While travelling on the Islamabad–Lahore Motorway (M-2), you may have seen a big board near the Balkasar Interchange, informing you about a man who, in the words written on the board, was "The First Muslim Recipient of the Victoria Cross." The statement, though correct, is actually a bit misleading. He was not just the first Muslim recipient of the Victoria Cross, but also the first Indian to receive this most prestigious military decoration of the British Empire.
Seven Muslim soldiers of the British Indian Army were awarded this highest honor for bravery, five of them from Punjab and two from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. I have already written a post about Shahamad Khan of Takhti, who also won the Victoria Cross.
Subedar Khudadad Khan was born in Dab, a small village just 3 kilometers southeast of Chakwal, on the Chakwal–Sohawa Road, on 28 October 1888. At the start of the First World War, he was serving as a sepoy in the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, now the 11th Battalion of the Pakistan Army's Baloch Regiment. Nearly 1.3 million Indians served in the British Army during WWI, and the largest proportion of them came from the Rawalpindi Division. Khudadad Khan was one of them. But what distinguished him from all others was his winning of the Victoria Cross for displaying extraordinary bravery while fighting the Germans in Belgium.
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration of the British Empire. It is awarded for "the most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy." It was introduced by Queen Victoria in 1856 and has since been awarded to 1,355 individuals.
Until 1911, it was not awarded to Indian soldiers. However, during the Delhi Durbar of 1911, it was announced that henceforth Indian soldiers would also be eligible for this honor. In total, five Punjabi Muslims and two Pashtuns received this medal during the British Raj, and Subedar Khudadad Khan was one of them.
In October 1914, the Germans launched a major offensive in northern Belgium, in order to capture the vital ports of Boulogne in France and Nieuport in Belgium. In what came to be known as the First Battle of Ypres, the newly arrived 129th Baluchis were rushed to the frontline to support the hard-pressed British troops. On 31st October, two companies of the Baluchis bore the brunt of the main German attack near the village of Gheluvelt in Hollebeke Sector. The out-numbered Baluchis fought gallantly but were overwhelmed after suffering heavy casualties. Sepoy Khudadad Khan’s machine-gun team, along with one other, kept their guns in action throughout the day; preventing the Germans from making the final breakthrough.
The other gun was disabled by a shell and eventually Khudadad Khan’s own team was overrun. All the men were killed by bullets or bayonets except Khudadad Khan, who despite being badly wounded, had continued working his gun. He was left for dead by the enemy but despite his wounds, he managed to crawl back to his regiment during the night. Thanks to his bravery, and that of his fellow Baluchis, the Germans were held up just long enough for Indian and British reinforcements to arrive. They strengthened the line, and prevented the German Army from reaching the vital ports. For his matchless feat of courage and gallantry, Sepoy Khudadad Khan was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The same website tells us that Khudadad Khan received his Victoria Cross from King George V on 26 January 1915. He was also awarded several other medals for his service in the army. In addition, he received 50 acres of land in Chak No. 25, near Rukkan, in District Mandi Bahauddin. After his retirement, he lived in the same village and passed away there on 7 March 1971. He is buried in the same place.
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سپاہی (بعد میں صوبیدار) خداداد خان، وکٹوریہ کراس 129 ڈیوک آف کناٹس اون بلوچیزبرٹش انڈین آرمی میں جنوبی ایشیا کا پہلا مسلمان فوجی جوان جس نے پہلی جنگ عظین کے دوران 31 اکتوبر 1914 ہالبک (بلیجیئم) کے مقام پر جرات و بہادری کی اعلیٰ مثال قائم کرکے سلطنت برطانیہ کا اعلیٰ ترین اعزاز 'وکٹوریہ کراس' حاصل کیا۔سپاہی (بعد میں صوبیدار) خداداد خان 20 اکتوبر 1888ء کو موضع ڈب، ضلع چکوال، پاکستان میں پیدا ہوئے اور ان کا انتقال 8 مارچ 1971ء کو ہوا۔
SEPOY (LATER SUBEDAR) KHUDADAD KHAN, VC. 129 DUKE OF CONNAUGHT'S OWN BALOCHISThe first South Asian Muslin soldier of British Indian Army who was awarded the highest gallantry award 'Victoria Cross' on performing the marvelous action of bravery at Hollebeke (Belgium) during World War I on 31 October, 2014.Sepoy (later Subedar) Khudadad Khan was born on 20 October 1888 in village Dabb, district Chakwal, Pakistan and died on 8 March 1971.
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You plucked the finest bloom, and left the garden bare.
It took me another year and a half to finally get a chance to visit Dab, the birthplace of Subedar Khudadad Khan. It was a rainy day, but the weather in Dab was pleasant. I reached his home around 11:00 AM. Like many other villages in Chakwal, it is a prosperous village, with well-built houses, neat and clean surroundings. A young man opened the door for us and informed us that no male member of the family was at home. However, after checking inside and asking about the purpose of our visit, he led us in.
There was a lady who welcomed us into the drawing room.She was Begum Manzoor Fatima, the daughter-in-law of Subedar Khudadad Khan. Despite her fragile health, she answered all of my questions and even showed me some pictures of Subedar Khudadad. He had two sons: Chaudhry Muhammad Inayat (died in 2011) and Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz (died in 2008). She is the widow of the younger son, Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz. She shared a few things about the Subedar and their personal life. They sold their land in Chak 25 due to problems of waterlogging and returned to Chakwal to provide better educational opportunities for her grandchildren. Her son, Ali Nawaz, the grandson of Subedar Khudadad Khan, was not at home at the time. The house is located at: 32°54'6.32"N; 72°53'10.31"E.
Medal entitlement of Subedar Khudadad Khan129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, Indian Army
- Victoria Cross
- 1914 Star + clasp "5th Aug - 22nd Nov 1914"
- British War Medal ( 1914-19 )
- Victory Medal ( 1914-20 )
- India General Service Medal ( 1908-1935 )
- 1 clasp:
- "Afghanistan NWF 1919"
- General Service Medal ( 1918-1962 )
- 1 clasp:
- "Iraq"
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal ( 1935 )
- King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )
In 1917, Khan was promoted to jemadar and the following year he was elevated to senior jemadar. He survived the war and, in 1919, was promoted to subadar, his final rank. After retiring in 1921, he worked as a farmer and, in 1956 and by then aged 68, he took part in the VC centenary celebrations in London.
Khan, who was married twice and had two sons and a daughter with his second wife, died at the Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan on March 8 1971, aged 82. He was buried at Rukhan Tehsil cemetery, Punjab, Pakistan.
His name is engraved on the Memorial Gates, Hyde Park Corner, London, and there is a statute in his honour at the Army Museum, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
For a time, Khan’s medal group was on display at the Army Museum in Rawalpindi but it remained in the ownership of one of his descendants. When this individual decided to offer the medal group for sale, I was able to secure it in a private deal.
August 25, 2017.
Doha - Qatar.
Great man survive for ever
ReplyDeleteReally very infomative artical. Thanks alot for your great work.
ReplyDeleteVery beautifully researched article, loved reading it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great man, may he rest in peace. Wish we knew more about British Indian Soldiers from the Great War.
Great stuff, please keep up the good work. Really appreciate the effort you put into researching him.
Thank you for your appreciation.
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