https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Fazal_DinFazal Din - Revision history2026-07-31T05:08:59ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Fazal_Din&diff=373924&oldid=prevBot at 10:16, 5 November 20222022-11-05T10:16:13Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross (1821–1945)}}<br />
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox military person<br />
|name = Fazal Din<br />
|image = Naik Fazal Din VC.jpg<br />
|caption = Fazal Din {{circa|1945}}<br />
|birth_date = {{birth date|1921|07|01|df=yes}}<br />
|death_date = {{death date and age|1945|03|02|1921|07|01|df=yes}}<br />
|birth_place = [[Hoshiarpur District|Hoshiarpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]<br />
|death_place = [[Meiktila]], [[British Burma]]<br />
|allegiance = [[British Raj]]<br />
|branch = [[British Indian Army]]<br />
|serviceyears = 1940–1945<br />
|rank = [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]<br />
|unit = 7th Battalion, [[10th Baluch Regiment]]<br />
|commands = <br />
|battles = [[Second World War]]<br />
* [[Pacific War]]<br />
** [[Burma campaign]]<br />
*** [[Burma campaign (1944–45)|Burma campaign 1945]]<br />
**** [[Battles of Meiktila and Mandalay|Battle of Meiktila]] {{DOW}}<br />
|awards = [[Victoria Cross]]<br />
|relations = <br />
|laterwork = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Fazal Din''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (1 July 1921 – 2 March 1945) was an Indian<ref name="forcesnet">{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/heritage/incredible-story-fazal-din-vc|title=The Incredible Story of Fazal Din VC|work=Forces.net|date=12 November 2015}}</ref> recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://afma.org.uk/2017/01/24/our-heroes-fazal-din/|title=OUR HEROES: FAZAL DIN|date=24 January 2017|work=AFMA}}</ref><br />
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==Early life==<br />
He was born in 1921 to a [[Punjabi Muslim]] [[Gujjar]] family in the [[Hoshiarpur District]] of [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], British India.<ref name="forcesnet"/> Fazal Din, having only passed Middle School, was inspired to join the [[British Indian Army]] by the outbreak of the World War. He was recruited as a [[rifleman]] and became a [[Section (military unit)|section]] gunner in the [[10th Baluch Regiment]], before rising to the rank of [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] - equivalent to a British Army corporal.<ref name="forcesnet"/><br />
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==Victoria Cross citation==<br />
Fazal Din was 23 years old, and an acting naik in the 7th Battalion of [[10th Baluch Regiment]], [[British Indian Army]]{{efn|now 15th Battalion of The [[Baloch Regiment]] of the [[Pakistan Army]]}} during the battle of Mektila.<br />
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The official citation to the award describes his actions:<br />
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{{Quotation|In Burma, on 2nd March, 1945, Naik Fazal Din was commanding a section during a Company attack on a Japanese bunkered position. During this attack, the section found itself in an area flanked by three bunkers on one side and a house and one bunker on the other side. This was the key of the enemy position and had held up a Company attack made earlier. Naik Fazal Din's section was accompanied by a tank but, at the time of entering the area, it had gone on ahead. On reaching the area, the section was held up by Light Machine Gun fire and grenades from the bunkers. Unhesitatingly Naik Fazal Din personally attacked the nearest bunker with grenades and silenced it. He then led his section under heavy fire against the other bunkers. Suddenly six Japanese, led by two officers wielding swords, rushed from the house. The [[Bren light machine gun|Bren gunner]] shot one officer and a Japanese other rank but by then had expended the magazine of the gun. He was almost simultaneously attacked by the second Japanese officer who killed him with his sword. Naik Fazal Din went to the Bren gunner's assistance immediately but, in doing so, was run through the chest by the officer, the sword point appearing through his back. On the Japanese officer withdrawing his sword, Naik Fazal Din, despite his terrible wound, tore the sword from the officer and killed him with it. He then attacked a Japanese other rank and also killed him. He then went to the assistance of a [[sepoy]] of his section who was struggling with another Japanese and killed the latter with the sword. Then, waving the sword, he continued to encourage his men. He staggered to Platoon Headquarters, about 25 yards away, to make a report and collapsed. He died soon after reaching the Regimental Aid Post.<ref name="forcesnet"/><br />
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Naik Fazal Din's action was seen by almost the whole Platoon who, undoubtedly inspired by his gallantry and taking advantage of the bewilderment created amongst the enemy by the loss of its leaders, continued the attack and annihilated the garrison which numbered 55.<ref name="forcesnet"/><br />
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Such supreme devotion to duty, even when fatally wounded, presence of mind and outstanding courage, have seldom been equalled and reflect the unquenchable spirit of a singularly brave and gallant N.C.O.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37091|date=22 May 1945|page=2647|supp=y}}</ref><ref name="forcesnet"/>}}<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{notelist}}<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020618050125/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/VC/2FDin.html Fazal Din]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Din, Fazal}}<br />
[[Category:1921 births]]<br />
[[Category:1945 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Indian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]<br />
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War II]]<br />
[[Category:Punjabi people]]<br />
[[Category:People from Hoshiarpur district]]</div>Bot