1965 War – Khem Karan Sector Patrol …

Posted on May 20, 2011. Filed under: From a Services Career |

This is the story of a Patrol briefed and tasked by no less than the Khem Karan 4th Division Commander, who by the way was bestowed a MVC along with Gen Sibal GOC 7 Inf Div!

The patrol was led by Maj PK Jawa, Second in Command of the newly arrived Gurkha Battalion in that Sector. Jawa was NDA 10th Course King Squadron and captained the Boxing team. Later in ’73 he did the Senior Command Course from where he went onto become the second CO of the elite Naga Regiment.

Gen Harbaksh of the Sikhs, who remains in the fore front of field commanders, headed Western Army during the 65 War. Back in the 47/48 War, he commanded 1st Sikh which was part of Bikram’s brigade in the Tithwal Sector. This brigade also had 3rd Garhwal and 1st Madras. The Sikhs and Garhwalis obtained the maximum number of gallantry awards by a battalion in any war, viz 23 and 21 respectively. Zorru Bakshi, as BM got his first decoration – a Vrc.

The GOC of 4th Division was the much touted professional, Gen Gurbaksh. The Commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade was Brig Thambi, who went around after the war, with his chest bearing the badges of the Pak Armored Regiments that had been decimated in the Assal Uttar/Amar kote/Mahmudpura area ie after they were mired in the soggy post monsoon soil and became sitting ducks for our Shermans and the anti tank recoilless guns of the likes of Abdul Hamid of the Grenadiers who got a posthumous PVC..

There were, as is the norm, some great fiascoes too. For one we had not expected Pakistan to launch their major offensive in this Sector. Hence we only had one Centurion Regiment, 3 Cavalry, in Brig Thambi’s brigade while the others including Vaidyas Deccan Horse had up gunned Shermans. Hence it was pure luck that we were saved when the Pakistan armor got mired.

Khem Karan had fallen to the Pak Infantry assault but Harbaksh thought that it could be retaken. As such he sent 4 Sikh, newly brought from 7 Div, behind Khem Karan to establish a block on the road to Kasur, while an attack would be launched from the front. The attack was a dismal fiasco with the result that the whole of the gallant 4 Sikh together with their Commanding Officer, went into the Pak POW bag – hook, line and sinker!

The following incident bears testimony to our pamphlet professionalism. To fully grasp the incident, one must understand the basic nuances of patrolling. This subject has been best extolled in Fred Majdalany’s outstanding book, ‘Patrol’.

Gen Gurbaksh knew his Patrolling pamphlet and hence sent for the Second in Command of the Gurkhas, which unit had just descended into the area, helter skelter from Ladakh. As the 2nd i/c, Major PK Jawa wound his way to the GOC’s Operations Room where he was personally briefed by the great man himself. He was to go to a point marked 9r on the one inch map (meter maps had not yet reached) and check – in true copy book style – if there was any enemy there, and if so, in what strength?

Old Jawa looked at his map and sure enough the point 9r was marked there. He was ordered to report back for debriefing on return. That evening Jawa led his patrol and reached our Shermans’ pounding away at the enemy on the outskirts of Khem Karan. These guys asked him where in hell he thought he was going? Jawa told them. He was told not to be bloody stupid – of course there was enemy ahead! They were not partridge shooting. Further, they asked how in hell was he to tell 9r from anything else specially when the damn sugar cane were taller?

Seeing the practical side of things, Jawa turned back and duly told his story. The GOC hit the roof and charged him with cowardice and disobedience of orders. He said he would give him one more chance to complete his mission.

Severely shaken, Jawa returned and once again in the evening wound his way to the front where the tanks as usual were doing their stuff. Again they questioned him but he said he was gong forward and there was no way any one could stop him.

As the patrol moved forward, they suddenly found themselves in the midst of a company of the enemy. Keeping his wits about him, Jawa waved a white hand kerchief and asked to see their officer. He was taken to a young officer as the Company Commander was out.

Jawa introduced himself and shook hands saying he had come across as being professional soldiers, they should respect the Cease Fire, which was to be announced any time and he had personally come to establish contact so that no untoward incident happened once there was a cease fire. The young officer was impressed with such professionalism and insisted upon hospitality and offered tea and pakoras – much to Jawa’s dismay!

Having enjoyed the pleasant bonhomie, Jawa and his patrol were winding their way out when a Machine Gun mounted Jeep arrived and out jumped the Company Commander. He immediately arrested the entire patrol and made them prisoners of war.

Jawa told me that after the initial brutality, the POWs were treated decently. Strangely he landed in a POW Camp of downed IAF personnel and commanded by a very decent PAF Officer. The Commandant was a gentleman and treated them with kindness and courtesy.

Of course this led to some game plans for escape. In one such, Jawa along with two IAF officers wound their way to a border village near the Afghan border. They would certainly have reached it had it not been for the lunacy of one officer who wanted a ‘Fez’ Cap as a ‘memento’ to remind him of those days.

Much against common sense, two of them wound their way to the village where suspicions were aroused because of a denomination currency note, they offered for their purchase. As a result all of them were arrested and taken back to the Camp. The Commandant had a hearty laugh at their dumb stupidity!

In due course the repatriation plans were approved and Jawa along with others were brought to the Wagah Border Check Post. For some stupid reason or another, these POWs would be brought to the Gate and after a day long wait, they would be taken back and brought again next day.

Feeling desperate at such atrocious stupidity and standing near the Gate, Jawa was measuring the distance to the Indian Gate and calculating the seconds a sprint would take. A UN Officer, saw what he was contemplating and told him not to be bloody stupid!

At last they were repatriated. Imagine our own military police were not allowing the families gathered at the Delhi Railway Station, to meet their near and dear, who were now under their own Army’s detention – and after such an ordeal as they had gone through!

After a month of being quarantined for such crappy things as delousing and debriefing were they permitted to unite with their families. Such is the crass power of dumb outdated crappy officialdom!

Incidentally, Gurbaksh was awarded an MVC!