Veer Ahir
"How Can A Man Die Better Than Facing Fearful Odds, For the Ashes Of His Fathers and Temple Of His God's"
18th November 1962 - 8.15 AM, Major Shaitan Singh Bhatti PVC (Postmethous) had breathed his last, after a spine chilling face off at the platoon. Major Shaitan Singh Bhatti PVC, a young major from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. A second generation officer in the Indian Army and the Company Commander of the Charlie Company of 13th Battalion in Kumaon Regiment posted at the front of Rezang la. 114 out of 120 just outnumbered the Chinese that day just with the devotion and nothing else, it was the last man till the last round. The Regiment added a new chapter of unflinching devotion to duty and supreme courage under the most adverse circumstances to the Indian Army's glorious traditions of valour and sacrifice in the service of the nation.
These young soldiers in there early 20's coming from Rewari a village in Haryana, haven't known or seen the snowfall, were told to report at Baramulla sector in Kashmir from where they were being transported to Rezang la in Chusul subsector in Ladakh. The post was 17000 ft high and the snowfall was breaking them down, these men with all there artillery had climbed up to the post and stood hard in front of their Company Commander. Major Shaitan Sigh PVC, had deployed his company on the forward slopes of the hill no. 7 under Jemadar Surja Ram, No 8 Platoon under Jemadar Hari Ram and the centre of the position No 9 platoon was held by Jemadar Ram Chander the company was divided into 3 platoons with brave men together leading from the front. The weather was against us, the artillery was getting over, but these infantrymen didn't move and guarded Rezang la till the last Veer fell.
It was 3.30 am in the early morning when the first burst of shelling started from the section held by Naik Gulab Singh, PVC (Posthmethous), it was later communicated by the platoon no 8 that the enemy was climbing forward with the firing. As being on the steep of that 17000 ft high terrain the Indian Army has an advantage and the LMG (Light Machine Gun) was becoming heavy on the enemy which killed much Chinese force. The enemy was huge in number, even the message from platoon 7 also came that the shelling had started there as well and the forces were approaching very fastly and they had taken positions covering the Chinese troop of around 400 to climb from 14,000 ft to 18,000ft.
The climate was treacherous with a cold and biting wind and the terrain was unfavourable. Artillery was getting over, it was continuous firing for the past four hours, the enemy on the other end was enhancing towards the Indian borders, our soldiers now had left sheer raw courage and spirit they pounced on the enemy killed as many as in hundreds. There were Grenades, LMGs, rifles and mortars been injected from both sides. These Chinese who survived and advanced to platoon 9 was killed by these Kumaonis.
Bodies were lying on the ground as few dolls made up from the clothes, bloodshed was everywhere to be seen, and these Veer Ahirs pouncing on the Chinese forces like wild lions tearing them apart into pieces. Orders came from the headquarters to retreat and when the Major asked his men to withdraw, they said "Post ham nahi chodenge Saab, Yehin kat jayenge par ek bhi dushman ko andar nahi aane denge" (We Won't the leave the post-Sir, We will die in this soil but won't allow a single enemy to cross the line) to this Major Bhatti said "Toh kya hua mera naam Bhatti hai, Mei bhi Yadav hu" What if my name is Bhatti I am also a Yadav and went on motivating his men from platoon too platoon.
Medical Orderly Dharampal Singh, VC (Posthumous) was running from casualty to casualty and was treating the wounded with a morphine syringe and doing the bandage around the bullet marks.
During the operation, Major Bhatti kept on moving from platoon to platoon motivating his men showing exemplary courage and overthrowing the enemy in this action major was hit and was severely wounded. Uncaring about his wounds he was encouraging his men Major Started bleeding profoundly and was losing the consciousnesses he called one of his man to him and asked to go to the base headquarters to tell the world how these ahir fought bravely guarding the rezangala..theman denied leaving his platoon behind, but it was the final order of the commander so he left to base camp to report this. The war was at the peak, the sky was need and breeze had the smell of gun powder.
The ammunition was getting over and the enemy was fast approaching the platoon, then there was a man called Sangram Singh, SC (Shaurya Chakra) a 6ft tall soldier who was a wrestler too killed around 30 -40 Chinese with his bare hands, he broke the necks of many and smashed the heads of few against the rock by lifting them like a sack of grain until the enemy had to shoot him in the head. Each of these Kumouni Veer was heavy on the Chinese soldiers until there last breath.
From 03.00 hours in the morning to 08:15, Major Bhatti kept on motivating his men and times firing at the enemy with his LMG, till he was wounded and shot by incoming bullets. He asked his men to leave but none of them listen and stood with there commander till his last, it was then when his men looked at Major Bhatti's watch realised that he was no more, it stopped with the nerves of Major Shaitan Singh Bhatti. After the jawan reached back to base headquarters and narrated the whole incident which happened, it became difficult for the troops to climb up and provide enforcement as by the time the 17,000ft was fully covered by snow and winds it was even unable to see the top hill due to the heavy fogs.
Three months later a shepherd boy roaming around the hills of Rezang la discovered the bodies of these Veer Ahir, when this was revisited by the troops all the men had tears and fire in their eyes. Not even a single bullet was hit on the backs of these laying veer soldiers of Rezangla they had fought the enemy upfront and taken bullets on their chests, all the men were holding the guns ready to be fired, all the hands were either on the trigger or with the lever and pins of a grenade. The medical orderly still had a Morpheus syringe and bandage in his hands when the Chinese bullet hit him. \
All these Ahir fought very bravely showing their unflinching devotion to the nation and to their duty. In a battle without parallel in the annals of the modern military history of these Veer Ahir of Charlie Company,13 Kumaon Regiment fought to the last man, last round , to remember these were the month of Diwali and Dussera across India when these jawans laid their lives protecting our tomorrow.
- Jai Hind!
#Naman #INDIA1962 #Rezang la #Chushul #Ladakh.
#Dasvidaniyaaa
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