Vir Chakra (VrC)

On 4 March 1948, whilst with .a fighting patrol proceeding to Nikhaura in Kashmir, Lance Naik Bhawan Singh's platoon was given the task of staging a false attack on the left flank of the main body of the patrol towards a known enemy position on a feature as also to prevent the enemy from reinforcing his forces in Nikhaura from this particular flank.

Lance Naik Bhawan Singh was in command of the assault group of one section. He reached as near as 10 yards of the first enemy post quite unnoticed and completely surprised the enemy by putting in a deliberate bayonet charge killing all ten of them with the help of his assault group. Thereafter this NCO and his small group occupied the same enemy trenches.

In the meanwhile enemy reinforcements, one platoon strong, came out of a house 100 yards northwest of the position and started advancing under cover of heavy MMG and LMG fire towards the position this NCO's group had occupied. Enemy had approached as near as 20 yards. This NCO with the help of his group engaged the enemy with controlled fire. A small group of enemy composed of about four men somehow managed to crawl forward unseen and reached 10 yards of this NCO's position. At this point he let off a complete magazine of his sten gun and killed all of them.

As these bodies were lying immediately in front of this NCO's position he by now thought of capturing their arms. With complete disregard for his personal safety he crawled forward and thus exposed himself to the full fury of the enemy fire. He had reached his objective when an enemy bullet hit his steel helmet, passed through the skill and brought an end to the heroic career of this NCO. The courage, gallantry and the spirit of devotion to duty shown by this NCO will ever remain an inspiring example to his brother soldiers. With a small group of 4 men he was responsible for killing as many as 15 enemies and he sacrificed his life to bring back enemy weapons for identification.