"In
Burma, on 18th March, 1945, a Company of the
15th Punjab Regiment,
in which Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge was a Platoon Commander, was
ordered to capture the Cotton Mill area on the outskirts of
Myingyan.
In addition to numerous bunkers and stiff enemy resistance a total of
almost 200 enemy shells fell around the tanks and infantry during the
attack. The ground over which the operation took place was very broken
and in parts was unsuitable for tanks. Except for the first two hours of
this operation, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge's platoon was leading
in the attack, and up to the last moment Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh
Judge dominated the entire battlefield by his numerous and successive
acts of superb gallantry. Time and again the infantry were held up by heavy medium machine
gun and small arms fire from bunkers not seen by the tanks. On every
such occasion Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, without hesitation and
with a complete disregard for his own personal safety, coolly went
forward through heavy fire to recall the tanks by means of the house
telephone. Cover around the tanks was non-existent, but Lieutenant
Karamjeet Singh Judge remained completely regardless not only of the
heavy small arms fire directed at him, but also of the extremely heavy
shelling directed at the tanks. Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge
succeeded in recalling the tanks to deal with bunkers which he
personally indicated to the tanks, thus allowing the infantry to
advance. In every case Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge personally led the
infantry in charges against the bunkers and was invariably first to
arrive. In this way ten bunkers were eliminated by this brilliant and
courageous officer. On one occasion, while he was going into the attack, two Japanese suddenly rushed at him from a small nullah with fixed bayonets. At a distance of only 10 yards he killed both. About fifteen minutes before the battle finished, a last nest of
three bunkers was located, which were very difficult for the tanks to
approach. An enemy light machine gun was firing from one of them and
holding up the advance of the infantry. Undaunted, Lieutenant Karamjeet
Singh Judge directed one tank to within 20 yards of the above bunker at
great personal risk and then threw a smoke grenade as a means of
indication. After some minutes of fire, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh
Judge, using the house telephone again, asked the tank commander to
cease fire while he went in with a few men to mop up. He then went
forward and got within 10 yards of the bunker, when the enemy light
machine gun opened fire again, mortally wounding Lieutenant Karamjeet
Singh Judge in the chest. By this time, however, the remaining men of
the section were able to storm this strong point, and so complete a long
and arduous task. During the battle, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge showed an example of cool and calculated bravery. In three previous and similar actions this young officer had
already proved himself an outstanding leader of matchless courage. In
this, his last action, Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge gave a superb
example of inspiring leadership and outstanding courage."
Another bold ally,
Brian & Melonie
Memorial bust of Judge.
A book by Singh that details Judge's life and action that won him the Victoria Cross.
Judge as a wargaming miniature.
