Subramanian (GC)

Subramanian
Born	(1912-12-18)18 December 1912 Ottivakkam, India
Died	24 February 1944(1944-02-24) (aged 31) Mignano Monte Lungo, Italy
Commemorated	Sangro River Cremation Memorial
Allegiance	British India
Service / branch	British Indian Army
Rank	Subedar
Service number	14069
Unit	Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
Battles / wars	Second World War Italian campaign
Awards	George Cross Indian Distinguished Service Medal

George Cross and its ribbon bar

Subedar Subramanian, GC, IDSM (18 December 1912 – 24 February 1944) was the first Indian to be awarded the George Cross.^[1]

Subramanian served with Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, a unit of the Indian Army, during the Second World War. On 24 February 1944, during the Allied campaign in Italy he won the George Cross at Mignano by throwing himself onto a mine about to detonate and thus successfully protecting others from the blast. His award was gazetted posthumously on 30 June 1944. He was also awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal.

Footnotes

1. World War Two – India 2 at www.wewerethere.mod.uk

References

• Kempton, Chris, The Victoria Crosses and George Crosses of the Honourable East India Company and Indian Army, Military Press, 2001, ISBN 0-85420-309-5
• Turner, John Frayn, Awards of the George Cross, 1940–2009, Casemate Publishers, 2010.