Ali Haidar
Encyclopedia
Ali Haidar VC
(21 August 1913 – 15 July 1999) was an ethnic Pashtun
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
in the 6th battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles
, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 April 1945 near Fusignano
, Italy
, at the start of the Allied spring 1945 offensive
Haidar's battalion was tasked with a difficult assault crossing of the Senio River. Only Sepoy Ali Haidar and the two other men of his section managed to get across under heavy machine-gun fire. Then, while the other two covered him, the sepoy attacked the nearest strong point and, in spite of being wounded, put it out of action. In attacking a second strong-point he was again severely wounded but managed to crawl closer, throw a grenade and charge the post; two of the enemy were wounded, the remaining two surrendered. The rest of the company were than able to cross the river and establish a bridgehead.
to Pashtun, Bangash parents, in what is now Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. He later achieved the rank of Naib Subedar in his parent battalion, 6th battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles which later redesignated as 1st Battalion (Scinde) The Frontier Force Regiment. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
, London.
in July 1945 reads:
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(21 August 1913 – 15 July 1999) was an ethnic Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
He was 31 years old, and a SepoySepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
in the 6th battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles
13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 April 1945 near Fusignano
Fusignano
Fusignano is a comune in the province of Ravenna in Italy. It is near Senio River is located near Fusignano where the Allied crossing occurred on April 9, 1945.-History:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, at the start of the Allied spring 1945 offensive
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
Haidar's battalion was tasked with a difficult assault crossing of the Senio River. Only Sepoy Ali Haidar and the two other men of his section managed to get across under heavy machine-gun fire. Then, while the other two covered him, the sepoy attacked the nearest strong point and, in spite of being wounded, put it out of action. In attacking a second strong-point he was again severely wounded but managed to crawl closer, throw a grenade and charge the post; two of the enemy were wounded, the remaining two surrendered. The rest of the company were than able to cross the river and establish a bridgehead.
Further information
He was born in KohatKohat
Kohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
to Pashtun, Bangash parents, in what is now Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. He later achieved the rank of Naib Subedar in his parent battalion, 6th battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles which later redesignated as 1st Battalion (Scinde) The Frontier Force Regiment. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, London.
Official citation
The official citation for Haidar's award, published in the London GazetteLondon Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
in July 1945 reads:
External links
- Ali Haider
- Burial location of Ali Haider "Pakistan"