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Sher Jung Thapa

January 20, 2023

Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa MVC (15 April 1907 – 25 February 1999) was a military officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and later the Indian Army. Revered as the Hero of Skardu,[1] he was a recipient of the Indian Army's second highest gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC).[2]

Brigadier

Sher Jung Thapa

MVC
Portrait of Sher Jung Thapa
Born(1907-04-15)15 April 1907
Abbotabad, Abbottabad District, North-West Frontier Province, British Raj
(present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan)
Died25 February 1999(1999-02-25) (aged 91)
Delhi, India
Allegiance Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)
 India
Service/branch British Indian Army
 Indian Army
Years of service1930–1960
Rank Brigadier
Service numberSS-15920 (short-service commission)
IC-10631 (regular commission)
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistan War of 1947
Awards Maha Vir Chakra

Personal life

Sher Jung Thapa was born in Abbottabad, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan) on 15 April 1907.[3] His grandfather, Subedar Balkrishna Thapa, part of the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) (5 GR(FF)), had moved from his ancestral home at Tapke Gaun, Gorkha District, Nepal to India. Sher Jung's father, Arjun Thapa, was an Honorary Captain (2/5 GR(FF)) in the British Indian Army and a World War II veteran.[3]

During his childhood, his family moved from Abbottabad to Dharamshala where Thapa continued his education and attended college.[4] He was known as being an excellent hockey player in college. Captain Douglas Gracey of the 1 Gorkha Regiment, who was also a hockey player, is said to have been impressed with Thapa. He was instrumental in Thapa obtaining a commissioned officer position in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces.[5] Jammu and Kashmir was one of the largest princely states in British India, ruled by Maharaja. Its State Forces were usually headed by British officers, until September 1947.[citation needed]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

 
Skardu Fort (1852 image) which housed Thapa's garrison

Thapa held the rank of major in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces at the time of the princely state's accession to India in October 1947. As part of the 6th Infantry Battalion, Thapa was stationed in Leh in Ladakh. His commanding officer, Col. Abdul Majid was based at Bunji in the Astore wazarat, bordering the Gilgit Agency, which had been returned to the princely state by the departing British administration. On 30 October, Col. Majid went to Gilgit along with forces to support Governor Ghansara Singh, who was apprehensive of the loyalty of the British-officered Gilgit Scouts based there. Unfortunately, the Muslim officers of the regiment mutinied under the leadership of Captain Mirza Hassan Khan and joined the Gilgit Scouts. Governor Ghansara Singh was arrested and Col. Majid was also taken prisoner. The Hindu and Sikh members of the forces were massacred. What was left of the State Forces escaped to Skardu in the Ladakh wazarat.[6][7]

Skardu was the tehsil headquarters of Baltistan, which also doubled as the district headquarters of the Ladakh wazarat for six months in a year. It was a key post between Gilgit and Leh and the Indian Army considered it essential to hold the Skardu garrison for the defence of Leh.[note 1]

Major Thapa was promoted to lieutenant colonel and asked to take charge of the remaining 6th Infantry at Skardu. He left Leh on 23 November and reached Skardu by 2 December, walking through heavy snow fall. This gave him enough time to make preparations for the defence of Skardu before the impending attack.[8] Meanwhile, the Pakistani commander at Gilgit reorganised the Gilgit Scouts and the 6th Infantry rebels into three forces of 400 men each. The "Ibex Force", one among the three, commanded by Major Ehsan Ali, was tasked with capturing Skardu. Thapa deployed two forward posts near the Tsari pass thirty miles away. However, Captain Nek Alam, commanding one of the platoons, joined the rebels, and the other platoon got massacred. On 11 February 1948, the attack commenced on Skardu. For over six months from February to August, Thapa withstood the attack, housed in the garrison with dwindling ammunition and food. Reinforcements by ground were ambushed en route and reinforcements by air were considered infeasible due to the high mountains and uncertain weather conditions. Attempts were made to air drop supplies, but the drops often landed outside the garrison. Eventually, on 14 August, Thapa succumbed to the invaders, having exhausted all supplies. He was taken prisoner and repatriated after the war ended. All the other men in the garrison were apparently killed. Thapa is believed to have been spared due to his earlier association with Douglas Gracey, who was then the Chief of the Pakistan Army.[9][10]

Thapa was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest gallantry award of India. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1957 and eventually rose to become a brigadier.[11] He retired from the Army on 18 June 1960.[12]

Military decorations

Mahavir Chakra (1948), General Service Medal, 1947 Class J&K, Indian Independence Medal, War Medal, India Service Medal, Military Service Medal.[3]

Death

Thapa died at Army Hospital, Delhi on 25 February 1999.[3]

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
  Second Lieutenant Jammu & Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1937[13]
  Lieutenant Jammu & Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1939[13]
  Captain Jammu & Kashmir State Forces 1 July 1946[13]
  Second Lieutenant Indian Army 1 November 1947 (short-service commission)[14][note 2][15]
  Major Jammu & Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1950[note 2][15][13]
Major Jammu & Kashmir State Forces 26 January 1950[15][16][13]
  Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 1 January 1957 (seniority from 1 January 1953)[13]
  Colonel Indian Army
  Brigadier Indian Army 1 October 1954 (acting)[17]
1 January 1960 (substantive)[18]

Notes

  1. ^ After the accession of Jammu and Kashmir, the State Forces came under the command of the Indian Army.
  2. ^ a b Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star ("pip"), was retained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."

References

  1. ^ . Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  2. ^ Pradeep Thapa Magar. 2000. Veer haruka pani Veer Mahaveer.Kathmandu: Jilla Memorial Foundation.p.100.
  3. ^ a b c d Pradeep Thapa Magar. Ibid. p.102.
  4. ^ "Lt Col Sher Jung Thapa — Skardu's tiger". Tribune. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  5. ^ Francis, Thapa the Tenacious 2013, p. 25.
  6. ^ Cheema, Crimson Chinar 2015, pp. 83–85.
  7. ^ Bangash, Three Forgotten Accessions 2010, p. 129.
  8. ^ Cheema, Crimson Chinar 2015, pp. 85–86.
  9. ^ Cheema, Crimson Chinar 2015, pp. 86, 103.
  10. ^ Subramaniam, India's Wars 2016, Chapter 10.
  11. ^ Chakravorty, Lt Col Thapa, Sher Jung, MVC 1995, p. 351.
  12. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 July 1960. p. 190.
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 March 1959. p. 73.
  14. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 April 1951. p. 70.
  15. ^ a b c "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 February 1950. p. 227.
  17. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 8 January 1955. p. 6.
  18. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 1 October 1960. p. 255.

Bibliography

  • Bangash, Yaqoob Khan (2010), "Three Forgotten Accessions: Gilgit, Hunza and Nagar", The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 38 (1): 117–143, doi:10.1080/03086530903538269, S2CID 159652497
  • Chakravorty, B. (1995), "IC-10631 – Lt Col Thapa, Sher Jung, MVC", Stories of Heroism: PVC & MVC Winners, Allied Publishers, pp. 351–, ISBN 978-81-7023-516-3
  • Cheema, Brig Amar (2015), The Crimson Chinar: The Kashmir Conflict: A Politico Military Perspective, Lancer Publishers, pp. 51–, ISBN 978-81-7062-301-4
  • Francis, Col. J. (2013), "Thapa the Tenacious", Short Stories from the History of the Indian Army Since August 1947, Vij Books India Pvt Ltd, pp. 25–, ISBN 978-93-82652-17-5
  • Subramaniam, Arjun (2016), India's Wars: A Military History, 1947–1971, HarperCollins India, ISBN 978-9351777496

External links

  • . Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013.
  • . The United Service Institution of India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017.

See also

January 20, 2023
sher, jung, thapa, brigadier, april, 1907, february, 1999, military, officer, jammu, kashmir, state, forces, later, indian, army, revered, hero, skardu, recipient, indian, army, second, highest, gallantry, award, maha, chakra, brigadiermvcportrait, born, 1907,. Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa MVC 15 April 1907 25 February 1999 was a military officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and later the Indian Army Revered as the Hero of Skardu 1 he was a recipient of the Indian Army s second highest gallantry award the Maha Vir Chakra MVC 2 BrigadierSher Jung ThapaMVCPortrait of Sher Jung ThapaBorn 1907 04 15 15 April 1907Abbotabad Abbottabad District North West Frontier Province British Raj present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan Died25 February 1999 1999 02 25 aged 91 Delhi IndiaAllegiance Jammu and Kashmir princely state IndiaService wbr branch British Indian Army Indian ArmyYears of service1930 1960RankBrigadierService numberSS 15920 short service commission IC 10631 regular commission Battles warsIndo Pakistan War of 1947AwardsMaha Vir Chakra Contents 1 Personal life 2 Indo Pakistani War of 1947 3 Military decorations 4 Death 5 Dates of rank 6 Notes 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External links 10 See alsoPersonal life EditSher Jung Thapa was born in Abbottabad Punjab British India now Pakistan on 15 April 1907 3 His grandfather Subedar Balkrishna Thapa part of the 5th Gorkha Rifles Frontier Force 5 GR FF had moved from his ancestral home at Tapke Gaun Gorkha District Nepal to India Sher Jung s father Arjun Thapa was an Honorary Captain 2 5 GR FF in the British Indian Army and a World War II veteran 3 During his childhood his family moved from Abbottabad to Dharamshala where Thapa continued his education and attended college 4 He was known as being an excellent hockey player in college Captain Douglas Gracey of the 1 Gorkha Regiment who was also a hockey player is said to have been impressed with Thapa He was instrumental in Thapa obtaining a commissioned officer position in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces 5 Jammu and Kashmir was one of the largest princely states in British India ruled by Maharaja Its State Forces were usually headed by British officers until September 1947 citation needed Indo Pakistani War of 1947 Edit Skardu Fort 1852 image which housed Thapa s garrison Thapa held the rank of major in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces at the time of the princely state s accession to India in October 1947 As part of the 6th Infantry Battalion Thapa was stationed in Leh in Ladakh His commanding officer Col Abdul Majid was based at Bunji in the Astore wazarat bordering the Gilgit Agency which had been returned to the princely state by the departing British administration On 30 October Col Majid went to Gilgit along with forces to support Governor Ghansara Singh who was apprehensive of the loyalty of the British officered Gilgit Scouts based there Unfortunately the Muslim officers of the regiment mutinied under the leadership of Captain Mirza Hassan Khan and joined the Gilgit Scouts Governor Ghansara Singh was arrested and Col Majid was also taken prisoner The Hindu and Sikh members of the forces were massacred What was left of the State Forces escaped to Skardu in the Ladakh wazarat 6 7 Skardu was the tehsil headquarters of Baltistan which also doubled as the district headquarters of the Ladakh wazarat for six months in a year It was a key post between Gilgit and Leh and the Indian Army considered it essential to hold the Skardu garrison for the defence of Leh note 1 Major Thapa was promoted to lieutenant colonel and asked to take charge of the remaining 6th Infantry at Skardu He left Leh on 23 November and reached Skardu by 2 December walking through heavy snow fall This gave him enough time to make preparations for the defence of Skardu before the impending attack 8 Meanwhile the Pakistani commander at Gilgit reorganised the Gilgit Scouts and the 6th Infantry rebels into three forces of 400 men each The Ibex Force one among the three commanded by Major Ehsan Ali was tasked with capturing Skardu Thapa deployed two forward posts near the Tsari pass thirty miles away However Captain Nek Alam commanding one of the platoons joined the rebels and the other platoon got massacred On 11 February 1948 the attack commenced on Skardu For over six months from February to August Thapa withstood the attack housed in the garrison with dwindling ammunition and food Reinforcements by ground were ambushed en route and reinforcements by air were considered infeasible due to the high mountains and uncertain weather conditions Attempts were made to air drop supplies but the drops often landed outside the garrison Eventually on 14 August Thapa succumbed to the invaders having exhausted all supplies He was taken prisoner and repatriated after the war ended All the other men in the garrison were apparently killed Thapa is believed to have been spared due to his earlier association with Douglas Gracey who was then the Chief of the Pakistan Army 9 10 Thapa was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra the second highest gallantry award of India He was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1957 and eventually rose to become a brigadier 11 He retired from the Army on 18 June 1960 12 Military decorations EditMahavir Chakra 1948 General Service Medal 1947 Class J amp K Indian Independence Medal War Medal India Service Medal Military Service Medal 3 Death EditThapa died at Army Hospital Delhi on 25 February 1999 3 Dates of rank EditInsignia Rank Component Date of rank Second Lieutenant Jammu amp Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1937 13 Lieutenant Jammu amp Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1939 13 Captain Jammu amp Kashmir State Forces 1 July 1946 13 Second Lieutenant Indian Army 1 November 1947 short service commission 14 note 2 15 Major Jammu amp Kashmir State Forces 1 January 1950 note 2 15 13 Major Jammu amp Kashmir State Forces 26 January 1950 15 16 13 Lieutenant Colonel Indian Army 1 January 1957 seniority from 1 January 1953 13 Colonel Indian Army Brigadier Indian Army 1 October 1954 acting 17 1 January 1960 substantive 18 Notes Edit After the accession of Jammu and Kashmir the State Forces came under the command of the Indian Army a b Upon independence in 1947 India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations As a result the rank insignia of the British Army incorporating the Tudor Crown and four pointed Bath Star pip was retained as George VI remained Commander in Chief of the Indian Armed Forces After 26 January 1950 when India became a republic the President of India became Commander in Chief and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown with a five pointed star being substituted for the pip References Edit Skardu Hero Bharat Rakshak Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 18 May 2022 Pradeep Thapa Magar 2000 Veer haruka pani Veer Mahaveer Kathmandu Jilla Memorial Foundation p 100 a b c d Pradeep Thapa Magar Ibid p 102 Lt Col Sher Jung Thapa Skardu s tiger Tribune 16 February 2019 Retrieved 18 May 2022 Francis Thapa the Tenacious 2013 p 25 Cheema Crimson Chinar 2015 pp 83 85 Bangash Three Forgotten Accessions 2010 p 129 Cheema Crimson Chinar 2015 pp 85 86 Cheema Crimson Chinar 2015 pp 86 103 Subramaniam India s Wars 2016 Chapter 10 Chakravorty Lt Col Thapa Sher Jung MVC 1995 p 351 Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 30 July 1960 p 190 a b c d e f Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 21 March 1959 p 73 Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 14 April 1951 p 70 a b c New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services PDF Press Information Bureau of India Archive Archived PDF from the original on 8 August 2017 Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 11 February 1950 p 227 Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 8 January 1955 p 6 Part I Section 4 Ministry of Defence Army Branch The Gazette of India 1 October 1960 p 255 Bibliography EditBangash Yaqoob Khan 2010 Three Forgotten Accessions Gilgit Hunza and Nagar The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History 38 1 117 143 doi 10 1080 03086530903538269 S2CID 159652497 Chakravorty B 1995 IC 10631 Lt Col Thapa Sher Jung MVC Stories of Heroism PVC amp MVC Winners Allied Publishers pp 351 ISBN 978 81 7023 516 3 Cheema Brig Amar 2015 The Crimson Chinar The Kashmir Conflict A Politico Military Perspective Lancer Publishers pp 51 ISBN 978 81 7062 301 4 Francis Col J 2013 Thapa the Tenacious Short Stories from the History of the Indian Army Since August 1947 Vij Books India Pvt Ltd pp 25 ISBN 978 93 82652 17 5 Subramaniam Arjun 2016 India s Wars A Military History 1947 1971 HarperCollins India ISBN 978 9351777496External links Edit The Hero of Skardu Bharat Rakshak Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 A Hero Forgotten Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa MVC The United Service Institution of India Archived from the original on 31 January 2017 See also EditMagar people Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sher Jung Thapa amp oldid 1116913626, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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