These anecdotes from history may be useful guides for our on going struggle.
Regards
Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)
Subordinating ‘Ego’ for a Higher ‘Cause’
In the first Anglo-Sikh War in 1846, in the very first battle at Moodki (near present Faridkot– Punjab) the British were mauled badly, some of their Regiments even losing their ‘Standards (Colours)’ to the Lahore Army. Losses were so high that they anticipated losing the war and spent whole night burning sensitive records. (It was an other thing that the Sikh leadership , both political and military , was in league with the British, that they did not capitalize on their success and on the contrary made their Army think that they had lost and made them to leave the field – a classical case when both armies felt defeated , one actual and other contrived ) . Lord Hugh Gough was the British C-in-C. Considering the importance of the war, the Governor General was also present on the battle field. The Governor General, Lord Harding, assessed that with Hugh Gough’s bullheaded leadership they won’t win. And Lord Hugh Gough was too strong a personality to be side lined. Those were peculiar days when almost all leaders of the East India Company also held military ranks .In military seniority Lord Harding, the Governor General, was junior to Lord Hugh Gough, the C-in-C. During the War Conference at night, the Governor General placed himself ‘Under’ the C-in-C, as per his military seniority and offered to fight as his second-in command (2i/c) and took charge of operations. Rest as they say is history and the Sikhs were defeated (apart from treachery of their own leadership) in the subsequent battles of Ferozeshah and Subraon, by superior handling of the battle by Lord Harding than what Lord Hugh Gough could have done. (From History of the Sikhs by Capt Cunningham or a similar book)
War for Justice
Now relating it to our ‘WAR FOR JUSTICE’ against 6th Pay Commission. What stops our more talented and capable ‘Leaders’ working under presumably less capable ones, who are already ‘established’(like the then C-in-C, Lord Hugh Gough was)?. It is only their EGO. Why can’t they sacrifice it like Lord Harding did to win the war? Is winning the war more important or nursing one’s ego? The learned readers and the “LEADERS” may like to reflect. Lord Harding is still remembered as victor of First Anglo-Sikh War, while very few know many others who were “PRISONERS OF THEIR EGO”. Those of our LEADERS who sacrifice their EGO for a higher CAUSE will be remembered by the Military Veterans for ever.
IT IS NOW OR NEVER
Choice my dear leaders is entirely yours how you want to be remembered. As victors or as one’s who grabbed “Defeat out of the jaws of Victory”, as did the Sikh Leadership in 1846 War?
Lack of ‘Quality’ the Need of the hour
In all the wars the in the 19 and 20th century, the German Army showed utmost efficiency, their defeats due to more numerous forces and far greater resources of their opponentsnot withstanding. The credit for that efficiency, apart from other factors, went to German General Staff. When Germans lost World War I, ‘Treaty of Versailles’ was signed and one of its clauses was disbandment of the German General Staff. In a conversation with his German counterpart, the French Commander, Marshal Foch asked him, “What qualities you seek while selecting officers for your ‘General Staff’ ?. The German General replied, “Marshal, we don’t seek any qualities, rather we seek the lack of some”. Foch was foxed and asked for elucidation. The German officer replied, “All those whom come for selection to the General Staff are professionally and otherwise ‘Soldiers par Excellence’, so we don’t seek any more qualities in them. All we seek in them is ‘LACK’ of ‘Personal Ego’. Thus it is ‘lack’ of that quality which determines their selection”. He further went on to add, “Highly competent, but egoistic persons are most dangerous ones for their ego might come between them and the organization’s mission and they might wreck the organization for their personal glory. They are ‘Team Breakers’. Since they are highly competent the damage would be far more than what a mediocre person can inflict. We weed out such officers ruthlessly in the selection process for the General Staff”.
Now my dear Comrades in Arms, reflect on the wisdom of the good old German Army and compare it with the scenario we are faced with in our war for “JUSTICE” against Sixth Pay Commission Report.
Can we learn any lessons from the above historical facts? Or, Are we capable of learning any thing from history?
Brig Harwant Singh (Retd)
References
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Sikh War
Sikh Heritage Images
Unity in Uniform: Unless that happens, the bureaucrats will continue to bypass the Services
We thank Brig Harwant Singh for this thought provoking article "Unity sans Ego", the need of the hour.
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