Sowar DITTO RAM

The citation in the London Gazette of 12th December, 1945, gives the following details: "In Italy on 23rd July, 1944, Sowar Ditto Ram was a member of a patrol which had been ordered to occupy a hill. On reaching the objective the patrol ran on to an enemy minefield and five men were injured. Sowar Ditto Ram was among those wounded, his left leg being blown off below the knee. He applied a field dressing, and hearing calls for help from another man, he crawled forward through the minefield to assist him, though fully aware of the danger to which he was subjecting himself. On reaching the other Sowar, whose left leg had been shattered, he applied a field dressing to his comrade's wound. He was in the greatest pain throughout, which made the operation both difficult and protracted. Having completed his task he lost consciousness and died a few minutes later. Sowar Ditto Ram, besides showing the greatest personal courage and disregard for pain, by crawling through a minefield to help a wounded companion set the finest example of soldierly comradeship and self sacrifice."

Sowar Ditto Ram's Commander, Lieutenant St. John Graham Young, R.A.C., was also awarded a George Cross for his part in the same incident. Both died of their wounds on the following day.