A Collection of Medals to Gurkhas

A fine ‘Malayan Emergency’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Lance-Corporal Sherbahadur Rai, 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles, for his gallant conduct at Bahau Negri Sembilian on 1 March 1950 when communist insurgents derailed and ambushed a train, peppering the carriages with bullets - his bold action and offensive spirit with a bayonet ‘prevented a serious incident from becoming a major disaster’

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R. (21146023 L.Cpl. Sherbahadur Rai. 1/10. G.R.) officially re-impressed naming; War Medal 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, S.E. Asia 1945-46, Malaya (114507. Rfn Sherb’dr Rai. 3/10 G.R) minor official correction to number; Indian Independence Medal 1947 (21146023. Rfn. Sherbahadur. Rai. GR.) mounted for wear, minor scratch to reverse of DCM, generally very fine (4) £1,600-£2,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Gurkhas.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 12 May 1950.
The original recommendation states: ‘Bahau Negri Sembilian. On 1st March, L/Cpl Sherbahadur Rai was returning from Local Leave in Jahore Bahru accompanied by some other leave details. They were travelling on the civil train from Johore - Mentakab.

Between Bahau and Kemayan the train was derailed and ambushed at about 1030 hrs by a large party of bandits who were in position on both sides of a precipitous cutting. The carriage in which the GORs were travelling came to a halt in the middle of the cutting. Hence the full force and volume of enemy fire was directed on this carriage as a result of which 4 GORs were wounded (one seriously). The fire was so heavy that the men were “pinned down”. The enemy called upon the men to surrender and under cover of withering fire, one bandit armed with a sten endeavoured to come down towards the carriage. L/Cpl Sherbahadur immediately wounded him and the latter withdrew. A second bandit endeavoured to follow suit and was shot in the mouth and killed by L/Cpl Sherbahadur Rai.

As a result of this enemy set back, L/Cpl Sherbahadur Rai seized the chance to jump out of the train with the object of charging the enemy. His action inspired the 4 wounded men to follow suit as well. One man was so badly wounded in the chest, that L/Cpl Sherbahadur was compelled to place him under suitable cover from fire. With the remaining three however he charged round the flank of the cutting straight at the enemy who immediately withdrew. L/Cpl Sherbahadur Rai and the three wounded men followed the bandits up for 1 3/4 miles firing as they went. Eventually on account of the wounded men, L/Cpl Sherbahadur Rai was compelled to call off the pursuit. On the way back, he picked up the dead body of the bandit he had shot and returning to the railway line handed the body over to the police. He also dressed and bandaged the wounded GORs.

The highly courageous, bold action and inspiring leadership on the part of this young Lance-Corporal undoubtedly prevented a serious incident from becoming a major disaster. As an example of offensive spirit in the face of great odds it is second to none.’

Sherbahadur Rai served as a Section Commander with the 1/10th Gurkha Rifles when his train was derailed by communist guerilla forces on the morning of 1 March 1950. The Aberdeen Press and Journal of 3 March 1950 adds a little more detail:
‘Four Gurkhas with fixed bayonets charged a bandit ambush after the derailment of a passenger train between Gemas and Triang. A Malayan police statement said that the four Gurkhas routed about fifty bandits in a forty-minute battle, killing one and wounding four. Five other Gurkhas in the train were wounded, along with one auxiliary policeman and three civilians.’

Sherbahadur Rai was initially recommended for the D.C.M. by Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. Graham, Officer Commanding 1/10th Gurkha Rifles; passed up the chain of command, this was later ‘strongly recommended’ by the Commander in Chief FARELF on 3 April 1950 and approved by the newly installed Major-General Urquhart. Sadly, the Malayan railway remained a soft target for guerilla forces; the derailment of a mail train from Singapore in November 1951 killed four people and injured 20, and proved a close-call for the Malayan ruler of Egri Sembilan. According to the Bradford Observer on 15 November 1951: ‘The train plunged into a ravine. The gang fled after spraying the wreck with gunfire...’

Another attack on a goods train in January 1955 - where the fishplates securing the rails to the sleepers had been removed in a cutting - resulted in injuries to the driver and fireman and destruction of the rolling stock.

Sold with copied research noting this as the fifth D.C.M. awarded to a Gurkha and the first D.C.M. awarded to the 1/10th Battalion, Gurkha Rifles.