Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Second World War Italy operations I.D.S.M. awarded to Sepoy Babu Singh, 2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment, who wiped out several enemy machine-gun posts although wounded in two places

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (19571 Sep. Babu Singh, 11 R. Sikh R.), officially impressed naming, complete with laurelled brooch-bar, edge nicks, otherwise nearly extremely fine £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bahadur Collection of Medals to Sikh Regiments.

View
Collection

I.D.S.M. London Gazette 8 February 1945. The original recommendation for an immediate award states:

‘During the night of 11-12 September 1944, this Sepoy’s platoon was engaged in a night attack on the village of Onferno. The area was strongly held by the enemy, and resistance to the attack was fierce. Sepoy Babu Singh was a member of the leading section, which quickly became pinned to the ground. He worked his Bren gun round to a flank without further orders, to a position from which he quickly silenced two enemy machine-gun posts by fire, thereby enabling the Platoon to continue its advance. The Platoon was then attacked in the rear from well-sited light machine-gun posts, and faced about to receive this attack. During the period their position was heavily and accurately mortared and Sepoy Babu Singh was wounded in the left arm and thigh by light machine-gun fire and a shell-splinter.

In spite of his wounds, Sepoy Babu Singh handed over his gun to the Number 2, took over a “sling” of bombs and a T.S.M.G. and, telling the No. 2 to cover him, made off alone for a machine-gun post which was greatly impeding his platoon’s advance. He destroyed this post single-handed with the grenades he carried, killing the two German gunners at their gun.

His courageous determination to close with the enemy at all costs, and his initiative and offensive action, though himself seriously wounded, resulted in his platoon being extricated from a most disadvantageous position with the minimum casualties, and was an act of great heroism in the highest traditions of the Service.’