BEDDING IN A YO: A TIGER REFLECTS

I joined 40 Med Regt a unit with South Indian Class Composition in Sikkim in 1971 after my YO’s (Young Officers) Course. Not being very fluent in Hindi, this suited me as I was confident of speaking the language of the troops.

I landed at Siliguri in Aug 71 from Delhi along with other course mates posted to units in the area. Being a Medium Regiment, the unit was located at three different locations to ensure medium guns support for the entire corps. Incidentally we were the only Medium Regiment then under the Corps. One subunit was at Khaprail, Siliguri, another at Woodcock in East Sikkim and the third along with the headquarters at Menla ahead of Gangtok. When I arrived at Siliguri the subunit there had already moved out in preparation for the impending ops, and after spending the night in the transit camp left the next morning for Gangtok en route to Menla, by the Officers bus.

It was a mid Aug morning in 1971 that I got off the army bus at Mile 17 a location ahead of Gangtok on the Gangtok- Changu- Nathu La  road. Being a South Indian I was not used to the cold climate, and Mile 17 was considered a high-altitude location, and was inadequately clothed. Not only was I numb, courtesy the weather, but also at the manner of my reception. I had heard tales of the reception accorded to YO’s on joining their units but was not prepared for the one I was given at Mile 17.  I was received by an officer, a Capt, who introduced himself as Capt AK Datta and a ‘jawan’ dressed in khaki shorts and brown sweater. I was told that he was to be my ‘Batman’ as was known then, now called ‘buddy’ perhaps.. Coming from a family where my father and uncle had served in the army before, the terminology was not something new to me. However, the demeanor and carriage and his manner of speech made me a little apprehensive as I had heard that usually officers masqueraded as batmen. The person introduced himself as a Gunner belonging to Kodagu district in Coorg and spoke to me in my native language Malayalam. He collected my luggage and handed me a ‘Rammer’,(a long rod used to ram shells into the bore of the gun) which was the tradition I was told. I was also given a Sten Machine Carbine a 9mm gun as my personal weapon, the authorized weapon for officers, and a mule whose parents are Donkey and a horse I think. Loaded with this baggage and having been told that we were in enemy territory, we started our trek to the Regiment located 5 kms away. I had to lead the animal by a leash and just as I was taking in the scenery and enjoying it, I was rudely awakened by an attack on me from multiple directions. I resisted fiercely, especially refusing to part with the weapon, and soon  the attackers having failed to snatch my weapon fled.  My friend philosopher and Guide till then, Capt AKD, was nowhere around to help when I was attacked, but surfaced soon therafter and after listening to my narration of the event complimented me on my brave resistance. Little did I realize then that the attack was jointly engineered by the so called Batman and Capt AKD who when they saw my resistance decided to abort it lest someone gets injured. A wise decision indeed. Soon we entered the unit location and the first port of call was the quarter guard, a pride of place for any unit where the unit guard stood on watch 24/7 and also housed the armory and the unit prison. I was asked to enter my particulars in a register during which process an attempt to snatch my identity card was made and needless to mention failed again, due to my refusal to part with it, having been warned of such shenenaigans earlier. I was warned that snatching I card and later foisting false charges for its loss were common ploys used to initially test YO’s. I was then taken ahead of the unit location and for the first time in my life saw what a snow tent or rather a two-man bivouac looked like. I was given one and told to pitch it as that was going to be my residence. My batman who had disappeared all this while surfaced in the meantime and assisted me in pitching the tent as I had no clue never having seen one earlier. It was snowing by now and I had lost count of time. Soon however the tent was pitched and I managed to get in shivering like a rat. I was really perplexed more than scared. All along I was sure that this must be some prank and would end soon. However around six or so in the evening I was once again attacked, with shouts and yells and saw a hand enter the tent like an elephants trunk searching for bananas. I realized that they were actually looking for the stem gun. I once again resisted fiercely hitting out and refusing to part with the weapon, and the so called attack fizzled out as fast as it came and stillness descended.  Soon thereafter my friendly batman suddenly appeared once again and asked me to hand over the weapon to him for safe custody in the ‘Kote’ as the armory was known. Later on, at night the same batman came with some food for me and told me that the attackers who had come earlier had waylaid him and snatched the weapon from him forcibly.  Anyway, the ordeal of stay in the tent ended the next day and I was taken to a room where I was introduced to another of my ilk, S/Lt SK Mehta. He had a scratch mark on his face and was quite serious when he shook hands with me. Only later was I to learn that the scratch mark was kind courtesy yours truly, as he was also a member of the team that attacked me in the tent. No wonder he appeared so stern at our first meeting. Anyway it was announced soon that I the new YO, had lost a weapon and was to be court martialed (CM ). The CM proceedings commenced with recording of my statements which was done by Capt KKK Taori ,who was then the Quarter Master of the unit. He later became an IAS officer and retired since from UP Cadre.  All this was done in a day and I was surprised to see all those who were supposed to have been assigned to assist me had turned hostile during the recordings. The CM proceedings commenced in the mess that evening and soon the verdict was announced. ‘To be Dismissed’. The next day a grand farewell was given to me and I moved out of the unit in civil dress as a civilian with full honours. Jawan’s had lined the route and were shouting Jai’s much to my consternation. Anyway 48 hrs after my arrival I was back at Mile 17 this time to leave the army once and for all. There were condescending reassurances and crocodile sympathies extended as to how unfortunate I was and that it was indeed sad that this had to end in this manner. My friend Mehta was the most vociferous in his professions and promised to look me up at Delhi where I was supposed to be going as my parents were there. AK Datta also had comforting words and asked me not to be worried and to take things in my stride to which I replied in the affirmative. My batman of two days was there to bid me farewell too. We were sipping our final cup of tea awaiting the arrival of the Officers bus, when a messenger from the unit arrived to proclaim that Army HQ had turned down the CM proceedings and I was to report to the unit once again. This time I was taken to the unit in a vehicle a jeep at that, and straight to the Adjutants office and officially interviewed. Soon it became apparent that the shenanigans that transpired was my official welcome to the unit fold, and told that while I had proved a hard nut, the earlier entrants on whom the ploy was unleashed had broken down and were in desperate tears when they were being bid farewell. My reaction did indeed surprise them. The ‘batman’ the villain of the piece finally surfaced in his rightful uniform that of a Capt. He was MA Devaiah actually from Coorg and the LRW (Light Repair Workshop) officer of the unit. Anyway, all this having finished I was soon brought down to mother earth by a series of duty officer chores which made me conversant with most of the unit duties. Alls’ well that ends well and soon I too was a part of this great outfit where I was to serve the maximum period of my uniformed service. Though taken aback initially, I feel such light banter as long as it is kept within the bounds of decency and respectability is good way of breaking in a YO to the unit way of life. There is indeed much to learn too here as it tests your level of sustenance, calmness and confidence without getting desperate or anxious. In war many are the moments when as an officer one will be called upon to take decisions in a climate of uncertainty and lack of inputs. Such situations give a glimpse of the YO’s ability to withstand the rigors and still smile and deliver.

Today in the twilight of my life these are fond memories to treasure and reminisce with the usual elbow action during evenings especially in these days of lockdowns and pandemics’. Always brings cheer to ones face every time I read this.