Sarbjit Singh Kalha

Kalha hailed from Nawanpind, district Gurdaspur, Punjab Province, British India.^[2] His father, Rai Sahib Sunder Singh, was an executive engineer in the Burma Railways, and had supervised the laying down of the first railway line from Maungdaw to Buthitdaung.^[1] Three of Sarbjit Kalha's brother also served in the British Indian Army.^[1]

Kalha graduated from the Khalsa College, Amritsar.^[3] His wife was Mrs. Sarbjit Singh Kalha from Sarguja, Central Provinces, British India.^[4]

Kalha was commissioned in 1935 at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.^[1] His service number was IO. 66.^[5] He gained his first combat experience in the 1936-37 Waziristan Operations.^[3] He was posted to the 2nd battalion of the 1st Punjab Regiment, after serving a year with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.^[6]

Kalha then served in the Burma Campaign of World War II. In 1944, Kalha became the first Indian officer to command a battalion of the 1st Punjab Regiment.^[7] His battalion, the 2/1 Punjab Regiment, was a part of the 5th Indian Division in Burma.^[8]

In 1944, while holding the rank of a Major, Kalha was awarded the DSO for his actions in the Battle of the Ngakyedauk Pass in Arakan, during the Burma Campaign.^[9] His 'skilful planning and bold execution' against the Japanese, for which he won the DSO, opened up the Ngakyedauk Pass to the besieged 7th Indian Infantry Division.^[1] His DSO was announced in the London Gazette on 22 June 1944.^[5] A short clip of him just after receiving his DSO from King George VI is available from British Pathe.^[10] He was the first Sikh officer in the British Indian Army to be awarded the DSO.^[2]

In May 1944, Kalha became the first Sikh Officer to attend the Staff College at Camberley. He returned to India in January 1945.^[6]

Kalha again became the commanding officer of 2/1st Punjab Regiment in August 1945.^[6] With this unit, he went to Singapore as part of the 123rd Brigade of the 5th Indian Division, which led the reoccupation of Singapore by the British.^[11] He then got posted in the British Occupation of the Dutch East Indies (1945–46).^[12]

On 11 January 1946, Lt. Col. Kalha was killed in an ambush on a convoy he was moving in through Soerabaja/Surabaya in Java, Dutch East Indies.^[8][6][13]