
Karamjeet Singh Judge was born on 25 May 1923 in Kapurthala, Punjab, India, the son of the city’s chief of police.
As a youth, Karamjeet was politically active, joining the Indian National Conference Party and studying politics at Lahore College.
Karamjeet’s brother, Ajeet Singh Judge, was a member of the Indian Army, serving with the Royal Indian Artillery. It seems his brother’s military service had a profound effect on Karamjeet who considered Ajeet a patriot for enlisting.
Subsequently, Karamjeet opted to enrol in Officer Training School in Bangalore, selecting the Pioneer Corps to serve on the Burmese frontline in present-day Myanmar. At his brother’s written request, Karamjeet joined the 15th Punjab Regiment.
Karamjeet’s military career began with his commission as an infantry subaltern at Ambala. He was quickly assigned to the 4th Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment (4/15th) as the Allies prepared for the march on Rangoon.
During the subsequent fighting to capture the important railway junction at Meiktila, Karamjeet performed the actions that saw him posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross: Britain’s highest military medal for gallantry.
Karamjeet had earned a reputation as a courageous, dedicated soldier before the Battle of Meiktila. Major Johnny Whitmarsh-Knight, the 4th/15th’s Commanding Officer, recalled Karamjeet had confided in him that he was eager to earn glory for himself in the heat of battle.
On 18 March at Meiktila, Karamjeet’s unit was ordered to capture a cotton mill. The 4th/15th had arrived the day before, accompanied by the Sherman tanks of No 2 Troop, C Squadron, 116 Regiment (Gordon Highlanders), Royal Armoured Corps, commanded by Lt Hugh Baker.
The young Lieutenant put himself in harm’s way time and again during the subsequent attack.
Carefully concealed machine gun bunkers, almost invisible to the tanks, began to cut up the infantry. Time and again, Karamjeet went forward to locate the bunkers and guide the tanks’ firepower to take them out.
As well as machine-gun and rifle fire, the advancing Indian and British troops had to contend with an artillery barrage too. It’s estimated some 200 shells were dropped on attacking Allied soldiers during the attack.
Despite the terrain being unsuitable for tanks, Karamjeet was able to guide the armour so successfully that just three bunkers remained. In the struggle to eliminate these strongpoints, Karamjeet was mortally wounded, dying aged just 22.
Lieutenant Baker later commented that Karamjeet was “the bravest soldier I have ever seen”.
Karamjeet’s Victoria Cross medal citation, as published in the London Gazette, reads:
“In Burma on 18th March, 1945, Lieut. Karamjeet Singh Judge commanded a platoon of a company of the 15th Punjab Regiment ordered to capture the Cotton Mill area at Myingyan against stiff enemy resistance from numerous bunkers.
“Time and again the infantry were held up by heavy fire from bunkers not visible to the tanks. On every such occasion Lieut. Karamjeet Singh Judge, with complete disregard for his own safety, went forward to re-call the tanks and direct them to these bunkers.
“In this way ten bunkers were eliminated, and this brilliant and courageous officer in every case led the infantry charges against the bunkers when the tanks had dealt with them.
“The Lieutenant was mortally wounded leading a section to clear the last three bunkers, but his men were able to storm the strong point and complete a long and arduous task.
“During the battle Lieut. Karamjeet Singh Judge showed cool and calculated bravery; he dominated the entire battlefield by his numerous successive acts of superb gallantry. In three previous and similar actions this young officer had proved himself an outstanding leader.
“In this, his last, action he gave a superb example of inspiring leadership and matchless courage.”
Karamjeet was cremated in accordance with his faith and is commemorated on the Taukkyan Cremation Memorial, Myanmar.
