The 'Prince of Gocchi', in Jhajjar

Lt Col AK Ahlawat

THE Indian Military Academy was established in 1932 to allow Indians to become military officers. It was full of boys from the princely order of India, though there was a fair sprinkling of those who made it there on their own. One such young man, Rattan Singh, got commissioned in 1938. He came from a dry and arid village of present-day Haryana called Gocchi in Jhajjar. Gocchians had been joining the British Raj Cavalry for almost a century, but he was the first to directly become an officer.

He got commissioned into 7th Cavalry stationed at Kohat in the North West Frontier Province. One day, while playing football, he broke his leg. He was shifted to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC). Soon, World War II started.

As Hitler advanced menacingly, the British hastily cobbled up a few divisions, set up the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and shipped it to mainland France to buttress the eastern defences. Eastern France was hilly country and the BEF had no pack animal transport units to supply ration and ammunition to units.

Four mule companies of RIASC were shipped to Marseille port. This Indian force was called Force K6. As Hitler overran France, the BEF was evacuated from Dunkirk. All mules and many men of Force K6 were captured by the Germans.

As Germany started preparing for Operation Sea Lion, the code name for the invasion of Britain, Force K6 started receiving reinforcements from India and was rapidly reconstituted.

Lieutenant Rattan Singh arrived on the British shores in April 1942 with No. 7 Animal Transport Company of RIASC. He was an excellent horseman and organiser. His company was moved to Scotland, where he met Major Joe Dudgeon of the Royal Scot Greys, who had been called out of retirement to raise a pack transport regiment. Major Dudgeon had also been a legendary Equitation Officer of Sandhurst Military Academy. In a show jumping competition there in which he also took part, the young Rattan Singh came first. The Major was so impressed that he presented him his own grey horse called Cromwell as a prize.

Rattan Singh became a Captain while in UK. After an official parade in London, all Indian officers were lined up to meet King George VI.

An ADC walked behind the King with a list. He would read out the name and title of the officer as the King moved down the line: “Captain Jagat Singh, Prince of Chitral; Lieutenant Dilawar Singh, Prince of Dholpur; Captain Kunwar Vijay Singh, Prince of Hardoi.”

All the officers present seemed to be the fruit of some or the other princely orchard of India. Rattan Singh stood quiet, absorbing the fanfare and awaiting his turn. He was the tallest and most good looking of the lot.

When the King came in front of Captain Rattan Singh, the ADC stuttered, “Captain Rattan Singh, RIASC, err...”

Rattan Singh was quick on the take: “Your excellency, I am the Prince of Gocchi.”

The King Emperor smiled and said, “Indeed, how nice. How’s your father, the old Maharaja? He is beloved of his people, very fond of shikar.”

Colonel Rattan Singh, the self-anointed prince, used to enjoy retelling the story to hearty laughter whenever he recounted his days as a young officer.

When the fear of invasion of Britain receded, Captain Rattan Singh was sent to Burma as long columns of pack mules were being readied for Major General Orde Wingates’ Chindit operations.

The commandant of ASC’s north centre at Meerut post-Independence, he was a favourite officer of General Thimayya. Col Rattan Singh was appointed the first station commander of Delhi Cantonment and was approved for the rank of Brigadier, but his name was missing in the final list.

After retirement, he settled down in Rohtak and remained on the judging panel of the Equestrian Federation, Wrestling Federation of India and also the Indian Red Cross. The ‘Prince of Gocchi’ passed away peacefully in 1984.