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SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of FRIDAY, the ist of JUNE, 1945 by Registered as a newspaper

TUESDAY, 5 JUNE, 1945

War Office, $th June, 1945. also another platoon which was advancing The KING has been graciously pleased to from the West, Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS for the 'fifth time went forward alone in the to: — face of heavy enemy fire to knock out this position. He doubled forward and leapt on No. 10020 Rifleman Bhanbhagta GURUNG, 2nd to the roof of the bunker from where, his King Edward VIFs Own Rifles, hand grenades being finished,' he flung two Indian Army. No. 77 smoke grenades into the bunker slit. In Burma, on 5th March, 1945, a Com- Two Japanese rushed out of the bunker pany of the 2nd Gurkha Rifles attacked an partially blinded by the smoke. Rifleman enemy position known as Snowden East. On Bhanbhagta Gurung promptly killed them approaching the objective one of the, sections both with his Khukri. A remaining Japanese was forced to ground by very heavy Light inside the bunker was still firing the Light , grenade and mortar fire, and Machine Gun and holding up the advance of owing to the severity of this fire was unable No. 4 Platoon, so Rifleman Bhanbhagta to move in any direction. While thus pinned, Gurung crawled inside the bunker, killed this the section came under accurate fire from a Japanese guniner and captured the Light tree some 75 yards to the South. As Machine Gun. this sniper was inflicting casualties on the Most of the objective had now been cleared section, Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung, being by the men behind and the enemy driven unable to fire from the lying position, stood off were collecting for a counter-attack be- up fully exposed to the heavy fire and calmly neath the North end of the objective. Rifle- killed the enemy sniper with his rifle, thus man Bhanbhagta Gurung ordered the nearest saving his section from suffering further Bren gunner and two riflemen to take up casualties. positions in the captured bunker. The enemy The section then advanced again, but when counter-attack followed soon after, but under within 20 yards of the objective was again Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung's command attacked by, very heavy fire. Rifleman the small party inside the bunker repelled it Bhanbhagta Gurung, without waiting for any with heavy loss to the-enemy. orders, dashed forward alone and attacked Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung showed out- the first enemy fox-hole. Throwing two standing bravery and a complete disregard grenades, he killed the two occupants and for his own safety. His courageous clearing without any hesitation rushed .on to the next of five enemy positions single-handed was in enemy fox-hole and killed the Japanese in it itself decisive in capturing the objective and • with his . his inspiring example :.to : the' rest of the Two further enemy fox-holes were still Company contributed to" .the speedy con- bringing fire to bear on the section and again solidation of this success. V . ' Rifleman Bhahbhagta Gurung dashed for- ward alone and cleared these with bayonet and grenade. During his single-handed attacks on these four enemy fox-holes, Rifle- War Office, 5th June, 1945. man Bhanbhagta Gurung was subjected to REGULAR ARMY. almost continuous and point-blank Light Col. (temp. Brig!.) W. D.' SXAMER, C.B.E., .D.S.O., Machine Gun fire from a bunker on the North M.C. (4225) is" granted the actg. rank of. Maj.-Geh., 15th May/1945.- - •-. • • tip of the objective. Realising that this Light Col. J. A. A. GRIFFIN, D.S.Q. {4605),.retires on Machine Gun would hold up not only his ret. .pay, 4th June j^.'-anoMsYgranted the ton. : own platoon which was now behind him, but rank of Maj. Gen. " "' " " ...... - " t