| Citation: CMP (I).
Military Medal Citation.
Lower Adriatic Italy
On the 20 April 1944 about 1130 hours LANCIANO was subjected to a heavy air bombardment by FW 190's. Lance Naik Ranidan Singh was on duty as pointsman at the junction of VIA LUIGI DE CRECCHIO and VIA TRENTO E TRIESTE. During the perod of the aerial attack the heavy calibre and anit-personnel bombs crashed down near the pointsman, inflicting casualties to soldiers and civilians. His fellow pointsman in TRAFALGAR SQUARE was killed. Houses were hit and many trucks brewed up in his immediate vicinity. Lance Naik Ranidan Singh faced death not only from bombardment but from machine guns which raked VIA LUICI DE CRECCHIO. During the whole of the attack this policeman stuck to his point and carried out Traffic Control. He refused to take cover although his billet was but 20 yards away. Immediately the air attack started a general exodus of military and civilian traffic from LANCIANO began and the general flow from the town focused itself on Lance Naik Ranidan Singh's point.
His courage and devotion to duty undoubtedly saved what may have been a catastrophic traffic block.
Recommended for the Indian Distinguished Service Medal awarded the MM. Recommended by Maj Cook APM 4 Indian Div. National Archive WO 373/7. |
