"A Dead Person Cannot Be Awarded A Military Cross."

The outbreak of world war 2 resulted in a shortage of qualified officers, due to which Manekshaw, among others, received promotions to acting or temporary rank, by August 1940, he was an acting captain and then an acting major.

During World War II, then-Captain Manekshaw saw action in Burma in the 1942 campaign at the Sittang River with the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment,and had the rare distinction of being honoured for his bravery on the battlefield itself. During the fighting around Pagoda Hill, a key position on the left of the Sittang bridgehead, he led his company in a counter-attack against the invading Imperial Japanese Army and despite suffering 50% casualties it managed to achieve its objective.

After capturing the hill, Manekshaw was hit by a burst of light machine gun fire and was severely wounded in the stomach.Observing the battle, Major General David Cowan, commander of the 17th Infantry Division, spotted Manekshaw holding on to life and, having witnessed his valour in the face of stiff resistance, rushed over to him. Fearing that Manekshaw would die, the general pinned his own Military Cross ribbon on him saying,

"A dead person cannot be awarded a Military Cross."

                  #Raptor