The Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 153 members of the British Indian Army and civilians under its command, from 1857 until independence in 1947. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other Orders, decorations and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The VC is traditionally presented to the recipient by the British monarch during an investiture at Buckingham Palace , though in a large number of cases this was not possible and it was presented in the field by a prominent civil or military official. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War .[ 1]
Indian troops were not originally eligible for the VC, because since 1837 they had been eligible for the Indian Order of Merit —the oldest British gallantry award for general issue. When the VC was created, Indian troops were still controlled by the British East India Company , and did not come under Crown control until 1860. European officers and men serving with the East India Company were not eligible for the Indian Order of Merit ; the VC was extended to cover them in October 1857. It was only at the end of the 19th century that calls for Indian troops to be awarded the VC intensified. Indian troops became eligible for the award in 1911.[ 2] The London Gazette Darwan Singh Negi and Khudadad Khan , whose gallantry on 31 October 1914 was nearly a month earlier than Negi's gallantry on 24/25 November.[ 3] King George V two days earlier, on 5 December 1914, during a visit to troops in France. He is one of a small number of soldiers presented with his award before it appeared in the London Gazette .[ 4]
There have been a total of 148 VC recipients who were serving with an Indian Army or Honourable East India Company (HEIC) unit. 63 VCs were awarded to British officers and men of the HEIC during the Anglo-Persian War (1856–1857) and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . 33 VCs were awarded for action in various campaigns between the rebellion in 1857 and the First World War. 18 VCs were awarded for action in the First World War , and 30 in the Second World War . In addition to these, 5 civilians under military command were awarded the VC.
Recipients This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously.
Name Unit Date of action Conflict Place of action James Adams Bengal Ecclesiastical Department 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Killa Kazi, Afghanistan Robert Adams Corps of Guides 1897 Tirah Campaign Nawa Kili , India Frederick Aikman 004 4th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Amethi , India Robert Aitken 013 13th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Michael Allmand Indian Armoured Corps 1944* Second World War Pin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma Henry Andrews Indian Medical Service 1919* Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Waziristan , India Charles Baker Bengal Police Battalion 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Suhejnee, Bengal Premindra Bhagat Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners 1941 Second World War Metemma , Abyssinia James Blair 002 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Neemuch , India Guy Boisragon Indian Staff Corps 1891 Hunza-Naga Campaign Nilt Fort , India Francis Brown 001 1st European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Narnoul , India Sam Browne 046 46th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Seerporah, India William Bruce 059 59th Scinde Rifles 1914* First World War Givenchy , France John Buckley Commissariat Department 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Thomas Butler 001 1st European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Thomas Cadell 002 2nd European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India William Cafe 056 56th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Fort Ruhya , India Herbert Carter Poona Mounted Infantry 1903 Fourth Somaliland Expedition Jidballi , Somaliland George Channer Bengal Staff Corps 1875 Perak War Perak , Malaya William Chase 028 28th Bombay Native Infantry 1880 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kandahar , Afghanistan George Chicken Indian Naval Brigade Indian Naval Brigade 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Peroo, Bengal Herbert Clogstoun 019 19th Madras Native Infantry 1859 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chichumbah, India Alexander Cobbe King's African Rifles 1902 Third Somaliland Expedition Erigo , Somaliland William Connolly Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Jhelum , India John Cook Bengal Staff Corps 1878 Second Anglo-Afghan War Peiwar Kotal, Afghanistan Edmond Costello 022 22nd Punjab Infantry 1897 Tirah Campaign Malakand , India Garrett Creagh Bombay Staff Corps 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kam Dakka, Afghanistan John Crimmin Bombay Medical Service 1889 Third Burmese War Lwekaw, Burma William Cubitt 013 13th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chinhut , India Arthur Cumming 012 12th Frontier Force Regiment 1942 Second World War Kuantan , Malaya Mir Dast 055 55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force) 1915 First World War Wieltje , Belgium John Daunt 011 11th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chota Behar , India Frank de Pass 034 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse 1914* First World War Festubert , France Bernard Diamond Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Bolandshahr , India Fazal Din 010 10th Baluch Regiment 1945* Second World War Meiktila , Burma Thomas Duffy 001 1st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India James Dundas Bengal Engineers 1865 Bhutan War Dewan-Giri , India Richard Fitzgerald Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Bolandshahr , India Andrew Fitzgibbon India Medical Establishment 1860 Third China War Taku Forts , China George Forrest Bengal Veterans Establishment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India George Fosbery 004 4th Bengal European Regiment 1863 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) North-West Frontier , India Yeshwant Ghadge 005 5th Mahratta Light Infantry 1944* Second World War Upper Tiber Valley , Italy Gaje Ghale 005 5th Gurkha Rifles 1943 Second World War Chin Hills , Burma Peter Gill Loodiana Regiment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Benares , India Charles Goodfellow Bombay Engineers 1859 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kathiawar , India Hugh Gough 001 1st Bengal European Light Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Alumbagh , India Charles Gough 005 5th Bengal European Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Khurkowdah, India Charles Grant Indian Staff Corps 1891 Manipur Expedition Thobal, Burma John Grant 008 8th Gurkha Rifles 1904 British expedition to Tibet Gyantse Jong , Tibet Bhanbhagta Gurung 002 2nd Gurkha Rifles 1945 Second World War Snowdon East, Tamandu , Burma Lachhiman Gurung 008 8th Gurkha Rifles 1945 Second World War Taungdaw , Burma Thaman Gurung 005 5th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War Monte San Bartolo , Italy Ali Haidar 013 13th Frontier Force Rifles 1945 Second World War Fusignano , Italy Rao Abdul Hafiz Khan 009 9th Jat Infantry 1944* Second World War Imphal , India Walter Hamilton Corps of Guides 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Futtehabad , Afghanistan Arthur Hammond Bengal Staff Corps 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kabul , Afghanistan Hastings Harington Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India James Hills Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Duncan Home Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Eustace Jotham 051 51st Sikhs 1915* First World War Tochi Valley , India James Innes Bengal Engineers 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Sultanpore , India Namdeo Jadhav 005 5th Mahratta Light Infantry 1945 Second World War Senio River , Italy Hanson Jarrett 026 26th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Baroun , India Edward Jennings Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Karamjeet Judge 015 15th Punjab Regiment 1945* Second World War Meiktila , Burma Thomas Kavanagh Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Richard Keatinge Bombay Artillery Bombay Artillery 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chundairee , India William Kenny 039 39th Garhwal Rifles 1920 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Kot Kai, India William Kerr 024 24th Bombay Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kolapore , India Khudadad Khan 129 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis 1914 First World War Hollebeke , France Shahamad Khan 089 89th Punjabis 1916 First World War Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia Lala Lala 041 41st Dogras 1916 First World War El Orah, Mesopotamia Ganju Lama 007 7th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Ningthoukhong , Burma Thomas Laughnan Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Harry Lyster 072 72nd Bengal Native Infantry1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Calpee , India Donald Macintyre Bengal Staff Corps 1872 Looshai Expedition Lalgnoora, India Hector MacLean Corps of Guides 1897* Tirah Campaign Nawa Kili , India Patrick Mahoney 001 1st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Mungulwar, India John Malcolmson 003 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab , Persia Ross Mangles Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah , India Arthur Mayo Indian Naval Brigade Indian Naval Brigade 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah , India Francis Maxwell Indian Staff Corps 1900 Second Boer War Korn Spruit , South Africa William McDonell Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah , India Hugh McInnes Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India John McGovern 001 1st Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India James McGuire 001 1st Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Charles Melliss Indian Staff Corps 1900 Third Ashanti Expedition Obassa , Ashanti Godfrey Meynell 012 12th Frontier Force Regiment 1935* Second Mohmand Campaign Mohmand , India James Miller Bengal Ordnance Depot 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Futtehpore , India Arthur Moore 003 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab , Persia Darwan Negi 039 39th Garhwal Rifles 1914 First World War Festubert , France Gabbar Negi 039 39th Garhwal Rifles 1915* First World War Neuve Chapelle , France William Olpherts Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India James Park Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Everard Phillipps 011 11th Bengal Native Infantry 1857* Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Henry Pitcher 004 4th Punjab Infantry 1863 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) North-West Frontier , India Harry Prendergast Madras Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Mundisore, India Dighton Probyn 002 2nd Punjab Cavalry 1857[ 5] Indian Rebellion of 1857 India Tulbahadur Pun 006 6th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Mogaung , Burma Agansing Rai 005 5th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Bishenpur , Burma Bhandari Ram 010 10th Baluch Regiment 1944 Second World War Arakan , Burma Chhelu Ram 006 6th Rajputana Rifles 1943* Second World War Djebel Garci , Tunisia Kamal Ram 008 8th Punjab Regiment 1944 Second World War Gari River , Italy Richhpal Ram 006 6th Rajputana Rifles 1941* Second World War Keren , Eritrea Karanbahadur Rana 003 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles 1918 First World War El Kefr, Egypt William Raynor Bengal Veterans Establishment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India George Renny Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Richard Ridgeway Bengal Staff Corps 1879 Basuto War Konoma, India Frederick Roberts Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Khodagunge, India Patrick Roddy Bengal Army 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kuthirga, India George Rolland 001 1st Bombay Grenadiers 1903 Third Somaliland Expedition Daratoleh , Somaliland Matthew Rosamund 037 37th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Benares , India John Ryan 001 1st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Miles Ryan 101 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Philip Salkeld Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Reginald Sartorius 006 6th Bengal Cavalry 1874 First Ashanti Expedition Abogu, Ashanti Andrew Scott Bengal Staff Corps 1877 Balochistan Campaign Quetta , India Sher Shah 016 16th Punjab Regiment 1945* Second World War Kyeyebyin, Burma Badlu Singh 014 14th Murray's Jat Lancers 1918* First World War River Jordan , Palestine Chatta Singh 009 9th Bhopal Infantry 1916 First World War Wadi , Mesopotamia Gian Singh 015 15th Punjab Regiment 1945 Second World War Kamye, Burma Gobind Singh 028 28th Light Cavalry 1917 First World War Épehy , France Ishar Singh 028 28th Punjab Regiment 1921 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Haidari Kach , India Nand Singh 011 11th Sikh Regiment 1944 Second World War Maungdaw-Buthidaung Road, Burma Parkash Singh 008 8th Punjab Regiment 1943 Second World War Donbaik , Burma Prakash Singh 013 13th Frontier Force Rifles 1945* Second World War Kanlan Ywathit, Burma Ram Sarup Singh 001 1st Punjab Regiment 1944* Second World War Kennedy Peak , Burma Umrao Singh Royal Indian Artillery 1944 Second World War Kaladan Valley , Burma John Sinton Indian Medical Service 1916 First World War Orah Ruins, Mesopotamia Robert Shebbeare 060 60th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India John Smith Bengal Sappers and Miners 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India John Smith 001 1st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India John Smith Indian Staff Corps 1891 Hunza-Naga Campaign Nilt Fort , India John Smyth 015 15th Ludhiana Sikhs 1915 First World War Richebourg L'Aouve , France Edward Thackeray Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi , India Kulbir Thapa 003 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles 1915 First World War Fauquissart , France Lalbahadur Thapa 002 2nd Gurkha Rifles 1943 Second World War Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia Netrabahadur Thapa 005 5th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War Bishenpur , Burma Sher Bahadur Thapa 009 9th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War San Marino , Italy Jacob Thomas Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India Henry Tombs Bengal Horse Artillery Bengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian of 1857 Delhi , India James Travers 002 2nd Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Indore , India William Trevor Bengal Engineers 1865 Bhutan War Dewan-Giri , India John Tytler 066 66th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Choorpoorah , India William Vousden 005 5th Punjab Cavalry 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kabul , Afghanistan William Walker 004 4th Gurkha Rifles 1903 Third Somaliland Expedition Daratoleh , Somaliland William Waller 025 25th Bombay Light Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Gwalior , India John Watson 001 1st Punjab Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow , India George Wheeler 009 9th Gurkha Rifles 1917 First World War Shumran, Mesopotamia George Wheeler 007 7th Hariana Lancers 1915* First World War Shaiba , Mesopotamia Frederick Whirlpool 003 3rd Bombay European Regiment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Jhansi , India Harry Whitchurch Indian Medical Service 1895 Chitral Expedition Chitral Fort , India John Wood 020 20th Bombay Native Infantry 1856 Anglo-Persian War Bushire , Persia
References Specific General
