History News Desk !!! Badlu Singh (English: Badlu Singh, born- 13 January, 1876, Punjab; died- 23 September, 1918, Palestine) was a Hindu Jat. He was a Risaldar in the 29th Lancers Regiment of the Indian Army. During the First World War, he was first sent to France, but later sent to Palestine. He was awarded the “Victoria Cross” posthumously.
Badlu Singh was born on 13 January 1876 at Dhakla, Punjab, India. He was a Risaldar in the 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers attached to the 29th Lancers of the Indian Army who were sent to France before fighting in Palestine. Risaldar Badlu Singh was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his exceptional bravery and self-sacrifice on the banks of the Jordan River on 23 September 1918. His citation in the London Gazette describes his courage.
On the morning of 23 September 1918, Badlu Singh’s squadron attacked an enemy strongpoint on the banks of the Jordan River, between the river and the village of Samrie. On approaching the post, Risaldar Badlu Singh discovered that the casualties the squadron was suffering were from machine guns and a hillock on the left occupied by 200 infantry. Without the slightest hesitation, he, along with six other soldiers, charged forward with full speed, without regard to danger to the front, and captured the position, saving the squadron from heavy casualties.[1]
He was severely wounded on the top of the hill while trying to capture a machine gun single handedly, but before he could die, all the machine guns and infantry surrendered. His bravery and efforts were of a high order and heroic.
Badlu Singh was cremated where he fell; but his name is inscribed on the Heliopolis Memorial at the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo. His “Victoria Cross” is part of the Lord Ashcroft Collection at the Imperial War Museum.