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Auction: 21003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 505

An immediate Second World War I.D.S.M. awarded to Rifleman K. Gurung, 4th Gurkha Rifles

Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., with top riband buckle (3792 Rfn. Kamsing Gurung, 1-4 GR), with its damaged original box of issue, good very fine

I.D.S.M. London Gazette 3 January 1947. The original recommendation, which sprang from a letter in April 1946 by Major-General Lentaigne, who had been Commanding the 1st Battalion, 4th Gurkha Rifles and put him forward for an immediate Indian Order of Merit states:

'Early in the morning on 6 March 1942 a recce party of 63 Indian Infantry Brigade consisting of the Brigade Commander, the Brigade Major, the three Battalion Commanders and their three Adjutants left Pegu to rejoin the Bridgade in the Rangoon area. They travelled in a convoy containing a Stuart Tank of the Armd Brigade and three wheeled Ford open top Carriers detailed from the Battalion of 48 Brigade. One of these carriers was driven by 2/Lt. Hawkins of 1/4 GR and countained Brigadier Wickham, Major Forteath and Lt. Colonel Leonard as passengers. The remainder of the crew consisted of two GORs of whom Rifleman Kumsing [sic] was the Bren Gunner. The convoy was ambushed by a Japanese road block in the area of Banwegon about six miles from Pegu on the road to Rangoon. The Stuart Tank by reason of its armour and closed top got through with some casualties. Two of the Carriers were destroyed and the majority if not all of their occupants were killed. The 4th Gurkha Rifle Carrier was subjected to heavy fire a very close range which entered through the front parts and wounded all the occupants except Rifleman Kumsing who was standing up at his post. The driver 2/Lt. Hawkins was hit under the eye. As an indication of the volume of the fire Lt. Col. Leonard was later found to have upwards of thirty bullets and splinters in his body. Kumsing manned his Bren Gun and by accurate bursts and the use of grenades accounted for a number of enemy snipers in the trees, and others who tried to rush the carrier. This respite enabled Hawkins to stop, reverse, and turn the carrier on the narrow road through the jungle and to drive it back to Pegu. The coolness, courage and skill in the use of weapons displayed by Kumsing who was exposed from the waist upwards to a heavy fire at close range from rifles and light automatics, undoubtedly saved the lives of all the occupants of the carrier.

I can only assume that the original citation was lost in the heavy fighting that occured during the next few days during which the office of 48 Brigade was destroyed or captured. I have no hesitation in recommending the award of an immediate IOM retrospectively to No. 3792 Rfn. Kumsing.'

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Sold for
£1,900

Starting price
£480