Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A superb Second World War Kohima operations M.M. awarded to Lance-Naik M. Rahim, 1/1 Punjab Regiment: ‘He was personally attacked by a Jap and in a fierce hand to hand struggle strangled him’

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (13496 L.-Nk. Mohd Rahim, Punjab R.) nearly extremely fine £800-1000

M.M. London Gazette 28 June 1945. The recommendation states:

‘Although a very junior N.C.O., Lance-Naik Mohd Rahim has led his section magnificently during the last four months. He has shown great initiative and a fierce determination to get to grips with the enemy and destroy him.

On one occasion on 17 June [1944], while his section was leading section of a fighting patrol advancing along the Jessami-Marasome track, he successfully surprised a small rear guard party on a hill just off the track. Lance-Naik Mohd Rahim led his section into the attack, firing his T.S.M.G. and killed one enemy and wounded three others. He was personally attacked by a Jap and in a fierce hand to hand struggle strangled him. Where upon the remainder of the enemy party fled into the jungle.

This is only one example of the dash and determination to win which Lance-Naik Mohd Rahim has led his section from the relief of Imphal right on during the pursuit of the enemy along the Tiddim Road. He is an inspiration to the men he leads and a fine example to all around him.’

The 1/1 Punjabis formed part of 161st Indian Infantry Brigade, 5th Indian (“Ball of Fire”) Division. So, too, the 4/7 Rajputs and 4/Royal West Kents, the whole trained to ‘a high pitch of readiness for jungle warfare’ (Burma Victory by D. Rooney refers). It was, of course, to the 4/Royal West Kents that the defence of Kohima largely fell in April 1944, but less well-known is the equally impressive support lent them by the 1/1/ Punjabis, whose positions in the Brigade’s “Jotsoma Box” overlooked the entire Kohima Ridge. Rooney describes how the Japanese ‘put in constant attacks on the brigade box, but were repelled by well-directed automatic fire and by well-aimed 36 grenades. After five days of battle the whole area was littered with bloated corpses, and inside Kohima the defenders hoped every day that the battalions in Jotsoma would break through and raise the siege, but the troops in the Jotsoma Box were now themselves surrounded and fighting for their lives.’

That Lance-Naik Mohd Rahim was witness to this savage fighting is almost certain, as indeed must be his presence with the Punjabis when, finally, they fought their way through to the relief of the gallant garrison of Kohima on 18 April 1944. It was they who first made contact with the Royal West Kents and to whom the unenvious task of holding the position next fell, a tour of duty that witnessed further savage fighting in what became known as the Second Battle of Kohima.

By June, however, the month in which Lance-Naik Rahim’s enacted his gallant deeds against a Japanese rear-guard, the Punjabis were on the move in the hill country to the north, east and south-east of Kohima, to accelerate the 161st Brigade’s drive to Chakbhama and Tuphema, operations that brought an end to the Kohima battle on the 27th, when the latter place was captured.