branch commands death_place death_date birth_place awards battles birth_date rank image article_title name
british raj 2/12th district frontier force regiment 63rd indian brigade dehra dun edinburgh , scotland 10 april 1971 karachi , british india victoria cross order of the british empire military cross world war i world war ii 18 june 1896 brigadier victoria cross medal without bar.png arthur edward cumming
 arthur edward cumming
arthur edward cumming

brigadier arthur edward cumming vc obe mc -lrb- 18 june 1896 -- 10 april 1971 -rrb- was a scottish recipient of the victoria cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to british and commonwealth forces .
cumming was 45 years old , and a lieutenant colonel commanding the 2/12th frontier force regiment , in the indian army during world war ii .
lt.col cumming and his battalion were defending an airfield during the battle of malaya when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the vc -lrb- currently displayed at the national army museum -rrb- .
on 3 january 1942 near kuantan , malaya , the japanese made a furious attack on the battalion and a strong enemy force penetrated the position .
lieutenant colonel cumming , with a small party of men , immediately led a counter-attack and although all his men became casualties and he , himself , had two bayonet wounds in the stomach he managed to restore the situation sufficiently for the major portion of the battalion and its vehicles to be withdrawn .
later he drove in a carrier , under very heavy fire , collecting isolated detachments of his men and was again wounded .
his gallant actions helped the brigade to withdraw safely .
cumming was one of a small number of officers and men who were ordered to be evacuated from singapore before the island was surrendered on 15 february 1942 .
cumming commanded a battalion of the 9th jat regiment before his promotion to brigadier and command of the 63rd indian brigade during the burma campaign .
from 1944 to his retirement in 1947 brigadier cumming was in command of the dehra dun district in india .
his vc is on display at the national army museum , chelsea .
