A scarce ‘Defence of Chitral’ I.O.M. group of three to Major Beli Ram, Aide-De-Camp, Kashmir Imperial Service Troops, who was admitted to the 3rd Class Indian Order of Merit for conspicuous gallantry and devotion exhibited during the defence of the fort at Chitral in April 1895; he was also mentioned in despatches and granted a sword of honour

Indian Order of Merit, Military Division, 1st type, 3rd Class, Reward of Valor, silver and enamel, the reverse inscribed on three lines ‘3rd Class Order of Merit’, with three-prong ribbon buckle; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Chitral 1895 (Majo- --li Ram A.D.C. Kashmir I.S. Troops) obverse sometime brooch mounted with consequent loss to three letters of naming; Jummoo and Kashmir 1895, clasp, Chitral 1895, unnamed as issued, unless otherwise described, very fine or better and very rare to an officer (3) £2500-3000

I.O.M. 3rd Class G.O. No. 744 of 16 July 1895:

‘Major Beli Ram, Aide de Camp to the late General Baj Singh, Kashmir Imperial Service Troops. With effect from 17th April 1895, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion exhibited during the defence of the Fort at Chitral.’

Major Beli Ram was posted to the 4th Kashmir Rifles (The Raghunath Battalion), but during the Defence of Chitral he was appointed Aide de Camp to General Baj Singh commanding the Kashmir I.S.T. element of the garrison. He was specifically admitted to the Indian Order of Merit with effect from the 17th April 1895, a significant date for the Kashmir troops. On this day, they took part in the destruction of an enemy mine, as reported in the despatches of Captain Townsend, commanding the Fort at Chitral:

‘From Captain C.V.F. Townsend, Central India Horse, [late commanding Chitral Fort and Officer Commanding the Escort to the British Agent, dated Chitral Fort 26th April 1895

To The Officer Commanding the Gilgit Force, Wednesday 17th April 1895

Jemadar Rab Nawaz Khan, of the I5th Bengal Cavalry, warned us that he thought the tom-toms and band at the summer-house might possibly be to drown the noise of their making a mine. I warned the sentries in the gun-tower to be on the alert and to listen intently; also the sentries in the tambour at the main gate. At midnight on the 16th one of the sentries in the lower story of the gun-tower reported the noise of knocking. I went up and listened for some time but could hear nothing.

About 11 a.m. on the morning of the 17th the native officer in the gun-tower reported to me he could hear the noise of knocking. I went up into the tower in the lower story, and there was no doubt that a mine was being made, and it had reached within twelve feet of the foot of the tower. The British Agent came up, and we both agreed that there was only one thing to do, and that was the summer-house must be rushed, and that soon, and the mine destroyed.

There was no time to countermine. I told off Lieutenant Harley and 40 men of the 14th Sikhs and Major Bhagwan Singh, Subadar Gandib Singh and 60 men of the 4th Kashmir Rifles, and decided to let the party out of the garden-gate at 4 p.m. in the afternoon. They would only have to go fifty yards, and the enemy in all probability would be surprised, and 100 men would be ample to do the business. Men were told off to carry the powder-bags, powder-hose, matches and picks to destroy the mine. The shafts in all probability would be in the summer-house.

The gate was opened, and the party rushed out, a few hurried shots, and they were into the house, and had captured it, two men of the 4th Kashmir Rifles being shot dead as they got in. About 30 Pathans were in the house and they bolted down the garden wall, but stopped at the far end of the garden and kept up a heavy fire into the house and sustained it throughout, Harley's men keeping up a heavy fire in return.

The mine shaft was found just outside the house behind the garden wall, and 35 Chitralis were bayoneted in the mouth of the mine as they came out, all being armed with swords. Two Pathans were shot in the house; two prisoners were taken. In the meanwhile we had gone to our stations on the parapet and kept up a lively fire from the parapet; several of the enemy were killed running away across the open towards the bazaar.

It was several times reported to me from the towers that a considerable number of the enemy were making their way down to the river-bank from Fateh Ali Shah's house and coming round behind the garden wall, round towards our waterway; and they lined the garden wall at the east end of the garden, and opened fire on us with rifles. Two Gurkhas of the 4th Kashmir Regiment were shot dead in the garden, as they crept along the wall answering this fire. A considerable number of the enemy were seen gathering along the river-bank, and this made me anxious of a counter-attack on our waterway, so I occupied the stables with 20 men, withdrew the Sikhs from the west parapet, and put them in the north-east angle of the fort, to support and flank the waterway. I sent three different messages to Lieutenant Harley to hurry up in his work at destroying the mine, and warning him of the enemy gathering at the end of the garden. Soon after 5 p.m. I heard the explosion of powder and the party came rushing back into the garden-gate, the enemy from the end of the garden keeping up a furious fusillade on them.

The party lost 8 killed and 13 wounded, viz., 3 Sikhs killed and 5 wounded, and 5 of the 4th Kashmir Regiment killed and 8 wounded; total 21 killed and wounded out of 100 men.’

The services of Major Beli Ram were also specifically brought to attention by Captain Townsend in this same despatch from Chitral.

‘Major Beli Ram, Imperial Service Troops: – Aide de Camp to the late General Baj Singh, Imperial Service Troops, who was killed in action [i.e. the General] on the 3rd March outside Chitral Fort. Very keen and did excellent work in the siege. He was indefatigable.’


The Kashmir State gave its own awards in recognition of the good conduct of its troops during the siege. Beli Ram was one of eight officers who received a sword of honour. Fourteen other ranks were granted khilats or shawls of honour. In addition, the Maharaja instituted a medal with clasp ‘Chitral 1895’ for distribution to all Kashmir troops who had taken part in operations for the defence and relief of Chitral fort.


Few details of Beli Ram’s services have been traced. He continued as an actively employed Major with the Kashmir Imperial Service Troops until June 1911 (vide: Indian Army List, July 1911 edition). He appears to have passed away soon afterwards, as his name does not appear thereafter in the table of surviving I.O.M. members (either serving or retired) in the Indian Army List (vide: January 1912 edition, etc.).