HOW EUROPE IS INDEBTED TO THE SIKHS ? - Global Sikh Studies

led by Major Deacon, could resist a German counter attack and was
able to stand in no man’s land. Jemadar Mir Dast of the 55th Coke’s
Rifles, attached to the 57th Wilde’s Rifles stayed in no man’s land
when all officers were dead or wounded. He assembled all the men he
could find, among whom many who were slightly gassed, and kept
them together till sunset. Only in the dark did he return, bringing a lot
of wounded with him. He also helped by searching and bringing back
many other wounded Indians and British although he was wounded
himself. For this deed, he received the Victoria Cross.
The award of the VC to jemadar Mir Dast for his actions on the
night of 26th - 27th April, was of more than usual significance. Mir
Dast had a brother, jemadar Mir Mast. On the night of 2nd - 3rd
March, Mir Mast was in command of a section of the firing line near
Neuve Chapelle when he deserted to the Germans, taking with him
two havildars, two naiks and two sepoys.
But let’s get back to the night of 26th -27th April 1915 when
the chlorine gas was to be smelt the whole night. Only late that night
could the remnants of Major Deacon’s party be relieved. The
Ferozepore and Jullundur Brigades were withdrawn to the Brieke
while the Sirhind Brigade replaced them in the first line. Men of the
34th Sikh Pioneers did try to consolidate the difficult position when
Major Deacon did manage to keep a stand.
Later, two men of that unit, sappers Jai Singh and Gujar Singh,
were awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal because they
had established communication lines under constant fire. On the three
following days, the attack was repeated again and again, but never
with any result for the North Africans, British and Indians. The
Germans opened the gas cylinders time and again and, on 27th April,
the first “gas masks” were issued. Shortly after 1 p.m. on 27th April,
the Moroccans, the Sirhind and the Ferozepore Brigades went again in
attack, now supported by the Canadian artillery.
The two Gurkha battalions, the 4th London and the 9th
Bhopals led the attack and suffered the highest number of casualties.
When it was discovered that the barbed wire in front of the German
trenches was untouched, the action was called off.
During the night of 29th -30th April 1915, the Jullundur and
Ferozepore Brigades were withdrawn to their billets in Ouderdom.
Because they were also under frequent bombardments there, the men
preferred to stay out instead of sleeping in their huts. A shelling in the
early morning of 1st May made the beasts of burden of the 47th Sikhs
panic and escape from their compound and had to be chased over a
wide area.
Finally, after a last desperate attempt to break through the
enemy line, the Sirhind Brigade left the firing line and rejoined the rest
of the division in Ouderdom on 2nd May. The next day, the Lahore
Division marched off to rejoin the Indian Corps near Neuve-Chapelle.