Indian soldiers lauded in Israeli textbooks for freeing city

Press Trust of India | Updated: September 23, 2012 11:01 IST
Haifa, Israel: While remaining largely unknown in their own country, some Indian soldiers will now become household names in Haifa in northern Israel after figuring in the history textbooks taught at schools for their contribution in liberating this city in 1918.
The municipality of Haifa has gone ahead with its decision to immortalise the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, many of whom are buried in the cemetery here, by including the stories of their valiant efforts in liberating the coastal city during the First World War in the school curricula as part of the history textbooks.
"The move is a part of Haifa municipalities efforts to preserve the city's history and heritage," Hedva Almog, deputy Mayor of Haifa told people gathered to pay respects to Indian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war to liberate the city.
Haifa Historical Society has done an extensive research on the role of the Indian army in the region.
As per their findings, a large number of Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives in this region during the First World War and nearly 900 are cremated or buried in cemeteries across Israel.
Almog said that the municipality is planning big centenary celebrations to commemorate the event in 2018, calling upon India to join hands in making it a success.
Charge de Affaires at the Indian mission in Tel Aviv, Vani Rao, reacted positively to the request extending support in organising the Centenary celebrations.
The Indian army commemorates September 23rd every year as Haifa Day, to pay its respects to the two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments that helped liberate the city in 1918 following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.
Residents of the Israeli city also celebrate Haifa Day the same day with a series of cultural programmes during the week.
Indian soldiers lauded in Israeli textbooks for freeing city

Heros from the Hills

September 17, 2012
Heroes from the hills
MURALI N. KRISHNASWAMY: The Hindu

The Madras Regimental Centre in Wellington, is the oldest regiment in the Indian Army. Its history is chequered with battles won and lost, bravery, courage and endurance.
254 glorious years
click here for the complete article

Technical Graduates made jokers in the Military

INDIAN ARMY
116th Technical Graduate Course (JAN 2013)
Last Date of Application: 14.06.2012
Application are invited from Engineering Graduates Married/ Unmarried Male including temporary Central/State Govt. serving personnel of the regular Army and Territorial Army (including officers of Territorial Army) and serving personnel of Navy and Air Force for grant of permanent commission in the Indian Army.
Qualification & Vacancies
Civil (including Mining/ Construction) : 27
Electrical (including Electrical & Electronics ) : 08
Mechanical (including Industrial/Industrial Engg & Management): 08
Automobile Engg/ Workshop Technology: 01
Production (Including Manufacturing/ Metallurgical /Metallurgy & Explosives): 02 Rubber Technology/ Plastic Technology/ Textiles: 01
Electronics (including Electronics & Instrumentation / Micro Electronics & Microwave/ Opto Electronics) : 04
Communication/ Telecommunication (Including ECE/ Electronics & Communication): 06
Architecture/ Building Construction Technology : 02
Computer Sciences & Engg/ Computer Sciences/ M.Sc (Computer): 01
Army Education Corps (Men): MA in English/ Economics/ History Music/ Geography/ Political Science/ M.Sc (Physics/ Maths)
Post Graduate Degree (MA/M.Sc) 1st or 2nd div: 08
Foreign Language (Post Graduate Degree MA)
Post Graduate Degree (MA) 1st or 2nd Div in following subjects Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Pushto, Dari and Arabic : 04
TGC (Military Farms)- Agriculture – 02 & Dairy: 02
Degree in Dairying or Degree in Agriculture : 04
Note : These vacancies are tentative and may be changed depending on availability of training slots.
AGE LIMIT:
For Engineering Graduates – 20 to 27 yrs ( Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 93). For AEC- 23 to 27 yrs (Born between 02 Jan 86 and 01 Jan 90). For Military Farms – 20 to 27 yrs (Born not earlier than 02 Jan 86 and not latter than 01 Jan 93).
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

For Engineers: Candidates studying in the Final Year of Engineering Degree and who are qualified graduates of the Degree Course in Engineering will be eligible to apply. The qualified graduates of the Degree Course must possess Engineering Degree at the time of joining training. The candidates studying in the final year of Degree Course, if not already in possession of the Degree Certificate should be able to produce the Engineering Degree within 12 weeks from the date of commencement of training at IMA. Such candidates will be inducted for training at IMA on Additional Bond Basis for recovery of the cost of training as notified from time to time as well as stipend and pay & allowances paid, in case they fail to produce the requisite degree certificate.

For Army Education Corps. MA/M.Sc Degree in 1st or 2nd division from a university recognized by AIU in English/Economics/History/Music/ Geography/ Political Science / Physics & Math .

For Military Farm. A degree in dairying or a degree in Agriculture from a recognized university with dairying as one of the subjects or an equivalent foreign qualification in Agriculture (Preference will be given to those who hold M.Sc degree or have carried out research in Dairying of Fodder Crops) (AI 105/61)
CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY
(a) Nationality: A candidate must either be (i) a citizen of India or (ii) a subject of Nepal or (iii) a subject of Bhutan or (iv) Tibetan origin but of Indian domicile, whose parents entered India as refugees prior to 1s t January 1962 with intention of Permanently settling in India. (v) a pers on of Indian or igin who migrated from Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambi, Malawai, Zaire, Ethopia and Vietnam with the intention of Permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. Certificate of eligibility will however not be necessary in the case of candidate who are Gorkhas subject of Nepal. (b) Candidates withdrawn fr om IMA/OTA/Naval Academy/Air Force Academy on disciplinary ground are not eligible to apply.
Cost to company (CTC). The CTC for a Lieutenant would be approximately Rs.65000/- per month. This includes Basic Pay, DA, Grade Pay Military Service Pay, Tech Pay, House Rent Allowance and Transport allowance. These rates are not statutory and are subject to change. Click here for the original Post
Comment: The Technical Pay is peanuts. In 1971 the Technical Pay for a Engineering Graduate (5 year Integrated Course) was Rs 75 pm whereas an NDA or IMA Graduate who completed some tactical cum technical refresher courses in MCTE or College of Combat were getting Rs 175 as Technical Pay. Literally the Military made Jokers of the Technical Graduates mocking the University Degree. Technical Graduate a Loser till he Retires!

National War Memorial

National War Memorial, at last
The ‘Unknown Soldier’ deserved it
by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd)
IT is more than half a century since the proposal to build a national war memorial at a suitable place in New Delhi was mooted by the defence services. All this time the proposal was being put off for no valid reason. It had been a sustained attempt by successive governments in the Capital to keep the military in the background and, as a policy, never to give due recognition to its services and highlight the achievements and sacrifices made to the nation. The bureaucracy, with a view to keeping the military suppressed, has succeeded in injecting into the political executive the fear of a military takeover of the country. The developments in the neighbouring countries served to reinforce such fears in the minds of the political class.
The media’s role has been anything but laudable. At another level, there has been complete apathy on the part of the public at large and the so-called civil society for building a National War Memorial. After all, it is for the protection and safety of people of this country that these gallant men gave up their lives. Therefore, the idea of National War Museum has been a victim of this policy and attitude of indifference.
India has been the scene of innumerable battles, yet it never evolved a military tradition and resources enough to meet the challenge from invading armies. The soldier was seldom given recognition for his valour and sacrifices. Nations that value freedom and abhor foreign rule remember and honour those who sacrifice their lives for the defence of the country. They honour their martyrs in all possible ways as also build memorials to acknowledge their sacrifices. Unfortunately in India, there has been no tradition or practice to raise memorials to honour those who sacrificed their lives in defence of this land and commemorate battles in which they fell.
The concept of raising war memorials as such was, perhaps, first introduced in India by the British. Some historians have tried to classify the Qutab Minar in Delhi, the Victory Towers in Chittorgarh and Tughlakabad (down South) as a sort of memorials, but that claim is contestable. These were more to honour and highlight the achievements of the king or the conqueror than the common soldier. However, in other parts of the world the tradition of raising memorials in one form or the other has been in vogue from prehistoric times — in the form of ‘Burial Mounds’, ‘Obelisks’, crosses, the female figure as a symbol of victory, statues, structures, arches, etc.
It was the shattering experience of World War I that set in motion the urge to build memorials all over — in every town and village in Europe and elsewhere. In addition to these innumerable memorials, each of these countries, whose soldiers took part in this war, built national war memorials at the most appropriate places. In England, it is next to Whitehall in the heart of London. It is around this time that the concept of an “Unknown Soldier” was evolved and national memorials started being dedicated to him. Arch-de-Triumphe in Paris is the most prominent memorial; it is at this place that the idea of an “Unknown Soldier” was first put into practice. An “Unknown Soldier” lies buried in the Arch complex.
The British built a number of war memorials to commemorate their battle victories against Indian troops. The last great memorial they built to honour the Indian soldiers who fell in World War I is India Gate in New Delhi. While it has the names of all those who laid down their lives in this Great War, on the gate (a memorial arch) are also the manes of British officers who were killed in the NorthWest Frontier. Though some smaller memorials were built in the North-East to honour those who fell defending India against the Japanese offensive across Burma during World War II, no main war memorial could be built to honour the killed Indian troops. Thus, there is no memorial for Indian troops who sacrificed their lives during this war. Many of them had died defending India against the Japanese and others in North Africa and Italy to defend freedom.
India has fought a number of wars since Independence where thousands of soldiers (the term “soldiers” includes airmen and sailors and their officers) died but their sacrifices have never been properly recognised. Therefore, the decision of the government to finally build a National War Memorial in New Delhi should be welcome. The approval to build it near India Gate is both befitting and laudable.
This memorial needs to be dedicated not only to those who fell in the battles after Independence, including those of the Indian Peace Keeping Force during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, but also those who laid down their lives during World War II. The failure to do so will be a great injustice to the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in that great struggle.
The monument to be thus constructed must be of a grand design and scale, befitting the valour and sacrifices of those whose memory it aims to perpetuate. It must match India Gate in design, scale and grandeur. It ought to portray the unwavering loyalty, devotion and dedication of the Indian soldier (which includes airmen and sailors) to the country. It would be a place where all visiting dignitaries must be taken to pay homage to the “Unknown Soldier”. Some suggestions are doing the rounds that it should have a statue of a particular Indian general. National War Memorials as such never have a statue. There may be statues of a group of soldiers involved in some activity related to their deeds of valour, etc. National War Memorials are invariably dedicated to the “Unknown Soldier”, “The lads who took the copje (rocky outcrop) and are not known.”
The Tribune: National War Memorial, at last

86-yr-old WW II veteran wins pension

Bhartesh Singh Thakur, Hindustan Times
Chandigarh, February 20, 2012
Providing succor to 86-year-old World War II veteran, Chandigarh bench of Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) allowed his petition and granted him pension.
Ishar Singh, a resident of Yamunanagar, joined signal regiment of Royal Indian Army on December 27, 1942. For serving the nation, he was awarded War Medal and Indian Independence Medal.
Ishar retired on April 12, 1948 as he was declared medically unfit to serve further. He was suffering from osteoarthritis of the spine.
The 86-year-old was granted disability pension at Rs 6 per month. It was stopped on April 12, 1950 as his disability had fallen below 20%.
Ishar made efforts and made representations to Army authorities for continuing his pension but in vain. He was brought before a re-survey medical board in 1989 which also ruled that his disability was lesser than 20%.
He had no source of income as he was illiterate. He was sustaining on agriculture in his village. His service element was not given as he had served for less than 10 years as per the rules when he retired.
"In March 2011, he approached All India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association (AIEWA), which took up its case through its legal aid scheme. In October 2011, the petition was filed. A notice was issued to union government. In its reply, the government replied that there was no record available of the World War II veteran as the same had been destroyed," said Bhim Sen Sehgal, Chairman of AIEWA, who represented Ishar Singh in the court.
He added, "As per the change in the policies in 1968 and then in 1973, invalided soldiers should get service element. And later Supreme Court judgments also put a stamp on it, which removed the cut off dates."
The court took the documents-service record, pension book and certificate issued by re-survey medical board, submitted by Ishar Singh as evidence in the case.
The bench comprising justice NP Gupta and Air Marshal SC Mukul (retd) allowed the service element of disability pension but restricted the arrears to three years from the date of filing the petition in AFT.
86-yr-old WW II veteran wins pension

Hospital for ex-servicemen to come up at Manarcad

Hospital for ex-servicemen to come up at Manarcad
Staff Reporter The Hindu
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has reiterated his government's commitment to the cause of ex-servicemen and their dependents.
Speaking at the ex-servicemen meet organised by the State Ex-Servicemen Welfare Department here on Sunday, the Chief Minister said his government would take the issues concerning war widows, dependents of servicemen who laid their lives in the service of the nation, physically challenged ex-servicemen and their dependents, in all its seriousness.
Assistance for widows
Already, the government has doubled the financial assistance to WWII veterans from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000. A new scheme of providing monthly assistance of Rs.500 to their widows has been initiated.
The Chief Minister announced that a rest house-cum-hospital complex for ex-servicemen and their dependents would be constructed at Manarcad. The government has identified 50 cents of land for the purpose and has earmarked Rs.2.5 crore for the project, he said.
The work on the rest house at Ernakulam is nearing completion and that at Malappuram would commence immediately, he said.
Aid doubled
The financial assistance to the dependents of jawans who lay their lives in war or war-like situations, has been doubled to Rs.10 lakh.
The income ceiling for availing of financial assistance has been increased from Rs.75,000 to Rs.1.5 lakh, he said.
The government is seriously thinking of introducing a new scheme which would extend financial support to those who have received bravery awards, the Chief Minister said.
The government has also decided to extend financial assistance to ex-servicemen and their dependents who undergo dialysis. Total financial assistance of Rs.10,000 at the rate of Rs.1,000 per dialysis will be provided to the eligible.
The government also provides a monthly financial assistance of Rs.200 to poor, aged ex-servicemen who are staying at old age homes.
Speaking on the occasion Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister for Revenue, said the interests of those who have served in the services and their dependents would be protected by the State.
Brig (Rtd) MJ Prakadan, District Panchayat President Radha V Nair and others spoke.
Hospital for ex-servicemen to come up at Manarcad

How to honour Veterans

Appeal for the oldest living ex-serviceman or woman
Released: Wednesday October 12, 2011
Organisers of Wolverhampton’s annual Festival of Remembrance are searching for the oldest living serviceman or woman.
The traditional service, part of a number of events in Wolverhampton that honour those who served in the armed forces during conflicts, will take place at the Wulfrun Hall in North Street on Sunday November 6, 2011, from 2pm.
This year, the Festival of Remembrance working committee wants to find the oldest ex-serviceman or woman living in Wolverhampton.
Once established, that person will be a VIP guest at the festival and invited to sit with the Mayoral party.
Councillor Linda Leach, who is the chair of the committee, said: “This is my first year as chair of the working committee for what is a very important and poignant event in the city.
“We want to honour those who have served in all conflicts. As well as looking for the oldest ex-serviceman or woman living in Wolverhampton, we also want to encourage more younger people to join the working committee and take part every year.
“We would urge anyone interested to contact us and help us continue to make the Festival of Remembrance a fitting tribute to our armed forces.”
Mary Davies, aged 88, is a founder member of the committee and has served for 36 years. She was an army secretary with the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War.
She said: “During the war I made so many good friends who remained friends for life. I also remember the first Festival of Remembrance in the mid 1970s – there were so many more veterans still alive back then, including some from the First World War.
“The festival is very important to us and it is vital we keep remembering all those who were left behind and those who came back injured.”
Fellow committee member Keith Sutton, aged 72, served with the Royal Signals from 1958-63 and said: “I have carried the Union Standard in Wolverhampton for nine years.
“We need to encourage younger service personnel to join the committee and keep this wonderful event going.
“The festival, like Remembrance Sunday and other events, is about paying tribute to those who served in all conflicts, not just the two World Wars.”
And Tony Callaghan, aged 77, who served the Royal Engineers from 1952-59, added: “We have given talks in schools about what it was like to be children during the Second World War.
“The children were so intrigued to hear about what life was like back then and it was a pleasure to help them learn about a very important part of our history.”
Appeal for the oldest living ex-serviceman or woman

Widow of Indian Army soldier demands return of George Cross medal

Brahmi Devi, widow of Kripa Ram, a martyr from the Indian Army in Himachal Pradesh, has demanded that the George Cross medal that was posthumously conferred on her husband be returned to her after news surfaced that the medal is put on auction in Britain. The George Cross (GC) is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations
October 14, 2011 - Shimla
Brahmi Devi, widow of Kripa Ram, a martyr from the Indian Army in Himachal Pradesh, has demanded that the George Cross medal that was posthumously conferred on her husband be returned to her after news surfaced that the medal is put on auction in Britain.

Brahmi Devi, widow of the George Cross awardee Kripa Ram who is in her late seventies, said that a man posing as an Indian Army officer duped her ten years ago by taking away her husband's medal. Brahmi was widowed when she was 13-year-old. The old lady said that she merely wanted the medal to be returned to her.

Brahmi Devi complained to the Police that her medal should be returned to her. She says: "Nobody came to enquire about what happened. Nobody came to tell me whether the medal had been recovered or not. My demand is that my husband's medal should be returned to me, nothing else."

Brahmi Devi said the medal, awarded to Kripa Ram by the then Governor General Lord Wavell, reminded her of her husband who was killed when she was only 13 years old. She has been living in squalid conditions since then in Bhapral village of Himachal Pradesh.

Her relatives also enquired about the stolen medal and urged the police officials to bring back the medal and give it to its rightful owner.

According to Prithvi Raj, Inspector General (IG), Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Himachal Pradesh Police, the medal was considered stolen until it was found that Brahmi Devi had been duped by a few scrupulous elements who made her part with it.

"It was reported that this medal had been stolen by some people from her house after a burglary. But later on it was revealed that actually this medal was taken away from Brahmi Devi by one Kirpal Singh by duping her after posing himself as a representative of the Indian Army," said Prithvi Raj.

Prithvi Raj said that the crooks sold the stolen medal to a man living in the UK, who wanted to put it up for auction.

He added that Interpol intervened on behalf of the Himachal Pradesh Police and stopped the auction, but could not recover it as the man who possessed the medal has legal documents to prove that he bought it.

The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The George Cross is bestowed upon civilians and military personnel for actions that are not in the directly in the face of the enemy or for which purely military honours would not normally be granted. By Hemant Chauhan
Widow of Indian Army soldier demands return of George Cross medal

Are gallant veterans respected in India?

Monday, August 1, 2011- Sir, may I have the privilege of shaking hand with the Victoria Cross
The excerpt below is a passage from the pages 110 & 111 of the book `Toward Resurgent India' written by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) M. M. Lakhera, PVSM,AVSM,VSM, one time Lt.Gov. of Pondicherry and now the Governor of Mizoram.
"I had gone to UK in 1995 as Deputy Leader of the Indian Delegatio n to take part in the 50th Anniversa ry celebrati ons of the victory in Europe during the Second World War. I along with four other Army officers, had just stepped out after attending the inaugural session and were waiting on the roadside for the traffic to ease so as to walk across the road to the vehicle park. Among those with me was Honorary Captain Umrao Singh, a Victorian Cross winner (unfortuna tely, I have received the sad news of his expiry just two days back). All of a sudden a car moving on the road came to a halt in front of us and a well dressed gentleman stepped out. He approache d Umrao Singh and said, "Sir, may I have the privilege of shaking hand with the Victoria Cross (winner)?" He shook hands with him. Evidently he had spotted Umrao Singh's medal from his car and had stopped his car to pay his respect to a winner of the highest gallantry medal of his country. Then he looked at me and said, "General, you are from Indian Army." When I replied in affirmati ve, he gave out his name, saying that he was Maichile Hailstine . I was absolutel y astounded as the recogniti on dawned on me that he was the Deputy Prime Minister of UK I was totally overawed by such courtesy shown by a dignitary of the second highest status in the British Governmen t and humbly thanked him for having invited our delegatio n for the VE Day function. Again his reply was typical of his sagacity, "General, it is we the British, who should be grateful to your country and your Armed Forces, who had helped us win both the first and the second World wars. How can we be ever so ungratefu l to forget your country's great contribut ion?" Suddenly I became conscious that all the traffic behind his car had come to stand still. I hurried to thank him and politely requested him to move along to relieve the traffic hold-up. He stated, "Sir, how dare I drive off when Victoria Cross has to cross the road." Realizing his genuine feeling I and my colleague s quickly crossed the road. Reaching the other side I looked back and saw that Mr. Hailstine was still standing waiting for the Victoria Cross to be safely across.” That is the type of regard they have for their decorated soldiers. I wish that similar respect could be shown to the bravehearts & gallantry award winners by the leaders and prominent figures in our country.
Sir, may I have the privilege of shaking hand with the Victoria Cross (winner)
Related Reading: India Demystified
Dangers of al-Faeda by Gopalkrishna Gandhi
July 29, 2011

British Officer of the Indian Army honoured for ESM Welfare Work

Renovated Earl Haig monument rededicated

Date 160311 Location Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh photo by Mark Owens Photo Caption: HRH Princess Anne at the re dedication ceremony today. HRH The Princess Royal unveils Earl Haig Statue in New Home
For almost 90 years, the Earl Haig monument commissioned to honour Field-Marshall Sir Douglas Haig and his welfare work for ex-servicemen
Douglas Haig, the son of John Haig, the head of the successful whisky distilling company, was born in Edinburgh in 1861. After obtaining a degree at Brasenose College he went to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. After he completed his training Haig was commissioned into the 7th Hussars.

Haig was sent to India with his regiment in 1886 and while there worked his way through the ranks. Haig experienced active service in the Sudan (1898) and the Boer War (1899-1902), where he served under Major-General Sir John French. Promoted to the rank of colonel, Haig returned to India where he served in a variety of administrative posts under Lord Kitchener. When Haig became major-general he was the youngest officer of that rank in the British Army.
Read more- click here

Freedom fighters of a different genre

The Tribune Wednesday, June 22, 2011, Chandigarh, India by Harwant Singh
The freedom movement was fast gaining momentum and all of the military could not remain totally unaffected. During leave, members of the regiment came in contact with Congress workers and some revolutionaries. On return, they disseminated what was picked up during leave. A few nationalist newspapers too were secretly being brought into the regiment. Since all ranks, to the exclusion of British officers were in it, this development remained under warps. There were a few secret meetings where nationalist feelings were expressed openly and vociferously, by the more vocal.
World War II had started and Indian troops were being moved to check the Italian offensive in North Africa. Soon this regiment too, received orders to move to that theatre of war. At one of the secrets meetings in the regiment it was unanimously decided by all personnel that they will decline to board the ship for move to North Africa to fight Britain’s war.
The regiment was moved to Bombay, on way to the war zone. At Bombay it was ‘formed-up,’ by squadrons, on the railway platform to be taken by train to the dockyard for further transportation by sea. There was a light drizzle and the atmosphere was surcharged with expectations of frightful consequences, as squadrons waited to defy orders. Then the adjutant gave orders to the troops to board the train. The Dogra and Jat squadrons mounted the train, forgetting the collective decision not to go abroad to fight Britain’s war, while the Sikh squadron personnel kept standing and did not react to the adjutant’s order. The adjutant repeated the order and still the Sikh squadron did not respond.
This disobedience by the Sikh squadron came as a great shock and surprise to the British officers of the regiment. The Sikh squadron had an enviable service record, spread over nearly a century, including during World War I and its personnel were considered fine soldiers, valiant, imbued with the spirit of sacrifice, loyal and true to their cause and oath.
The squadron was ordered to ‘ground arms,’ which the personnel dutifully did. Thereafter they were marched off to the barracks and placed under arrest. Several court martials were held. The charge was one of mutiny. Many were sentenced to be hanged, more were sentenced to life imprisonment, some others to varying lengths of prison terms. The remaining cashiered from service and the squadron was disbanded.
At the centenary raising day celebrations of the regiment in the late fifties, some from that squadron too came to join in the activities. Most amongst them had served life imprisonment and some others lesser terms, while the remaining had been cashiered from service. They had no regret for their action, nor any bitterness or rancour towards those, who had betrayed the collective decision not to fight Britain’s war, or remorse for the sufferings they had to undergo. They had acted according to their light, suffered much, lost everything and wanted no recompense for their tribulations. They too were freedom fighters, but of an altogether different genre.
Freedom fighters of a different genre

Britain Helps WWII Indian Veterans

Britain funds WWII veterans' well being By Vinod Kumar Menon Date: 2011-02-21 Place: Mumbai

Organisation set up to help veterans from the Commonwealth who fought for England has sent more than Rs 16 crore to India in the last decade alone

MORE than 50 years after the end of World War II, the British haven't forgotten the soldiers from India who fought as part of their army against the Germans and other Axis powers.

Ex sepoy Balu Davlu Dhabhole with his wife Bhagirati outside their house in Kolhapur

Following MiD DAY's sustained reportage of the pathetic state of these veterans and their widows (we broke the story with 'Republic of neglect' on January 26), a former British officer based in the city informed us of the existence of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL), which has been sending funds for these soldiers since the end of the war.

Surprisingly, even though the League has disbursed more than Rs 16 crore in the last 10 years alone (see box), officials from the Sainik Welfare Board and even some veterans themselves were unaware of its existence.

Lt Colonel (Retd) Graham Tullet, a former British Army officer who is part of the RCEL, said the League provides welfare support for ex-servicemen and women of Common-wealth countries who served the British Crown at some point in time and reside overseas.

Earl Haig founded the charity in 1921 and its scope increased following the Second World War. Today, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is the grand president of the League, which has 56 member organisations across 48 countries. It covers the Caribbean, West, East and Southern Africa, the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia, the Pacific and Australasia.

RCEL acts as a link throughout the Common-wealth for local organisations set up to help these veterans. Financial support is also given to small self-help projects that can generate local income.

"The objective is to ensure that no eligible ex-serviceman or woman is without help in their time of need. When Britain was facing a bleak future, help arrived from all corners of the Commonweal-th. Now the people who helped us at such a critical time need our help and support. It is our turn to give," said Tullet.

'Show us the money'
Colonel (Retd) Shankarrao Nikam (91), who fought for the British Army and now lives in Kolhapur, was surprised to learn about the existence of the fund. "I have never heard of any such money coming into the country. And, if it is true, why do war veterans and their widows have to beg for a decent living even today? Where has the money gone?"

Colonel (Retd) Suhas Jatkar, director at the state department of Sainik Welfare HQ at Pune, too, admitted that he was unaware of the RECL and the help that it extends.

"We have a total of 9,183 beneficiaries under the World War II category. Of this, 1,396 are veterans and 7,787 are widows," said Jatkar.

Colonel (Retd) Akhil Sharma, general secretary, Indian Ex-Servicemen League (IESL), Delhi, said the organisation has been receiving money from RECL. As per their records, around 8,000 World War II veterans and their widows are alive across India, of which 463 are from Maharashtra, and they are given a monthly pension of Rs 300.

When informed about the discrepancy in the figure maintained by them and the Sainik Welfare Board, Sharma said that they go by the records maintained by their office in Mumbai, which takes care of Maharashtra.

Commenting on the discrepancy, an official from IESL's Mumbai said, "That may be because we do not advertise and ask people to come forward and register.

All those who voluntarily approach us and satisfy us with documents and records proving that they served the British Army in World War II are enrolled and their details are sent to our headquarters in Delhi. The monthly pension amounting to Rs 300 is sent to them from there."

Sharma said they receive approximately Rs 2 crore a year from RECL and the account of the fund is audited and a copy is sent to the UK.

1,396- Total World War II veterans alive today in Maharashtra
7,787- Total widows of World War II Veteran in Maharashtra
9,183- Total beneficiaries as on December 31, 2010
Britain Helps WWII Indian Veterans
Sad commentary on the Veteran Welfare of Soldiers in India indeed!

WWII Veterans Pension Delayed by Banks

Jagran Post: Posted on: 09 May 2011, 09:16 AM
World War II veterans wait for pension stuck with banks
Aligarh: World War II veterans who had once overpowered their enemies by their valour have virtually surrendered before the government machinery. They are running from pillar to post to avail their pension pending for the last nine months.
According to reports, their pensions are stuck with the banks, while cheques against the Sainik Welfare Board have already been dispatched with their account numbers.
Despite repeated reminders from the board, the banks have a long list of excuses for not relieving the pension. The irked board officials have sought information from the banks about their branches.
The Indian Army had participated in the World War II from 1939 to 1945, and 355 soldiers were from Aligarh. The government is paying Rs 2500 as monthly pension to these veterans, who despite their frail figures are compelled to run from one office to another to avail the amount.
Irked over the callousness of the official machinery, Board Secretary Arvind Kumar said, “If such system continues, people will even hesitate to join the Army.”
It may be noted that the pension is stuck with various branches of SBI and Central Bank for the last three to nine months respectively.
Meanwhile, the search for missing warriors of the World War II is yet to complete. Till date, only 150 out of 355 veterans have been ascertained. District Soldier Welfare and Rehabilitation Board has written letters to all retired military personnel and their dependents to collect information related to the War veterans. (JPN/ Bureau)
World War II veterans wait for pension stuck with banks

John Hislop's reminiscences of the Jat Regiment- 1933 to 1947

Review for the Sandhurst Foundation
ln the summer of 1956, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck opened the R.M.A Sandhurst's Indian Army Memorial Room with its fine stained glass commemorative windows. Before a large gathering of forrner lndian Army officers, with one of whom I was staying as a guest, "the Auk" gave a message which few present will ever have forgotten, a message telling us to look back on the lndian Army with pride for its splendid achievements, but that its era was now over, history, and nostalgia would serve no purpose.

John Hislop's reminiscences, edited by his daughter Penny Kocher, follow "the Auk's" counsel excellently. After passing out from Sandhurst in 1933 Hislop served in lndia with the 9th Jat Regiment and in staff appointments until the end of British rule in 1947. His various chapters cover service in the golden years before 1939, operations on the North-West Frontier and in Burma in the Second World War, and the turmoil of the final two years before independence.

Readers will leam much interesting detail about operations in Waziristan and Baluchistan before the outbreak of war, tactics needed for protection on long marches - an officer in charge of a flanking picquet might find himself moving over thirty miles per day over mountainous ground for several consecutive days, and all the problems of food supply and water. ln 1942-43, as protection as much because of anxiety over a possible German invasion via a defeated Soviet Union as of local insurgents, the equivalent of five divisions were engaged in operations in the North-West Frontier provinces. Hislop was then moved to the even more dfficult conditions of Burma, fighting the Japanese in the unfamiliar conditions of sticky heat, only a few roads and these very poor, rain, lush jungle and leeches.

Perhaps most interesting of all, though, is the author's description of how the lndian Army actually worked; the Jat Regiment battalions, for example, were structured around two companies of Hindu Jats, one company of Punjabi Moslems and one company of Musulman Rajputs, a mix requiring not only good purely military leadership to ensure the respect of all but sensitivity for different cultures and beliefs. Hislop's long service revealed many examples of good leadership. Sadly there were also examples of bad command by others; lessons for officers in any army at any time.

A valuable addition to the history of the lndian Army, written with pride and no nostalgia.
Dr Anthony Clayton, Academic Staff RMA Sandhurst 1965-1993
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A Soldier's Story- John Hislop, Indian Army officer of The Jat Regiment
More about the life of John Hislop click here

62nd Republic Day

A strong and resurgent India is celebrating its 62nd Republic Day today. The main parade will held at Rajpath in the capital which will showcase the country’s cultural diversity and military might.

Country’s military might, economic progress and its rich culture will be on show at the Republic day parade at the Rajpath in the national capital.

The Amar Jawan, the immortal soldier, is symbolised by a reversed rifle topped by a helmet. As per tradition, after unfurling of the National Flag, the National Anthem will be played. The President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil will confer the Ashoka Chakra on Major Laishram Jyotin Singh (posthumous) of the Army Medical Corps. The parade will then commence and the President will take the salute.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be the chief guest at the parade.

President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil will take salute of the marching contingents.

President will also present Gallantry awards to security personnel.
While the Indian Navy will display scaled down models of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Talwar kilo class submarine and the Mig-29K, the 4th Generation fighter jet inducted last year, the Indian Air Force tableau will focus on Network Centric Operations based on the AFNET, the state-of-the-art gigabyte digital information grid, also dedicated to the nation last year. However, the IAF will not hold any static-display of any of its aircrafts.

The parade ceremony will commence at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will lead the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying wreath. An eternal flame burns at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to commemorate the indomitable courage of our Armed Forces personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland.

The marching contingents of paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces will include contingents from the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Railway Protection Force, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme.

Twenty-one of the 23 children selected for the National Bravery Award – 2010 will also participate in the parade. Two children have got the award posthumously. 686 children of different schools from Delhi and Regional Cultural Centres will present a fiesta of the varied folk and modern dances.

This year’s Chief Guest at the parade is president of Indonesia Dr. Haji Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono . The parade will be commanded by Major General Manvender Singh, General Officer Commanding Delhi area, The marching contingents of Army include the horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, Punjab Regiment, Grenadiers Regiment, Rajputana Rifles Regiment, Rajput Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry Regiment, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, 3 Gorkha Rifles and the Territorial Army. Another interesting feature of the Parade will be the Ex-Servicemen Marching Contingent led by 87-year-old Flying Officer MM Shukla, a veteran of the 2nd World War.

The Camel-mounted band of the BSF will be another major attraction. Tableaux from 23 states and Central Ministries and Departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country. They will also showcase country’s progress in different fields.

Dare Devils, the motorcycle display by the Army’s Corps of Signals, will perform breathtaking stunts the grand finale of the parade will be as usual a spectacular fly-past by the IAF, the Mi-25 attack helicopter participating for the first time.
62nd Republic Day

Britain honours WWII Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, VC

The Telegraph Monday 27 December 2010

Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, who died on December 12 aged 92, won the Victoria Cross while serving with the Gurkha Rifles in Burma in 1945; in recent years he had been a prominent figure in the campaign led by the actress Joanna Lumley to allow former Gurkhas to settle in Britain.

At the end of April 1945, the 89th Indian Brigade of 7th Division was ordered to cross the Irrawaddy and destroy the enemy north of the Prome-Taungup road. By May 9 the Japanese, after a series of desperate attacks, had broken off contact and were withdrawing towards the Taungdaw Valley. “B” and “C” companies of the 4th/8th Gurkha Rifles were positioned to block their route at the village of Taungdaw, on the west bank of the river.

When the Japanese arrived, the two Gurkha companies were surrounded and their lines of communication cut. On the night of May 12, Rifleman Gurung was manning the forward post of his platoon almost 100 yards ahead of the main company.

At 1.20am, more than 200 Japanese attacked the company position. The brunt of the assault fell on Gurung’s section and, in particular, on his post, which dominated a jungle track leading up to his platoon’s position. Had the enemy been able to overrun it and occupy Gurung’s trench, they would have secured control over the whole of the field before them.

One grenade fell on the lip of Gurung’s trench. He quickly grabbed it and hurled it back at the enemy. Almost immediately another grenade came over. This one fell directly inside the trench. Again Gurung snatched it up and threw it back.

A third grenade landed just in front of the trench. Gurung attempted to throw it back, but it exploded in his hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his right arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded and lay helpless in the bottom of the trench.

The enemy, screaming and yelling, now formed up shoulder to shoulder and attempted to rush the position by sheer weight of numbers. Gurung, regardless of his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand and kept up a steady rate of fire.

The attacks came in wave after wave, but the Japanese were beaten back with heavy losses. For four hours Gurung remained alone at his post, calmly waiting for each new onslaught, firing into his attackers at point blank range, determined not to yield an inch of ground. His comrades could hear him shouting: “Come and fight a Gurkha!”

The following morning, of the 87 enemy dead found in the company’s immediate locality, 31 lay in front of Gurung’s section. The Japanese made repeated attempts to break through, but the 4th/8th held out until May 15, when they were relieved.

Gurung later said: “I had to fight because there was no other way. I felt I was going to die anyway, so I might as well die standing on my feet. All I knew was that I had to go on and hold them back. I am glad that helped the other soldiers in my platoon, but they would have all done the same thing.”

Gurung was invested with the Victoria Cross by Lord Louis Mountbatten at a parade at the Red Fort in Delhi on December 19 1945. The citation declared: “This Rifleman, by his magnificent example, so inspired his comrades to resist the enemy to the last that, although surrounded and cut off for three days and two nights, they held and smashed every attack. His outstanding gallantry and extreme devotion to duty, in the face of almost overwhelming odds, were the main factors in the defeat of the enemy.” Partiman Gurung, Lachhiman’s father, then aged about 74, was carried for 11 days from his village in Nepal to witness his son being decorated.

Lachhiman Gurung was born on December 30 1917 at Dakhani village in the Tanhu district of Nepal. He enlisted in December 1940 and after completing basic training was recruited into the 8th Gurkha Rifles. Of small build (he stood just 4ft 11in tall), he was under the minimum height and would not have been accepted in peacetime.

After the action in which he won the Victoria Cross, Gurung was evacuated to hospital, but lost his right hand and the use of his right eye. He continued to serve with the 8th Gurkha Rifles but transferred to the Indian Army after Independence in 1947. He retired in the rank of havildar (the equivalent of sergeant) in the same year.

Gurung married soon afterwards and had two sons and a daughter. Later, after the death of his wife, he had two sons from a second marriage.

He farmed a two-acre plot and owned several buffalo, oxen, goats and cows. In 1995 the VC and GC Association provided the Gurkha Welfare Trust with £2,000 donated by the Armourers and Brasiers’ Livery Company, and these funds were used to build a new house for Gurung and his family near the Gurkha Welfare Centre at Chitwan.

In August 1995 Gurung was received at 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister, John Major, who presented him with a cheque for £100,500 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

In 2008 Gurung became closely involved in the campaign to allow Gurkhas to settle in Britain. The British government had refused entry to the 2,000 Gurkhas who had retired before July 1997, the date when their base was moved to the UK from Hong Kong.

Five claimants — including a Falklands veteran, Lance-Corporal Gyanendra Rai; a Gulf War veteran, Birendra Man; and a Gurkha widow — launched a legal challenge, supported by Lachhiman Gurung and a fellow winner of the VC, Honorary Lieutenant Tul Bahadur Pun, then aged 87. Both men had been told that they would not be allowed to settle here because they had failed to “demonstrate strong ties” to the UK.

In the High Court in September 2008, however, Mr Justice Blake said that the policy should be reviewed, referring to the “Military Covenant undertaken by every British soldier by which, in return for their pledge to make the ultimate sacrifice, they are promised value and respect”. He added: “Rewarding distinguished service by the grant of residence in the country for which the service was performed would be a vindication of this covenant.” As the judge rose after his ruling, Gurkhas and their supporters shouted their battle cry “Ayo gorkhali”.

In May 2009 the government announced that all Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 with at least four years’ service would be allowed to settle in Britain. Even as this victory was secured, however, Gurung was appealing to the Queen and the Prime Minister for his 20-year-old granddaughter, Amrita, who had been facing deportation, to be allowed to stay in Britain to care for him.

“I have paid a great price for Britain,” Gurung said, “but I do not complain as I love this country as much as I love my family. However, in my last days I ask Her Majesty the Queen to help by allowing my granddaughter to be with me and at my side.” The Home Office relented, and granted her permission to stay.

In 2008 Gurung had settled at Hounslow, to which he was formally welcomed at a ceremony led by the mayor and the council; he was later made a Freeman of the Borough. He attended many functions of the Nepalese communities in Hounslow and elsewhere, and was honorary vice-president of the Chiswick branch of the Royal British Legion. He had recently moved into the Chiswick War Memorial Homes.

Lachhiman Gurung attended this year’s Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Centotaph, and was also present at last month’s VC and GC Association reunion in the presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

One of Gurung’s sons subsequently became an officer in the 8th Gurkha Rifles. His second wife, Manmaya, survives him with his five children.
Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, VC

Remembrance The Sikh Story

Dear All,
Please have a look at the BBC documentary on Sikh representation in the Indian forces in the two World Wars. Very well documented and presented.
BBC Video Part 1
BBC Video Part 2
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

Boeing Seattle Plant under Camouflage in WW II

HELLO EVERYONE - THIS SHOULD BLOW YOU AWAY IF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER.
The person I received this from said she got back an interesting story about someone's mother who worked at Lockheed, and she as a younger child, remembers all this. And to this day, it is the first pictures of it she's seen... Another person who lived in the area talked about as being a boy, watching it all be set up like a movie studio production. They had fake houses, trees, etc. and moved parked cars around so it looked like a residential area from the skies overhead.

Hiding in Plain Sight
The idea of deceiving the enemy as to what you are doing is not new. Trying to hide individual items from observation is not new, trying to hide whole factories from aerial bombing during The Second World War was new.

Boeing Seattle Plant under Camouflage in WW II
B-29s under construction inside - and under- camouflage on
the Seattle production line in late 1945(?).
Dozens of B-29s are lined up on the tarmac.
After December 7, 1941 the Lockheed and Boeing aircraft factories along the West Coast were put under netting to try and hide them from Japanese aircraft attack. The Boeing plant went even further with fake houses and trees over the factory. The effectiveness of this was never tested - no Japanese aircraft got anywhere near these factories, but it did instill the sense of the war, the collective threat, to the people not on the front lines in those areas.

The Germans went to elaborate lengths to hide factories with netting and smoke screens - even so far as to build dummy oil refineries with similar reference points to fool bombardiers trying to hit it instead of the real factory a few mile further on - it actually known to have worked once.

However, asides from that rare case, hiding a factory would ONLY work if no aerial - or any type of images - of the factory was in possession by the enemy before the pre-mission photo-recon picture had been taken. Hiding a SINGLE item this big never worked - the bridges, rivers, prominent intersections etc would all still be there to allow a proper bomb drop on the factory. You have to hide everything around it within a mile so that the person toggling the bombs could not be sure exactly where it is. Off by 10 seconds means you miss the whole target. Thus you need to fake the scale in the camouflage or shift it over by 1/2 mile by making a new complete factory along with roads, intersections etc to match the original.

Oblique view of Seattle Boeing Plant in World War Two
Looking East from around 1500 feet at the production plant.
A B-29 is on the tarmac, one on the runway a B-17
on the other side of the field.
Early in the war they may not have helped - 60% of American bombs dropped often missed the real target aiming point (a 1000 foot circle) and hit everywhere around it so doing the camouflage work then may have actually caused more damage. By late 1943 it had changed so that 60% of bombs dropped usually hit within the 1000 foot radius of the aiming point.

Early in the war a typical mission would have between 250 to 350 B-17s hitting a single target - which means anywhere from 3,000 to 4,200 individual 500 pound bombs exploding within 1000 feet of the aiming point - which would utterly destroy any target. This never happened. The longer the distance flown the less bombs carried. So a deep raid would have only eight 500 lb bombs in the bombay and the 1/2 filled with extra fuel tanks. With the accuracy so poor higher numbers of aircraft had to be sent so that statistics would ensure enough actually hit the target. By late 1944 they would send a single group - 56 a/c, to hit a single target and it would be destroyed. The accuracy had gone up due to better ballistic calculations and training of the bombardiers plus better bombing formation tactics employed.

Workers walking over the camouflaged Boeing plant
Under this detailed walkable camouflage roof of fake housing, Boeing B-17F Flying Fortresses were being produced in 1942-1945. The two women show the detailing done to make it look real.
John Stewart Detlie, a Hollywood set designer, helped "hide" Boeing's Seattle plant using his Hollywood design techniques with this camouflage. The fake housing development covered nearly 26 acres with netting, plywood and other material over the Seattle plant.

Boeing plant aerial photo taken from around 5000 feet.
This was taken in either 1944 or 1945. You can see the
B-29s on the tarmac and other aircraft around the field.
As bombing became more accurate deception techniques actually worked better since every second of flying meant at least a 227 foot error. A person at 25,000 feet looking through a scope cannot see both ahead to see what is coming up and the immediate view of the traversing ground at the same time. A bombardier had just 120 seconds to line up and drop after the IP. Thus if the target comes into view just 10 seconds earlier than he thought it would and he drops - and at this time of the war the whole group dropped on the signal of the lead plane's smoke marker - so the whole group drops early and you can save the real target.

B-17 Flying Fortress at Seattle on the tarmac
G model Flying Fortresses just off the production line in Seattle await delivery to the combat modification center in Kansas. You can easily read the B-17G tail numbers 297385, 297386, 297387 on these natural finish Flying Fortresses so an exact date can be obtained of the picture with a little research.
In January of 1944 a change in policy stated that all aircraft were to be left in a natural metal finish. This cut down the production time (no painting) plus it saved weight - which meant either more fuel or bombs could be carried. The weight of paint could reach 500 lbs or more on a Flying Fortress. Modern pigment paint weights up to 10 pounds per gallon and it takes only 2 mil of coverage at the high end to cover the surface. The primer that goes on first weights about the same. The real high tech modern paint (see http://www.loehle.com ) weights 1/2 as much at 4.89 pounds / gal with a coverage 530 sq ft / gallon. This is the Endura paint which is a two-component polyamine primer. A B-17 has 1420 square feet of wing area on top, and for the bottom, about the same for the rest of the a/c so that puts it around 4200 square feet of surface. Modern paint would add around 100 lbs of extra weight if the $300 gallon type is used.

I have not been able to find an authoritative source as to the weight of paint used during WW II, though I have crewman reports anywhere from 65 to 500 lbs of paint. but if it was 20 lbs/ gal at around 200 sq feet a gallon, that would add in around 500 pounds of paint.
Hiding in Plain Sight

IESL Objectives: WWII Veterans financially neglected

Ref: World War veterans to get financial aid by Vijay Mohan: Tribune News Service: click here

IESL Objectives
While we all should be very happy with the decision of AFT given above, and we hope that the Government of India does wake up to the injustice it is doing to the Indian Military Veterans, I wish to inform all Indian Military Veterans that Indian Ex Services League (IESL), besides its own huge annual earnings from property in prime areas and other sources every year- it gets crores of rupees every year from England to look after the veterans of World Wars. As per the existing brochure of IESL, its main activities are supposed to be as under:
MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THE IESL AS STATED IN ITS BROCHURE
1. Indian Ex-Services League assists Ex-Servicemen, widows and their children by disbursing financial help under following schemes:-

Distress Grant

Education Stipends

RCEL Grant (to II War Veterans)

RCEL Medical Grant (to II War Veterans)
2. IESL is also extends financial help to Word War-II Veterans on behalf of Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services Leagues, London UK, (RCEL), (Ex British Commonwealth Ex Services League) and is also granting them medical grants.
3. Financial Assistance is disbursed for the following: -

DISTRESS GRANT

EDUCATION STIPENDS

RCEL GRANT - Approximately Rs. 2 Crores are disbursed to World War II veterans and their widows.

RCEL MEDICAL GRANT

ONE TIME GRANTS - For natural calamities/unforeseen situations to individuals and states.
4. WWII Veterans may get in touch with IESL for financial assistance.
The President of IESL is Brig RKS Gulia. His contact details are as under:
Email ID - brigrksguliaatgmaildotcom
The postal address of IESL is– 9, Nayaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
For further information of ALL Indian Military Veterans the Aims of Objectives of IESL are:

To assist Ex-Servicemen and their dependents in matters relating to pensions, allowances, grants, war gratuities, resettlement and rehabilitation in close co-operation with the Government of India, Governments of States and other official and Non-Official Agencies and Organisations and render financial and other assistance to them in distressed circumstances.

To support the United Nations Organisation and all other agencies, which have the cause of world peace, based on justice, freedom, secularism and democracy and to support the country in the time of National Emergency in every possible way.

To educate people and build up a Public Opinion with a view that maintenance of disabled Ex-Servicemen and women and their welfare and that of their families is a National Duty.

To endeavour to obtain public support to get to the Ex-Servicemen and their ladies a fair treatment in all matters relating to finding or provisioning of employment.

Co-inventor of the bazooka dies at 92

Los Angeles Times
Edward G. Uhl dies at 92; co-inventor of the bazooka
The former aerospace executive helped create what was originally named the M1 Rocket Launcher during World War II. He went on to oversee the development of several missiles.

Edward G. Uhl, former president of Fairchild Industries who was co-inventor of the M1 bazooka during World War II, died Sunday of heart failure at an assisted living facility in Easton, Md. He was 92.

Uhl, pronounced "Yule," served as a regular officer in the Army's Ordnance Corps from 1941 until 1946. In 1942, while assigned to Ordnance Corps headquarters at the Pentagon in Washington, he helped develop the first U.S. shoulder-launched bazooka, which was originally named the M1 Rocket Launcher, with Col. Leslie A. Skinner.

"When I met with Skinner, he was working on rockets. We really had no anti-tank weapon. You can't believe how inept our military was at that point in time," Uhl said in a 2007 interview with Maryland Cracker Barrel Magazine.

"Skinner said, 'I'm going to be working on rockets to be located on aircraft, and I want you to take this rocket grenade. I think we can probably make a rocket out of this grenade and have it be an effective weapon, so that's your job,' " Uhl recalled. "The weapon that I was working on finally developed into what was known as the bazooka."

Uhl faced two immediate problems: How would a soldier aim the weapon and how would the burning powder be kept from coming into contact with his face?

"One day I was walking by this scrap pile, and there was a tube that was 5 feet long and 60 mm in diameter, which happened to be the same size as the grenade that we were turning into a rocket," Uhl said in the interview. "I said, 'That's the answer! Put the tube on a soldier's shoulder with the rocket inside and away it goes.' "

During field trials at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the M1 rocket launcher successfully blew the turret off a tank and its M6 rocket penetrated armor plate that was more than 4 inches thick.

Later during World War II, Uhl joined the staff of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Pacific. After resigning his commission in 1946 with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he went to work for the old Glenn L. Martin Co. in Middle River, Md., where he was a member of a team that was directing the company's move into the new field of rockets.

In 1949, he was named head of "pilotless aircraft" — or what is now known as guided missiles — and helped design the Viking high-altitude research rocket and the Air Force Matador.

Rising through the ranks, Uhl was named vice president of engineering in 1952 and later became vice president and general manager of Martin's plant in Orlando, Fla.

During his years in Orlando, Uhl oversaw the development and manufacture of the LaCrosse, Bullpup and Pershing missiles.

After leaving Martin in 1959, he was general manager and vice president of technical administration for two years at Ryan Aeronautical Co. in San Diego.

In 1961, he was named president of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp., later Fairchild Industries Inc., in Hagerstown, Md.

During Uhl's years at Fairchild, one of his great successes was the building of what was called a "close air support aircraft" — later the A-10 Warthog — which featured jet engines rather than turbo props. Beating out the competition, Fairchild got a $40-million contract from the Defense Department to build the new planes. Uhl retired in 1985.

Born in 1918 in Elizabeth, N.J., the son of a mechanic and a homemaker, Uhl earned a bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1940 from Lehigh University, where he had been a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Uhl's survivors include his wife of 44 years, the former Mary Stuart Brugh; two sons, a daughter, two stepsons, four grandchildren and five step-grandchildren.
Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun
The making of the Bazooka