List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Indian Army

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 Honourable East India Company, and did not come under Crown control until 1860. European officers and men serving with the Honourable 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 first awards to Indian troops appeared in the London Gazette on 7 December 1914 to Darwan Singh Negi and Khudadad Khan.[3] Negi was presented with the VC by 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 Mutiny of 1857. 33 VCs were awarded for action in various campaigns between the mutiny 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.

NameUnitDate of actionConflictPlace of action
Adams, JamesJames AdamsBengal Ecclesiastical Department1879Second Afghan WarKilla Kazi, Afghanistan
Adams, RobertRobert AdamsCorps of Guides1897Tirah CampaignNawa Kili, India
Aikman, FrederickFrederick Aikman4th Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Amethi, India
Aitken, RobertRobert Aitken13th Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Allmand, MichaelMichael AllmandIndian Armoured Corps1944*Second World WarPin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma
Andrews, HenryHenry AndrewsIndian Medical Service1919*Waziristan CampaignWaziristan, India
Baker, CharlesCharles BakerBengal Police Battalion1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Suhejnee, Bengal
Bhagat, PremindraPremindra BhagatRoyal Bombay Sappers and Miners1941Second World WarMetemma, Abyssinia
Blair, JamesJames Blair2nd Bombay Light Cavalry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Neemuch, India
Boisragon, GuyGuy BoisragonIndian Staff Corps1891Hunza-Naga CampaignNilt Fort, India
Brown, FrancisFrancis Brown1st European Bengal Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Narnoul, India
Browne, SamSam Browne46th Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Seerporah, India
Bruce, WilliamWilliam Bruce59th Scinde Rifles1914*First World WarGivenchy, France
Buckley, JohnJohn BuckleyCommissariat Department1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Butler, ThomasThomas Butler1st European Bengal Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Cadell, ThomasThomas Cadell2nd European Bengal Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Cafe, WilliamWilliam Cafe56th Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Fort Ruhya, India
Carter, HerbertHerbert CarterPoona Mounted Infantry1903Fourth Somaliland ExpeditionJidballi, Somaliland
Channer, GeorgeGeorge ChannerBengal Staff Corps1875Perak WarPerak, Malaya
Chase, WilliamWilliam Chase28th Native Infantry1880Second Afghan WarKandahar, Afghanistan
Chicken, GeorgeGeorge ChickenIndian Naval Brigade1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Peroo, Bengal
Clogstoun, HerbertHerbert Clogstoun19th Madras Native Infantry1859Indian Mutiny of 1857Chichumbah, India
Cobbe, AlexanderAlexander CobbeKing's African Rifles1902Third Somaliland ExpeditionErigo, Somaliland
Connolly, WilliamWilliam ConnollyBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Jhelum, India
Cook, JohnJohn CookBengal Staff Corps1878Second Afghan WarPeiwar Kotal, Afghanistan
Costello, EdmondEdmond Costello22nd Punjab Infantry1897Tirah CampaignMalakand, India
Creagh, GarrettGarrett CreaghBombay Staff Corps1879Second Afghan WarKam Dakka, Afghanistan
Crimmin, JohnJohn CrimminBombay Medical Service1889Third Burmese WarLwekaw, Burma
Cubitt, WilliamWilliam Cubitt13th Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Chinhut, India
Cumming, ArthurArthur Cumming12th Frontier Force Regiment1942Second World WarKuantan, Malaya
Dast, MirMir Dast55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)1915First World WarWieltje, Belgium
Daunt, JohnJohn Daunt11th Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Chota Behar, India
de Pass, FrankFrank de Pass34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse1914*First World WarFestubert, France
Diamond, BernardBernard DiamondBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Bolandshahr, India
Din, FazalFazal Din10th Baluch Regiment1945*Second World WarMeiktila, Burma
Duffy, ThomasThomas Duffy1st Madras European Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Dundas, JamesJames DundasBengal Engineers1865Bhutan WarDewan-Giri, India
Fitzgerald, RichardRichard FitzgeraldBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Bolandshahr, India
Fitzgibbon, AndrewAndrew FitzgibbonIndia Medical Establishment1860Third China WarTaku Forts, China
Forrest, GeorgeGeorge ForrestBengal Veterans Establishment1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Fosbery, GeorgeGeorge Fosbery4th Bengal European Regiment1863Umbeyla CampaignNorth-West Frontier, India
Ghadge, YeshwantYeshwant Ghadge5th Mahratta Light Infantry1944*Second World WarUpper Tiber Valley, Italy
Ghale, GajeGaje Ghale5th Gurkha Rifles1943Second World WarChin Hills, Burma
Gill, PeterPeter GillLoodiana Regiment1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Benares, India
Goodfellow, CharlesCharles GoodfellowBombay Engineers1859Indian Mutiny of 1857Kathiawar, India
Gough, HughHugh Gough1st Bengal European Light Cavalry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Alumbagh, India
Gough, CharlesCharles Gough5th Bengal European Cavalry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Khurkowdah, India
Grant, CharlesCharles GrantIndian Staff Corps1891Manipur ExpeditionThobal, Burma
Grant, JohnJohn Grant8th Gurkha Rifles1904British expedition to TibetGyantse Jong, Tibet
Gurung, BhanbhagtaBhanbhagta Gurung2nd Gurkha Rifles1945Second World WarSnowdon East, Tamandu, Burma
Gurung, LachhimanLachhiman Gurung8th Gurkha Rifles1945Second World WarTaungdaw, Burma
Gurung, ThamanThaman Gurung5th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarMonte San Bartolo, Italy
Haidar, AliAli Haidar13th Frontier Force Rifles1945Second World WarFusignano, Italy
Hafiz, AbdulAbdul Hafiz9th Jat Infantry1944*Second World WarImphal, India
Hamilton, WalterWalter HamiltonCorps of Guides1879Second Afghan WarFuttehabad, Afghanistan
Hammond, ArthurArthur HammondBengal Staff Corps1879Second Afghan WarKabul, Afghanistan
Harington, HastingsHastings HaringtonBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Hills, JamesJames HillsBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Home, DuncanDuncan HomeBengal Engineers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Jotham, EustaceEustace Jotham51st Sikhs1915*First World WarTochi Valley, India
Innes, JamesJames InnesBengal Engineers1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Sultanpore, India
Jadav, NamdeoNamdeo Jadav5th Mahratta Light Infantry1945Second World WarSenio River, Italy
Jarrett, HansonHanson Jarrett26th Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Baroun, India
Jennings, EdwardEdward JenningsBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Judge, KaramjeetKaramjeet Judge15th Punjab Regiment1945*Second World WarMeiktila, Burma
Kavanagh, ThomasThomas KavanaghBengal Civil Service1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Keatinge, RichardRichard KeatingeBombay Artillery1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Chundairee, India
Kenny, WilliamWilliam Kenny39th Garhwal Rifles1920Waziristan CampaignKot Kai, India
Kerr, WilliamWilliam Kerr24th Bombay Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Kolapore, India
Khan, KhudadadKhudadad Khan129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis1914First World WarHollebeke, Belgium
Khan, ShahamadShahamad Khan89th Punjabis1916First World WarBeit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia
Lala41st Dogras1916First World WarEl Orah, Mesopotamia
Lama, GanjuGanju Lama7th Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarNingthoukhong, Burma
Laughnan, ThomasThomas LaughnanBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Lyster, HarryHarry Lyster72nd Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Calpee, India
Macintyre, DonaldDonald MacintyreBengal Staff Corps1872Looshai ExpeditionLalgnoora, India
MacLean, HectorHector MacLeanCorps of Guides1897*Tirah CampaignNawa Kili, India
Mahoney, PatrickPatrick Mahoney1st Madras European Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Mungulwar, India
Malcolmson, JohnJohn Malcolmson3rd Bombay Light Cavalry1857Anglo-Persian WarKhoosh-ab, Persia
Mangles, RossRoss ManglesBengal Civil Service1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Arrah, India
Mayo, ArthurArthur MayoIndian Naval Brigade1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Arrah, India
Maxwell, FrancisFrancis MaxwellIndian Staff Corps1900Second Boer WarKorn Spruit, South Africa
McDonell, WilliamWilliam McDonellBengal Civil Service1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Arrah, India
McInnes, HughHugh McInnesBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
McGovern, JohnJohn McGovern1st Bengal Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
McGuire, JamesJames McGuire1st Bengal Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Melliss, CharlesCharles MellissIndian Staff Corps1900Third Ashanti ExpeditionObassa, Ashanti
Meynell, GodfreyGodfrey Meynell12th Frontier Force Regiment1935*Second Mohmand CampaignMohmand, India
Miller, JamesJames MillerBengal Ordnance Depot1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Futtehpore, India
Moore, ArthurArthur Moore3rd Bombay Light Cavalry1857Anglo-Persian WarKhoosh-ab, Persia
Negi, DarwanDarwan Negi39th Garhwal Rifles1914First World WarFestubert, France
Negi, GabbarGabbar Negi39th Garhwal Rifles1915*First World WarNeuve Chapelle, France
Olpherts, WilliamWilliam OlphertsBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Park, JamesJames ParkBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Phillipps, EverardEverard Phillipps11th Bengal Native Infantry1857*Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Pitcher, HenryHenry Pitcher4th Punjab Infantry1863Umbeyla CampaignNorth-West Frontier, India
Prendergast, HarryHarry PrendergastMadras Engineers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Mundisore, India
Probyn, DightonDighton Probyn2nd Punjab Cavalry1857
1858[5]		Indian Mutiny of 1857India
Pun, TulbahadurTulbahadur Pun6th Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarMogaung, Burma
Rai, AgansingAgansing Rai5th Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarBishenpur, Burma
Ram, BhandariBhandari Ram10th Baluch Regiment1944Second World WarArakan, Burma
Ram, ChheluChhelu Ram6th Rajputana Rifles1943*Second World WarDjebel Garci, Tunisia
Ram, KamalKamal Ram8th Punjab Regiment1944Second World WarGari River, Italy
Ram, RichhpalRichhpal Ram6th Rajputana Rifles1941*Second World WarKeren, Eritrea
Rana, KaranbahadurKaranbahadur Rana3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles1918First World WarEl Kefr, Egypt
Raynor, WilliamWilliam RaynorBengal Veterans Establishment1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Renny, GeorgeGeorge RennyBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Ridgeway, RichardRichard RidgewayBengal Staff Corps1879Basuto WarKonoma, India
Roberts, FrederickFrederick RobertsBengal Horse Artillery1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Khodagunge, India
Roddy, PatrickPatrick RoddyBengal Army1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Kuthirga, India
Rolland, GeorgeGeorge Rolland1st Bombay Grenadiers1903Third Somaliland ExpeditionDaratoleh, Somaliland
Rosamund, MatthewMatthew Rosamund37th Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Benares, India
Ryan, JohnJohn Ryan1st Madras European Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Ryan, MilesMiles Ryan101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Salkeld, PhilipPhilip SalkeldBengal Engineers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Sartorius, ReginaldReginald Sartorius6th Bengal Cavalry1874First Ashanti ExpeditionAbogu, Ashanti
Scott, AndrewAndrew ScottBengal Staff Corps1877Balochistan CampaignQuetta, India
Shah, SherSher Shah16th Punjab Regiment1945*Second World WarKyeyebyin, Burma
Singh, BadluBadlu Singh14th Murray's Jat Lancers1918*First World WarRiver Jordan, Palestine
Singh, ChattaChatta Singh9th Bhopal Infantry1916First World WarWadi, Mesopotamia
Singh, GianGian Singh15th Punjab Regiment1945Second World WarKamye, Burma
Singh, GobindGobind Singh28th Light Cavalry1917First World WarÉpehy, France
Singh, IsharIshar Singh28th Punjab Regiment1921Waziristan CampaignHaidari Kach, India
Singh, NandNand Singh11th Sikh Regiment1944Second World WarMaungdaw-Buthidaung Road, Burma
Singh, ParkashParkash Singh8th Punjab Regiment1943Second World WarDonbaik, Burma
Singh, PrakashPrakash Singh13th Frontier Force Rifles1945*Second World WarKanlan Ywathit, Burma
Sarup Singh, RamRam Sarup Singh1st Punjab Regiment1944*Second World WarKennedy Peak, Burma
Singh, UmraoUmrao SinghRoyal Indian Artillery1944Second World WarKaladan Valley, Burma
Sinton, JohnJohn SintonIndian Medical Service1916First World WarOrah Ruins, Mesopotamia
Shebbeare, RobertRobert Shebbeare60th Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Smith, JohnJohn SmithBengal Sappers and Miners1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Smith, JohnJohn Smith1st Madras European Fusiliers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Smith, JohnJohn SmithIndian Staff Corps1891Hunza-Naga CampaignNilt Fort, India
Smyth, JohnJohn Smyth15th Ludhiana Sikhs1915First World WarRichebourg L'Aouve, France
Thackeray, EdwardEdward ThackerayBengal Engineers1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Thapa, KulbirKulbir Thapa3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles1915First World WarFauquissart, France
Thapa, LalbahadurLalbahadur Thapa2nd Gurkha Rifles1943Second World WarRass-es-Zouai, Tunisia
Thapa, NetrabahadurNetrabahadur Thapa5th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarBishenpur, Burma
Thapa, Sher BahadurSher Bahadur Thapa9th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarSan Marino, Italy
Thomas, JacobJacob ThomasBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Tombs, HenryHenry TombsBengal Horse Artillery1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Delhi, India
Travers, JamesJames Travers2nd Bengal Native Infantry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Indore, India
Trevor, WilliamWilliam TrevorBengal Engineers1865Bhutan WarDewan-Giri, India
Tytler, JohnJohn Tytler66th Bengal Native Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Choorpoorah, India
Vousden, WilliamWilliam Vousden5th Punjab Cavalry1879Second Afghan WarKabul, Afghanistan
Walker, WilliamWilliam Walker4th Gurkha Rifles1903Third Somaliland ExpeditionDaratoleh, Somaliland
Waller, WilliamWilliam Waller25th Bombay Light Infantry1858Indian Mutiny of 1857Gwalior, India
Watson, JohnJohn Watson1st Punjab Cavalry1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Lucknow, India
Wheeler, GeorgeGeorge Wheeler9th Gurkha Rifles1917First World WarShumran, Mesopotamia
Wheeler, GeorgeGeorge Wheeler7th Hariana Lancers1915*First World WarShaiba, Mesopotamia
Whirlpool, FrederickFrederick Whirlpool3rd Bombay European Regiment1857Indian Mutiny of 1857Jhansi, India
Whitchurch, HarryHarry WhitchurchIndian Medical Service1895Chitral ExpeditionChitral Fort, India
Wood, JohnJohn Wood20th Bombay Native Infantry1856Anglo-Persian WarBushire, Persia

References

Specific
  1. ↑ Ashcroft, M, preface; XI–XIII
  2. ↑ Parker 2005, p. 62.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28999. p. 10425. 4 December 1914. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  4. ↑ Crook, MJ, Chapter 11. pp 117–125
  5. ↑ Probyn was awarded his VC for numerous gallant acts throughout the period of the Indian Mutiny of 1857.
    The London Gazette: no. 22154. p. 2960. 1858-06-18. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
General

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