Tuesday, July 28, 2009

"Op Vijay" 1999 Vs "Op Leghorn" 1962

earlier post: click me
During Kargil soldiers died fighting bravely by enemy bullets. On the other hand, during OP Leghorn the 7 Brigade soldiers died, not only while fighting bravely by enemy bullets, but also of hunger and extreme cold for no fault of theirs.

On Death and the Bottle of Rum
Night over took us and brought with it additional chill and cold that a night of late October coupled with an altitude of 15-16,000 feet altitude can manifest. To top it, there was soon sleet and fresh snow and this was clearly the coldest night that we had spent in the open. That night two things happened that will always live with me. One Ganpat died, he froze stiff, sitting in the snow, as he was. Before his death he cried and howled like an animal unknowingly, the rest of us yelling at him to keep quiet lest the Chinese pick up our trail. Rajamani Rai was 'B " Company barber and having 'managed' his enrollment, was much older, nearly 50 years of age. He had against all advice to accompany the Paltan to NEFA rather than take the easy way out and get posted to Centre.

The second was a coincidence when I ran into Hav Chhetri of 1/9 GR who only two months ago had taught me at the Army School of Mechanical Transport, Faizabad. He had been recalled to the unit to take his promotion test and destiny had made him cross my path. He was sitting in the snow, having recognised me he wished me. Surprised to see him in our midst I offered that he share my blanket as he had none. Huddled under the blanket, Chhatri sometime later asked me if I would have rum. Imagine my surprise, he was prepared to share what could be life saving under the circumstances there were no barriers. The Officer and the Jawan spent the night under the "saihabs" blanket taking swigs from the bottle produced by the Jawan. Both survived the ordeal.
(As narrated to me by Lt Gen RIS Kahlon PVSM, UVSM, AVSM (Retd) then Lt and IO of 4 GRENADIERS)
Brig Lakshman Singh (Retd)

Moving and unforgettable Photographs
IESM slideshow: Kargil Diwas- Noida

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