Generational connect with the Army

Lt Col Kuldip Singh (Retd)

THE family tradition of joining the military ranks runs deep in the region, going back almost two centuries and five generations in our case.

The Chahal family belongs to Mazari village near Banga in Nawanshahr, now SBS Nagar. Sudh Singh served as a cavalier in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The fierce battle of Mudki was fought between the East India Company and a part of the Sikh Khalsa Army during the time of Rani Jindan, widow of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Both the armies suffered heavy casualties. The battle was in no way a win for either side. Treachery and inaction by Sikh Generals Lal Singh and Tej Singh saved the day for the British. Sudh Singh, along with the son of his brother Budh Singh, died fighting on December 18, 1845 in the battle.

Sudh Singh’s son Uttam Singh was a toddler when his father passed away. Twenty years later, he joined Number 1 Troop of XIX Bengal Lancers (Fanes Horse). XIX Bengal Lancers was raised by Captain Walter Fane at Cawnpore (Kanpur) in 1860 for service in the Second Opium War in China in 1861. Sowar Uttam Singh took part in the battle of Ahmed Khel (Second Afghan War).

Uttam Singh’s son Jiwa Singh served in 31 Duke of Connaught’s Own (DCO) Lancers, from where he retired in the rank of Naib Risaldar. In the September 1923 reorganisation, 31 DCO Lancers and 32 DCO Lancers were amalgamated to form 13 DCO Lancers.

Jiwa Singh’s son Gursaran Singh, my father, got enrolled as a Sowar in his father’s regiment, 13 DCO Lancers, on December 27, 1932. He, as Dafadar and later as Naib Risaldar, was an instructor in the Driving and Maintenance Regiment, Armoured Corps Centre and School, Ahmednagar, for nine years. While in Ahmednagar, he got commissioned as Second Lieutenant in 13 DCO Lancers in January 1944.

In September 1947, Maj Gursaran Singh changed his arm from Armoured Corps to Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (IEME, later designated as EME). He served as Chief Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (CEME) in a number of formations.

During the 1962 India-China war, an armoured regiment equipped with AMX tanks was tasked to airlift two troops (six tanks) to Ladakh. There was some problem in loading the tanks into the aircraft. Lt Col Gursaran Singh had served as CEME in Second Independent Armoured Brigade, then commanded by Brig Daulat Singh. In 1962, Lt Gen Daulat Singh was the Army Commander and was aware of the technical knowledge of Gursaran Singh, commanding the base workshop in Pathankot.

He was flown overnight to Ambala Cantt and given the responsibility to load the AMX tanks, which he did, earning him the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), a rare honour for a Colonel-ranked officer. My father was also Mentioned in Despatches during the 1965 Indo-Pak War. My grandmother was awarded a lifetime war jagir (pension) by the Punjab government.

The eldest among three brothers, I, in 1962, got commissioned into Scinde Horse, the armoured regiment which played a memorable and decisive role in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. My brothers Tarlochan Singh got commissioned into EME in December 1962 and Harjit Singh Chahal into Scinde Horse in November 1971.

My two elder sisters, too, got married to Army officers, and though our children have chosen different careers, the sense of pride and connect with the Army remains intact.