Jamadar Abdul Hafiz 1925-1944
Abdul Hafiz was born on 4 September 1925 in Kalanaur in the Punjab.
In Burma on 6 April 1944, whilst serving with the 9th Jat Regiment of the Indian Army, Jamadar (Lieutenant) Hafiz led an attack against Japanese forces in the hills north of Imphal. They were met with strong resistance and even though Hafiz was wounded by enemy fire, he still continued to attack enemy positions and killed several of the enemy. Hafiz was fatally wounded by machine-gun fire from another Japanese position. He was 19 at the time.
The inspiring leadership and great bravery displayed by Jemadar Abdul Hafiz in spite of having been twice wounded, once mortally, so encouraged his men that the position was captured, casualties inflicted on the enemy to an extent several times the size of his own party, and enemy arms recovered on the position which included three Lewis Machine-guns, two grenade dischargers and two officers' swords. The complete disregard for his own safety and his determination to capture and hold the position at all costs was an example to all ranks, which it would be difficult to equal.
He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
(Photographs courtesy of Imperial War Museum)