Monthly Archives: August 2018

Hats off to the photographer for this exciting photo resembling the one taken 1916. That’s the highlight here. Punjab regt. Both sardars, in the same position, both on bastilles day. One in 1916 after the ww1 and the second in 2023 – after 107 years. Both ladies pinning a momento on the soldiers chest. French way of expressing gratitude.

Lt Gen Baljit Singh (Retd)

Military Commentator

THIS is a broad-brushed retrospective of the Indian Army, which — having earned name and fame fighting under the British flag in Europe, Africa, Mesopotamia and Persia — took up arms for the first time in defence of its own homeland under the most disadvantaged circumstances.

Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, the then Commander-in-Chief, India, said on record, “Britain could not have come through both wars (WWI & WWII) if they hadn’t had the Indian Army.” And who could have known this better than Auchinleck? As a 20-year-old commissioned officer attached with 62nd Punjabis, he led his company in defence of the far-flung Gyantse outpost (midway on the pony track of Nathu La-Lhasa) and later fought with commendable distinction along with 1.5 million Indian soldiers in World War I. Two decades hence, he led in part 3.35 million Indian soldiers, termed ‘the largest volunteer Army in the world’, through World War II and till August 1947.

Despite the gargantuan numbers of the Indian Army, when unanticipated winds of war engulfed the Indian homeland in December 1941, no more than one puny Infantry Brigade of Black Cats (17 Infantry Division), numbering about 3,000 combatants, was in the kitty for dispatch in the first rush to Rangoon with the intent to fight and defeat the highly motivated Japanese soldiers, emboldened by victory after victory over every foe thus far.

The Black Cats under Maj Gen John Smyth (a recipient of the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross) were reinforced in situ by three brigades from assorted Burmese paramilitary entities, but this proved too little and too late. It is to Smyth’s credit that they did not yield to the Japanese onslaught for nearly one month but ultimately, they simply “had to retreat a thousand miles… the longest fighting withdrawal in the history of the British army… but they had not been disgraced. They had put up a great fight… As they came into Imphal…they still carried their weapons… Lt Gen William Slim was proud of them… he was determined that one day they would go back.”

“But meanwhile in the centre/Great deeds of arms were wrought”, as Macaulay had famously said in another context. The Japanese surprise attack on the US military facility at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, had inflicted a crippling blow to the allies’ overall war plans, but, in turn, the year-long swift retaliation mounted by the US armed forces was to provide a 14-month hiatus to India for knitting together the formidable 14th Army under Lt Gen Slim.

On January 19, 1944, the Japanese Imperial Headquarters in Tokyo approved General Mutaguchi’s plan for Operation ‘U-Go’, also known as ‘Road to Delhi’. Gen Mutaguchi, a diehard adherent of Bushido (Japanese code of military honour), promptly issued a stirring order to his 15th Army: “The Army has now reached the stage of invincibility and the day when the rising sun shall proclaim our victory in India is not far off… Aided by the Gods and inspired by the Emperor and the will to win… Officers and men must fight to death for their country.” Concomitantly, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was vested with the command of the Indian National Army (INA), an adjunct of ‘U-Go’ with the Tricolour as its flag, its salutation ‘Jai Hind’ and its slogan ‘Chalo Dilli’.

In the interregnum prior to the ‘U-Go’ launch, the 14th Army Headquarters had gathered a sizeable outfit, comprising local Nagas, Kerens, Kukis, Meiteis, Mizos and Lushais, tasked with infiltrating between Manipur and Chindwin rivers in the East and across the Irrawaddy river in the North-East for timely acquisition of movements and related operational buildup of the Japanese 15th Army.

Finally, the stage was set for Lt Gen Slim to lure Gen Mutaguchi on to the Imphal plains and fight a decisive battle to destroy the 15th Army as a prelude to the eviction of the Japanese from Burma. In the event, the ‘U-Go’ and ‘Chalo Dilli’ hordes were destroyed close to the last man, having trodden barely the first 10 km of the intended 2,428-km journey from Imphal to Delhi. The INA division had failed in its primary task of inciting desertions and revolt in the 14th Army.

Of the 85,000 combatants fielded by Gen Mutaguchi in this opening phase, the Japanese suffered 54,879 casualties (killed or wounded); another 4,000 were killed at Kohima, compared to 14th Army’s 12,500 dead or missing. And in this macabre slaughter in a circumference of 10 km around Imphal, the soil of Manipur was drenched in blood and the war-ravaged countryside cloaked in cinder, ash and charred debris, like Nagasaki was after the atomic bombing.

The scale of the ravages of war brings to mind these lines by PB Shelley:

Oh, cease! must hate and death return?

Cease! must men kill and die?

Cease! drain not to its dregs the urn of bitter prophecy.

The world is weary of the past,

Oh, might it die or rest at last!

The British monarch elevated Lt Gen Slim to Field Marshal and also bestowed the knighthood on him, besides honouring the three Corps Commanders with the KBE (Knight Commander of the most excellent order of the British Empire). The then Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell, performed the knighthood ceremony near Imphal, witnessed by a motley crowd of Kukis and Meiteis, the raging war notwithstanding. And in the cruellest paradox of life, the two wartime foes would shortly emerge as the best of friends after the armistice.

Lt Gen Slim-led 14th Indian Army had handed to the Japanese their worst defeat of World War II over the Imphal plains and, in the process, preserved India’s territorial sovereignty. But much more significantly, the Indian Army emerged as the first and true inheritor of the salutation ‘Jai Hind’ along with Manipur, which is in the throes of a violent conflict today.

Finally, IndianArmy repaired drain regulator at ITO barrage, Delhi, which the other Highly Trained and Efficient Organization’s like NDRF, Civil Administration, IAS/IPS couldn’t do.ITO Bridge-cutting the bridge to permit lifting of 5 sluice for allowing water to pass.

Total Manpower in Ops:-

3 officers,
6 JCO,
45 Jawans

of Corps of Engineer fixed it, in unfavorable & challenging condition of weather.

That’s the precise reason for not granting NFU to armed forces.

They might also become Non Functional like the Highly Qualified (?) civilian counterparts.😉😂😂😂

Lt Gen KJ Singh (retd)

FLOODS always bring back memories of my first independent mission as Second Lieutenant in 1977. Even though I have participated in bigger and more complex flood relief operations, this one lingers in the fauji memory. The mission was launched in response to a distress call from the district administration for rescuing marooned villagers in Jansui, Jansua, Mattedi, Jattan and other villages in proximity to the Narwana branch in Ambala district. We had conducted flood relief drills in the pre-monsoon period with a study of the Ghaggar, Tangri and Markanda flood plains. Our column was picked probably because we had organised a training class for a regiment.

I was summoned by my Squadron Commander and told that it was time to put theory into practice. He asked us to leave posthaste. Our column of 60-odd was joined by 25 Sappers with boats and technical equipment. The only catch was that our Column Commander, Lt Manbir Hundal, was to join later as he was in Patiala, playing the final of a hockey tournament. That gave me 24-odd hours of being the boss or ‘Tiger’. It was a great elevation for me as subalterns are not only addressed as ‘Mr’, but also treated as troopers.

Standard operating procedures had been devised, but like the good old saying by Field Marshal Moltke, ‘No plans survive first contact with the enemy.’ Here it was a vast river in spate, challenging us. The first requirement was to select a safe high ground and set up basic shelter and hygiene arrangements. The next was to run ferry boats to get people and livestock out. The most challenging task was to convince people sitting on rooftops to leave the place. Most of them were old folk and some just didn’t leave their houses despite water raging all around them. It was heart-warming to see troops braving multiple challenges to save the civilian population.

With these villages having a sizeable Sikh and Punjabi population, langar was organised and sewa volunteers were in abundance. We had to just guide them. My first independent command finished with the arrival of Lt Hundal.

The topography and run-offs were such that water had collected dangerously on one side of the canal bank and could only be drained on the other side. This entailed breaking an embankment to inundate the other side. Being a local, the SDM, who was on his first posting, was hesitant to proceed either way.

Lt Hundal devised a plan and took the SDM on a reconnaissance. On the quiet, he had tasked us to prepare the demolition charges and do the needful in his absence. Needless to say, clear orders are complied with. The next morning, the local minister arrived to compliment us. He announced cash rewards for our column, handing over a bag which, in keeping with our traditions, we politely did not accept.

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 16

Officers and jawans from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sarai Khas, have come forward to assist the distressed population in flood-hit areas.

Venturing into the flood-hit areas, they distributed relief materials and extended support to those in need.

On Saturday, the Group Centre, CRPF, sent relief materials in the flood-affected villages such as Lohian Khas, Kotha, Mehrajwala, Chak Bandala, Kang Khurd, Fatehpur Bhagwan, Janian, Sardarwala, Jalalpur Khurd and Khalewal.

The relief materials consisted of breads, juices, biscuits, water bottles, soft drinks, lassi, mathri among other essential items.

Gurshakti Singh Sodhi, DIG Group Centre, CRPF, Jalandhar, said the force, along with other jawans, was dedicated to supporting the community during these tough times. Recognising their responsibility, they promptly dispatched the first consignment of relief material to the flood-affected areas.

Dr RK Damathia, Deputy Inspector General (Medical), Jatinder Pal Singh, Commandant, and other gazetted officers from the Group Centre accompanied the relief material.

“Officers and jawans from the CRPF Sarai Khas have been tirelessly distributing relief materials in flooded villages,” said Commandant Jatinder Pal Singh.

Chandigarh, July 16

A mortar was found in the Sukhna Choe near Bapu Dham Colony today.

Local residents spotted the mortar and informed the police, following which a team of the operations cell, a bomb-disposal squad and a disaster management team was rushed to the spot.

The Army was also informed about the recovery of the mortar, following which a bomb squad from the Western Command, Chandimandir, arrived at the spot.

The experts examined the mortar and the police secured the area. The Army team took the mortar in its custody. Sources said it was an 81-mm mortar and was very old.

The police said it appeared the mortar was swept away by rainwater.

It was found in the afternoon, following which the road between the Shastri Nagar light point on the Bapu Dham side and St Kabir light point was blocked.

Tribune News Service

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Mansa, July 16

Around 5,000 acres in Mansa district are submerged in floodwaters following two breaches that occurred yesterday in the Ghaggar at Rorke village in Sardulgarh and Chandpura bundh in Budhladha.

Even after 24 hours, the breach at Chandpura bundh has not been plugged and its size has increased from 100 feet on Saturday to more than 250 feet on Sunday owing to heavy flow of floodwater. Even the level of the Ghaggar has increased and fear of its overflow looms. The Army has been called in and its teams have already initiated the repair work.

Mansa Deputy Commissioner Dr Rishipal Singh says over 5,000 acres have been submerged in floodwaters and the Army has been called in to repair the breaches. The water level in the river has increased, but there is no need to panic as the administration is on the job, he says. On Sunday, floodwaters entered fields at Gorakhnath, Chak Ali Sher and Birewala Dogra villages. Villagers said the water threatened to inundate Riund Kalan, Riund Khurd, Gantu Kalan, Gantu Khurd, Gamiwala, Talwala, Bahmanwala villages in the district. In view of possibility of floods, villagers are moving to safer places, carrying belongings and livestock on tractor-trailers. Most of the poor, however, have no means to go anywhere.

Skin ailments on rise in Jalandhar

3,910 with ailments in flood-hit Jalandhar areas

25 medical, 16 rapid response teams formed

(*Most suffer from skin, gastro ailments)

Yamuna waters recede in Delhi

205.98 m Yamuna level on Sunday

208.66 m Peak level on July 13

Rs 10K aid for each flood-hit family in Delhi

The Army has been deployed in the area between Kulariyan village and Chandpura dam and is busy preparing boats to deal with possible flooding. Farmers say crops on hundreds of acres have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh today met members of the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association and government officials, and directed them to ensure there was no shortage of medicines and medical staff in the flood-affected areas.