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{{Use Indian English|date=February 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Gabbar Singh Negi
|birth_date={{birth date|df=yes|1895|04|21}}
|death_date={{Death date and age|df=yes|1915|03|10|1895|04|21}}{{KIA}}
|image=
|image_size=170
|caption=
|nickname=
|work=
|birth_place=Manjaur, [[Garhwal Kingdom|Tehri Garhwal State]], [[British India]]<br>{{small|(Present-day [[Tehri Garhwal district]], [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]])}}
|death_place=[[Neuve Chapelle]], France
|allegiance={{flag|British India|23px}}
|branch={{army|British India|23px}}
|serviceyears=1913–1915
|rank=[[Rifleman]]
|unit=[[39th Garhwal Rifles]]
|commands=
|battles=[[First World War]]
* [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]] {{KIA}}
|awards=[[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
'''Gabar Singh Negi''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (21 April 1895{{snd}}10 March 1915) was a soldier in the [[British Indian Army]] during the [[First World War]] and a recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Early life==
Gabar Singh Negi, was born on 21 April 1895<ref name=CWGC>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/foreverindia/military-honours/gabar-singh-negi.php |title=Gabar Singh Negi, 21st April, 1895 – 10th March, 1915 |website=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |access-date=1 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121035545/http://www.cwgc.org/foreverindia/military-honours/gabar-singh-negi.php |archive-date=21 November 2015 }}</ref> at Manjaur village near [[Chamba, Uttarakhand|Chamba]], [[Garhwal Kingdom|Tehri Garhwal State]] (present-day [[Tehri Garhwal district]], [[Uttarakhand]]). The area is in the [[Himalayas]] and was part of the original Garhwal Kingdom, Uttarakhand. He joined the 2nd Battalion of the [[Garhwal Rifles]], a regiment of the [[British Indian Army]], in October 1913; the personnel of the regiment were mainly from the [[Garhwali people]] of Uttarakhand{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=27–28}}

==First World War==
On the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the 39th Garhwal Rifles was among the regiments selected for the [[Indian Army during World War I#Indian Expeditionary Force A|Indian Expeditionary Force A]], destined for the [[Western Front (WWI)|Western Front]] in France.{{sfn|Morton-Jack|2018|p=104}} By October 1914, the regiment, as part of the [[7th (Meerut) Division]], was in the frontlines during the [[First Battle of Ypres]]{{sfn|Morton-Jack|2018|p=134}} and later in the Pas-de-Calais sector where it would remain until going into reserve at the end of that year.{{sfn|Morton-Jack|2018|p=186}}

In March 1915, the 7th Division was selected to be involved in the [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]], which called for an assault on the German lines at [[Neuve Chapelle]]. The 7th Division was to help force a gap for the [[Indian Cavalry Corps|Cavalry Corps]] to exploit.{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=22–23}} On 10 March 1915, during the battle, Negi's 2nd Battalion was attacking to the southwest of Neuve Chappelle; an artillery barrage that preceded the attack was not effective and the German trenches were well defended. Parties with [[Grenade|bombs]] had to clear the trenches; one such party included Negi. When the commander of his party was killed, he took over, leading from the front as the party took control of the German trenches. He was later killed. His actions on 10 March led to him being posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC).{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=24–27}} The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest award for valour that could be bestowed on a soldier of the [[British Empire]].{{sfn|Ashcroft|2007|pp=8–10}} The citation for his VC read as follows: {{quote|For most conspicuous bravery on 10th March, 1915, at Neuve Chapelle. During our attack on the German position he was one of a bayonet party with bombs who entered their main trench, and was the first man to go round each [[Traverse (trench warfare)|traverse]], driving back the enemy until they were eventually forced to surrender. He was killed during this engagement.|[[The London Gazette|''London Gazette'']], 28 April 1915<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=29146 |supp=y |page=4143 |date=28 April 1915}}</ref>}}

Negi has no known grave; his name is recorded on the [[Neuve-Chapelle Memorial]], as Gabar Singh{{sic}} Negi.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gobar Sing Negi |url=https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1450326/gobar-sing-negi,-/ |website=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref> His name was one of those included on the dome of the [[Memorial Gates, London|Memorial Gates]] in London, unveiled in 2002.{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=27–28}}

==Victoria Cross==
Negi's VC was sent to the [[India Office]] to be forwarded to his next of kin,{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=27–28}} Satoori Devi, his wife.{{sfn|Morton-Jack|2018|pp=525–526}} The VC was acquired by his regiment which arranged for a replica to be sent to Devi.{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=27–28}} A letter of condolences from [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]] was also sent to Devi. The medal was a source of pride for Negi's widow, who would wear it until her death in 1981.{{sfn|Morton-Jack|2018|pp=525–526}}

==Legacy==
Descendants of Negi have organised the Gabar Singh Negi Fair annually at Chamba in his memory, held every 20 or 21 April since 1925, depending on the Hindu calendar. His regiment, the Garhwal Rifles, have maintained a presence since 1971. A recruitment rally, stalls and army bands provide entertainment and many villagers, particularly the youths, attend the fair because of the drawcard of the recruitment rally.<ref name=CWGC/>{{sfn|Batchelor|Matson|2011|pp=27–28}}

==See also==
* [[Darwan Singh Negi]], another World War I Victoria Cross recipient from Uttarakhand

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last=Ashcroft|first=Michael|title=Victoria Cross Heroes|year=2007|orig-date=2006|publisher=Headline Review|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=978-0-7553-1633-5}}
*{{cite book|last1=Batchelor|first1=Peter|last2=Matson|first2=Christopher|title=The Western Front 1915|series=[[VCs of the First World War]]|year=2011|publisher=The History Press|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom|isbn=978-0-7524-6057-4}}
*{{cite book|last=Morton-Jack|first=George|title=The Indian Empire at War: From Jihad to Victory, the Untold Story of the Indian Army in the First World War|year=2018|publisher=Little, Brown|location=London|isbn=978-1-4087-0769-2}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |url=http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/others/neuve_chapelle_short.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214180826/http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/others/neuve_chapelle_short.html |title=Neuve Chapelle |work=World War One Battlefields |archive-date=14 December 2017 |access-date=10 March 2019}}
* {{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34860666 | title=Three generations united by the hell of war | author=Alastair Lawson | publisher=BBC News | date=22 December 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015 }}
* [https://www.theindianhawk.com/2020/07/gabar-singh-negi-story-of-first-ww-victoria-cross-recipient.html Gabar Singh Negi: Story of First WW Victoria Cross recipient]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Negi, Gabbar Singh}}
[[Category:Indian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War I]]
[[Category:1890s births]]
[[Category:1915 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Tehri Garhwal district]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]

Gabar Singh Negi - Revision history

Bot at 11:43, 15 December 2022