Darwan Singh Negi

Darwan Singh Negi
Image from The Illustrated War News of 23 December 1914 showing the injured Negi being carried into the Royal Pavilion, Brighton then in use as a hospital for wounded troops.
Born	(1881-11-00)November 1881 Kafarteer, Uttarakhand, India
Died	24 June 1950(1950-06-24) (aged 68) Kafarteer
Allegiance	British India
Service/branch	British Indian Army
Rank	Subedar
Unit	39th Garhwal Rifles
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Darwan Singh Negi VC (November 1881 – 24 June 1950) was the second Indian soldier ever to receive the Victoria cross from the hands of H.M. The King Emperor on the field of battle^[1] and was among the earliest Indian recipients of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Negi was approximately 33 years old, and a naik (equivalent to corporal) in the 1st Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles, British Indian Army during the First World War when he performed the deeds during the Defence of Festubert for which he was awarded the VC. The citation reads:

His Majesty the KING-EMPEROR has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned soldier of the Indian Army for conspicuous bravery whilst serving with the Indian Army Corps, British Expeditionary Force: —

1909, Naik Darwan Singh [sic] Negi, 1st Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles.

For great gallantry on the night of the 23rd–24th November, near Festubert, France, when the regiment was engaged in retaking and clearing the enemy out of our trenches, and, although wounded in two places in the head, and also in the arm, being one of the first to push round each successive traverse, in the face of severe fire from bombs and rifles at the closest range.

— London Gazette, 7 December 1914.^[2]

He was awarded the medal on the same day as Khudadad Khan VC; but the latter's VC action was of earlier date, so that he is regarded as the first Indian recipient.

Negi retired with the rank of subedar, equivalent to a British captain.^[3] Both his son Balbir and Balbir's son Nitin served in the Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army; both achieved the rank of colonel.^{[citation needed]} His Victoria Cross is held by his family. The regimental museum of The Garhwal Rifles in Lansdowne, Uttarakhand is named the Darwan Singh Museum in his honour.^[4]

War Memorial Inter College Karanprayag[]

During the First World War, on 5 December 1914, Darban Singh Negi, the hero of the Garhwal Rifles, was honored with the Victoria Cross by the Emperor George V of England and Queen Mary, India's first Victoria Cross winner in the land of France himself. At the same time, Victoria Cross accepted the demand of the War Memorial English Middle School in Karnprayag and a rail route to Karanprayag in memory of the First World War and its martyrs.

References[]

External links[]

• First ever Indian to get Victoria cross from the hands of H.M. the king Emperor in the field of battle
• Darwan Singh Negi
• Burial location
• Alastair Lawson (22 December 2015). "Three generations united by the hell of war". BBC News. Retrieved 22 December 2015.