Captain Umrao Singh VC last Indian Victoria Cross recipient.

Subedar Major and honorary Captain Umrao Singh, the last surviving Indian Victoria Cross recipient died at the Army Research and Referral hospital in New Delhi on 21 November 2005 after a prolonged illness. Singh, 85, of Jhajjar in Rohtak, Haryana, was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery under imperial India for beating off four Japanese attacks on his advanced battery position at Kaladhan valley in Burma on the night of 15-16 December 1944. He struck down three Japanese soldiers before being knocked out. Six hours later, a counter attack found Singh at the site of his gun, so severely wounded that he was hardly recognisable. Around him lay ten dead Japanese soldiers.

Singh's funeral took place at his home village of Palra, Haryana State, on 22 November with full Army honours. Brigadier Ian Rees, the British Defence Adviser in New Delhi represented the United Kingdom.

Forty Indians and Gurkhas were awarded the Victoria Cross. Umrao Singh was the last living survivor of the 28 native soldiers from India and Pakistan. However three of the twelve Indian Army Gurkhas, Tulbahadur Pun, Bhanbhagta Gurung, Lachhiman Gurung are still with us. Counting the 63 awards to the Honourable East India Company separately the Indian Army was awarded 85 Victoria Crosses as follows.

1854-1904--33 (all British officers)

1914-1919--18 (incl 7 British officers)

1919-1935--4 (incl 3 British officers)

1940-1945--30 (incl 3 British officers)

Prior to 1911 Indian Army soldiers received the Indian Order of Merit First Class. This award was older than the Victoria Cross and had equal standing. However in the half century following the institution of the Victoria Cross the status of the Victoria Cross grew out of all proportion and in 1911 after some lobbying the Victoria Cross was extended to the Indian Army soldiers. The Indian Order of Merit was amended to reflect this change.

In these politically correct days it is sometimes said that the Victoria Cross was denied to Indian Army soldiers because they were not European. It should be noted that William Hall, a black from Nova Scotia serving in the Royal Navy in the Indian Mutiny and two West India Regiment soldiers in the second half of the 19th century were awarded the Victoria Cross.

With the passing of Umrao Singh there are just twelve living Victoria Cross recipients. Eight are Second World War recipients including Australia's Ted Kenna. The four post war recipients are from Korea in 1951, Sarawak in 1965, Vietnam (Australia's Keith Payne) in 1969 and Iraq in 2004.

See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_living_Victoria_Crossrecipients for a list of living Victoria Cross recipients.