Naik Jadunath Singh – Param Vir Chakra Awardee (Number 2)

Editor's note: The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy.

We welcome additional materials about Naik Jadunath Singh - pre-Army, in-Army - from relatives, friends, colleagues and other people who have relevant materials.

We also welcome similar materials - for separate stories - about other heroes and martyrs of the Indian Armed Forces, provided the time of the event was at least 30 years ago. Our contact is indiaofthepast@gmail.com.

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Naik Jadunath Singh

In the 1980s, Doordarshan commissioned Chetan Anand, a well-known film director, to produce TV episodes (in Hindi) on Param Vir Chakra awardees. The episode on Naik Jadunath Singh is available here.

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This section is adapted from the official Indian Army account and Wikipedia.

Naik Jadunath Singh, a Rathore Rajput, was born on 21 November 1916 in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His parents were Birbal Singh Rathore, a farmer, and Jamuna Kanwar. He was the third of eight children.

Jadunath Singh studied up to the fourth standard in his village. After that, he had to drop out because his family could not afford to have him continue in school. Instead, he worked on his family's farm. As a youth, he became his village's wrestling champion.

Singh never married. In 1941, when he was 25 years old, he enrolled in the 1 Rajput Regiment. He was a vegetarian. He remained one even though his superior in the Army encouraged him to eat meat because he was a wrestler.

During the Jammu &amp\; Kashmir operations, the Pakistanis captured Jhangar on December 1947. This placed them in an advantageous position in the Naushahra (Naushera) sector. Since they were in full command of the communication lines from Mirpur to Poonch, they could now build up their forces for attack on Naushera.

The Indian Army was aware of this threat. In January 1948, they conducted operations to prevent the enemy build up in the area, and in the process occupied Kot village to the northwest of Naushera. Regardless, an attack on Naushera was imminent.

Brigadier Usman of the 50 Para Brigade had made adequate preparation to thwart this attack by establishing strong pickets on possible enemy approaches. One of these approaches lay to the north of Naushera through Tain dhar.

The expected enemy attack came on the foggy morning of February 6, 1948 at 0640 hrs. The enemy started the attack by opening fire on an Indian patrol from their pickets on the Tain dhar ridge. Simultaneously, the whole of Tain dhar and the surrounding hills became live with bursts of machine gun and crunches of mortar fire.

Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness, the enemy crept up to the Indian pickets. In the first light of dawn, the Indians saw thousands of hostiles creeping up to them. On that crucial day of February 6, Naik Jadunath Singh was in command of a forward post of picket No.2 at Tain dhar. Nine men garrisoned the post.

The enemy launched their attack in successive waves to take this post. At this juncture Naik Jadunath Singh displayed great valour and superb leadership. He used his small force in such a way that the enemy retreated in utter confusion.

When four of his men were wounded, he re-organised the battered force for meeting another onslaught. The post did not give in, despite being outnumbered. When all men, including Jadunath Singh, were wounded, he personally took over the Bren gun from the wounded Bren-gun operator.

The enemy was now right on the walls of the post.

Naik Jadunath Singh, unmindful of his personal safety, encouraged his men to fight. His fire was so devastating that what looked like a certain defeat turned into a victory. Thus, the post was saved a second time.

By now, all men of the post had turned into casualties. The enemy put in his third and final attack, determined to capture the post.

Naik Jadunath Singh, wounded and alone, rose to give a battle for the third time. He came out of the Sangar [a temporary fortified position] and, firing his sten gun, charged on the advancing enemy. The surprised enemy fled in disorder. He met a gallant death, in this third and last charge, when two enemy bullets pierced him in the head and the chest.

At a most critical stage in the battle for the defence of Naushera, he saved his picket from being overrun by the enemy.

Naik Jadunath Singh was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

CITATION

At No 2 picquet [picket] on Taindhar on 6 February 1948, No. 27373 Naik Jadunath Singh was in command of a forward section post, which bore the full brunt of the enemy attack. Nine men against overwhelming odds garrisoned the little post. The enemy launched its attack in successive waves and with great ferocity to overcome this post. The first wave swept up to the post in a furious attack. Displaying great valour and superb qualities of leadership Naik Jadunath Singh so used the small force at his disposal that the enemy retired in utter confusion.

Four of his men were wounded but Naik Jadunath Singh again showed his qualities of good leadership by reorganizing the battered force under him, for meeting another onslaught. His coolness and courage were of such an order that the men rallied and were ready for the second attack which came with greater determination and in larger number than the preceding one. Though hopelessly outnumbered, this post under the gallant leadership of Naik Jadunath Singh resisted. All were wounded, and Naik Jadunath Singh, though wounded in the right arm, personally took over the Bren gun from the wounded Bren gunner.

The enemy was right on the walls of the post but Naik Jadunath Singh once again showed outstanding ability and valour of the highest order in action. By his complete disregard for his personal safety and example of coolness and courage, he encouraged his men to fight. His fire was so devastating, that what looked like impending defeat was turned into a victory and the enemy retreated in chaos leaving the dead and wounded littered on the ground. With this act of supreme heroism and outstanding example of leadership and determination, Naik Jadunath Singh saved the post from the second assault.

By this time, all men in the post were casualties. The enemy put in his third and final attack in undiminished numbers and determination to capture this post. Naik Jadunath Singh, now wounded, prepared literally single-handed to give battle for the third time. With great courage and determination, he came out of the sangar and finally with the Sten gun, made a most magnificent single-handed charge on the advancing enemy, who, completely taken by surprise, fled in disorder.

Naik Jadunath Singh, however, met his gallant death in his third and last charge when two bullets hit him in the head and chest. Thus, charging single-handedly at the advancing enemy, this Non-Commissioned Officer, performed the highest act of gallantry and self-sacrifice and by so doing saved his section - nay, his whole picquet - from being overrun by the enemy at the most critical stage in the battle for the defence of Nushera.