Indian soldiers searching for mines along a dirt road, 1941 (c)

Photograph, World War Two, Far East, 1941 (c).

Clearing mines was an unenviable task, involving the crude and dangerous process of probing the ground with bayonets to reveal the location of mines, which would then have to be carefully removed by hand.

During the Ethiopian campaign in February 1941 Second Lieutenant Premindra Singh Bhagat of the Corps of Indian Engineers was awarded the first VC for mine clearance. During the pursuit of the Italian forces after the capture of Metemma he commanded section of Sappers and Miners attached to the lead vehicles of a mobile column in the vanguard of the pursuit. For a period of four days and over a distance of 55 miles he detected and supervised the clearing of fifteen minefields despite extreme pressure of time and enemy fire. His courage and devotion to duty ensured the safety and swift passage of the column.

From a collection of official photographs collected by Major General (later Lieutenant General) Sir Frank Walter Messervy.