The Corps Commander Lt Gen J N Choudhry arrives to witness the Hockey Match.How a young officer learns to command and grow on joining his first unit and the role of the seniors NCO,s and Jawans who help him in the process . One has to learn by watching, asking, and following.
NDA
Cadets were embodied as recruits and trained as such. (As cadets we would line up in NDA early every month, for what was known as Pay Parade and were handed over the princely some of Rs 16, that was the salary of a recruit those days, that too from the Rs 800 we were required to bring from home and deposit in NDA. However, they were also introduced to the graces considered necessary in officers; Dress, Table manners, Etiquette and so on.
IMA
I was totally bereft of any idea of how to manage, lead or deal with JCOs, NCOs and OR, my encounters, till now having being with the Drill JCO the PT NCO or the Weapon Training staff at IMA and a few of the same at School of Signals. Coupled with this was the awe of senior officer ranks. The Platoon Commander at IMA and the Group Officer at the School both a Captain the first and only contact with an officer looked a towering figure; any rank above was much beyond my vision.
Section Commander
As 2 I/C of Main wireless section, it was, for me, a period of growing up as an officer, the process of learning by watching Capt Sikand and doing what he directed me to do I somehow became totally dependent on his presence and felt a bit lost when he proceeded on annual leave leaving me to survive on my own.
Troops
My grateful thanks to the NCOs who held my hand during critical periods and help develop my self- confidence. Men are very discerning possibly my attitude willingness to learn respect for their experience and knowledge made them come forward. The Indian Soldier never lets down his officer but first, one has to win his confidence and respect in turn by respecting his experience and knowledge.
Technical Stores
The Main Wireless section or rather its store which also served as the Section office with a folding table (Table Tele) and two folding leather stool for the section Officer Commanding (OC) and the Second in Command that was me to sit across was located in a ramshackle barrack.
The Section had a mix of about 15 or so mobile vehicle mounted 400 watt SCR 399 radio sets of US Army and the Command Vehicle High Power (CVHP) with the Radio Set RS 53, of British origin along with Command Vehicle Low Power (CVLP) with radio set 19 HP and a number of PE 95, 15 KVA generators and assorted charging engines for the secondary batteries held.
The section also held Radio sets like 19, 19 HP and 62. There was a bewildering array of equipment spares, accessories and tools to my inexperienced eyes making it worse with some on the racks and the rest piled up in a haphazard manner on the floor of the store. As a routine we were required to be in the section office after lunch and before the games parade doing nothing even if we wanted to do with all the men away possible cutting grass of performing some such non- technical but essential task under the Subedar Major. What I still remember with amusement is the picture of the Section Havaldar busy most of the time making Lists, lists after lists- of men of equipment of vehicles and whatever.
The Corps Troops Shooting Competition Gill, Saran, self sitting and Siddhu on MicCompany Commander
The OC Company the most non- technical officer commanding the most technical company was always meticulously turned out both in uniform and civies, a former Adjutant of Signal Training Centre Jabalpore where he had the reputation of changing his stiffly starched uniform three times a day, stiff most of the time he would Blow Hot and Cold. Sadly his efforts generally ended with predictable results to run the Science and Physics classes of the Ionosphere with his stick. For him winning the Corps Troops drill or shooting competition was more important that being the requirement of the day than the on- going CEME inspection of the equipment with even the Radio mechanics required for maintaining and preparing the equipment taken away from the command of the section. Maj Siddhu the Company Commander, would address me as Lakshman when in good spirits and as Mr Lakshman Singh when in foul mood. 2nd Lt were then designated as Mr, but now an extinct tribe.
Brig Lakshman Singh VSM (Retd)
Comments: The old school of Generals in the Army were sportsmen and proficient in troops games which trickled down the chain of command. Games and sports fostered and built team spirit and lasting relationships. Sadly the interest in sports and games has diminished which is discernible from the media reports where defence teams are in the background. Now our arm chair Generals, in lighter vein, would prefer to be office bound rather than find time to play/ encourage/ witness troop games.
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