A NON-COMBATENT WHO
WITNESSED AND FILMED
THE FIRST FLIGHT
TO LEH & BATTLES FOR ZOJI-LA AND
NAMKA CHHU.
By
Lieutenant General (Retd) Baljit
Singh.
“…the fall of Leh will be a
strategic blow to India. It has to be saved at all cost….. I will be on that flight
in your cock-pit. So let’s go.” Major
General K S Thimayya, DSO, 23 May, 1948.
“An eye witness to two stunning
Himalayan Battles fought at either end of the range… had savored the joy of
victory at Zoji La ……. And the sadness of withdrawal at Se La, from poor
preparedness …” W M (Bill) Aitken, 2009.
“ … very special thanks are due
to Serbjeet Singh for his kind permission to reproduce the spectacular panorama
of the Namka Chhu Valley and Thagla ridge which he was still painting, perched
on a hill over-looking the Battle-field, when the Chinese launched their attack
on 20 October, 1962.” Major General D K Palit, Vr C, 1991.
It was in 1978, when waiting
to catch the attention of the Director General Military Operations in his
office, that I noticed a card-board object lying on a table by the window. On a
closer look subsequently, that cratered card-board was in fact a paper-mache,
three dimensional model of the Namka Chhu Valley. It was a stunning replica of
the terrain over which 7 Infantry Brigade had sited its defenses and engaged
the PLA troops in October 1962. The master crafts man was, Serbjeet Singh!
I had known the name but not the
Man, leave alone his stupendous deeds and fame. A graduate in History (First Division) from Forman
College, Lahore but his life’s calling lay elsewhere; the Himalayas were his load-stone,
not just their physical attraction but rather the philosophical introspection
they inspire among human beings at different levels and how they shape the
lives and cultures of those who dwell in and around them. Above all, Serbjeet
Singh (SS) perhaps even understood the geo-strategic significance of the
Himalayas as India’s Northern frontier. For, how else can one explain the
presence of a twenty four year old film-maker-cum-artist (Charcoal, water
colour and Oils), participating of his free volition in the First Flight to Leh
(24 May, 1948), and witness the Battles at Zoji La (01 November, 1948), watch
the history-making exploits of the Stuart Tanks of 7 Cavalry beyond Zoji La and
all other engagements culminating with the capture of Kargil, on 23 November,
1948!! And all of it filmed, sketched, painted and recorded in text too, in his
personal diaries.
From times immemorial but
especially beginning with Napoleon’s era, professional artists have been
commissioned to paint battles and in particular scenes related to acts of
valour (Victoria Cross) which are honored and prized to this day. All such art
was a re-creation removed in time and space, even by Continents, but based on
recorded history and supplemented at times by interviews with eye witnesses. But
here was SS who was impelled solely by the inner urgings and the Faith of an
artist (Dharma), not the money motive and certainly not ego. Perhaps SS may
have assumed that his actions symbolized the “shoulder-to-shoulder” presence of
the entire Nation with the front-line soldier? And in the same vane I salute
SS, as the expression of gratitude to him on behalf of India’s Armed Forces as
a whole, for recording on Film and through paintings the History of war in
J&K in 1948-49.
The history of my narrative (in essence a
compilation of nuggets of Military History), had its beginnings on the lawns of
the Civil Lines Club, Jullander, on a balmy winters evening in February, 1948.
SS was screening his 16 mm film on “Life In The Himalayas”, especially for Dr
Gopi Chand Bhargava, the Chief Minister of the then Punjab State. Within
minutes of commencement, “in strode a tall man who was received by the Chief
Minister. That gentleman was Major General K S Thimayya, DSO, GOC Jullander
Area.”* Evidently the General was so impressed by the film that he decided to
encourage SS to document the combat actions of India’s fledgling Army in
J&K, with the offer to SS and his younger brother thus, “If you boys are
prepared to make a film on the war in Kashmir, I will send a signal to the
GOC-in-C Western Command to help you. Come to my office tomorrow, in the
Cantonment.” @
Shortly, Gen Thimayya was
appointed to command the newly raised Sri Division (later 19 Div) and on
encountering SS in his ADC’s room, the General said, “I have been posted to
Srinagar. Now there is no problem. Get ready to go!” By early May 1948, the
General and his protégé, loaded with the paraphernalia of film-makers and
artists, had arrived in Srinagar. And what followed is best summed up by SS; “Thimayya
sent us all over the front in Kashmir, starting from establishing a piquet at
16,000 ft, above Zoji La on the Bodh Kulan Ganj cliffs, to the battle in the
Gurais Valley and the operations in the Uri Sector. The finale came with the
historic battle of Zoji La.”@
In effect, the battle field
actions which SS witnessed and filmed (cine and stills), in an unbroken period
of eight months, starting with the First Flight to Leh, then battles in the Uri
Sector in the West, to Gurais, Zoji La, Kargil in the North-NE and in
between on a few aerial sorties to bombard Skardu in defense of our beleaguered
and isolated posts, all of it circumscribed by the constraints of jeep/truck-bound
mobility, was simply a mind boggling span of activity both in terms of time and
space, as also commitment and audacity. Probably early in 1950, SS had put the
finishing touches to a timeless 16 mm cine film of the War in J&K, from May
1948 to January 1949, documenting vividly the First Flight of an IAF Dakota to
Leh on 24 May, 1948 piloted by the inimitable Air Commodore Mehar Singh, DFC
(later MVC) with General Thimayya on board, its touch down upon an unprepared
strip between Leh Town and the Indus River, Daimler armored cars and Stuart
Tanks breaking through the Zoji La defenses and destroying enemy MMG Bunkers on
the descent to the Gumri Basin, Generals Carriapa, Shrinagesh and Thimayya
interacting with commanders and jawans near Dras and at Kargil, a brief footage
of the aerial bombardment of enemy at Skardu and so on. Unfortunately, the
Films Division (MOD) became the custodians of the Film and was generally lost
to public and private screenings for Indians at large due to bureaucratic
procedures. What an unmitigated shame.
But praise be God that on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Zoji La (Nov, 1997), SS put up an exhibition of his paintings, sketches and photographs at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, New Delhi. After the inauguration by General V P Malik, PVSM, AVSM, Chief of The Army Staff, SS graciously bequeathed the entire collection to the Indian Army, for display as deemed fit. And in 1999, the Army Headquarters released a limited edition of the Book “Zoji La: 1 November 1948”, published by Vanity Books and funded by the BPL. Among the timeless visuals in the Book are:
(a). A panoramic painting of
“Kashmir, Ladakh and Karakoram”, as seen in the mind’s eye of SS “afloat in a
balloon 15,000 ft above Pathankote!” Ignoring a few geographical
miss-placements, the over- all impact is simply wondrous.
(b). 1 Patiala (today 15 Punjab)
inching up, on toe-holds to establish a piquet on a cliff-ledge, 16,700ft over
the West face of Zoji La. In the absence of tinned/pre-cooked, frozen meals, they
are seen valiantly lightingly a fire to cook a meal!
(c). SS with Major Daljit Singh
Brar of 1 Patiala pose stolidly at Zoji La and in the background, a thin line
of 1/5 (Royal) Gorkha Rifles traversing a snow field in the Gumri Basin. That
was also the moment when General Thimayya drove past in an open jeep and said
to SS “Do you know what has happened? We have liberated Ladakh. Nothing can
stop us now!”@ Perhaps unknown at the time, these would be the last combat
actions of 1/5 GR before they would sever the umbilical with India and become
part of The Gorkha Brigade, of the British Army.
(d). A Stuart Tank supporting by
fire, 3 Jat in the capture of the fortified defences at “Chabutra” and “Mukand
Ridge”.
(e). Sowars of C Squadron, 7
Cavalry posing around the mile stone marked, “Zoji La Pass Ht 11,575 ft!”,
another altitude record of some consequence, in the annals of warfare. Each
Jawan/Sowar is seen in a mazri-shirt and a light woolen jersey, above 11,000 ft
ASL, in the month of November, in near Arctic conditions a record of another
kind, that is, the un-put-down-able endurance of the human spirit!
(f). 75 mm guns of the 51 Parachute
Field Battery firing from a gun position at Dras, another altitude record for
the times.
(g). Brigadier K L Atal with his
Staff (77 Parachute Brigade) at the Dras IB, with a fluttering Tri-Colour!
(h). A formal photo-portrait of
Major General K M Thimayya in full medals and gold-braid with Zoji La cliffs as
back-drop. The General looks every inch, the future COAS!
(j). Lieut Colonel (later Major
General) Rajinder Singh “Sparrow” in his Tank, giving orders on radio moments
before the break out battle at Zoji La.
(k). Lieut General K M Carriapa,
OBE, GOC-in-C Western Command and Lieut General S M Shrinagesh, the Corps Commander
looking up the Zoji La forward slopes.
A few of the most fetching exhibits from this
collection are on permanent display in the interiors of the NDC building at New
Delhi. And as to the artistic merit of the works of SS, his J&K sketch
books were priced in the London Art market at Rs 25 Lakh, but he refused to
part with them. However, many a painting of the Himalayas and Trans-Himalayas
by SS are in various Galleries in the World. For instance, a Leh Valley
landscape under full moon (reproduced in this Book), has been with the Kremlin
Museum, Moscow.
The question which begs an
answer is about the in-accessibility of the 16 mm cine film of the J&K
Battles shot on location by SS, between May 1948 and January 1949. I have not
come across anyone who ever saw it screened publically or privately. I am told
that the DD Television Channel, did recently pick on a few select episodes from
its total footage but apparently the feature failed to excite the viewer’s
appetites. Fortunately, Karamjit Singh (the son of SS), had retrieved some
footage from the original Film and supplementing it with appropriate recent aerial
photography, created an impressive DVD titled “THE LIBERATION OF LADAKH”. This
DVD has some vintage visuals and voice
recordings of Lieut General K M Cariappa, OBE, exhorting his Commanders during
a visit to the battle-field, and of Major General K S Thimayya, DSO, whose
voice validates the actions as they unfold with gems such as “this is supreme
vindication of upright manhood” following the break-out from Zoji La, and Lieut Colonel R S “Sparrow” (among others), briefing
their subordinate commanders at various stages of the war, and all of it seen to the soothing back-ground music provided by
Mrs. Shanta SS! Need I dwell any more on the urgency to have the entire
original Film converted to the Digital format, screened extensively at least
with-in the Armed Forces fraternity, and also preserved as an archival
treasure? Aren’t there any Indian philanthropists, reading this
narrative!?
Now when the clouds of war
reappeared over India in mid 1962, it seemed that armed conflagration was
imminent in the Namka Chhu Valley, at the very least. In the event however, war
was fought out in the Ladakh region as well. We do not know whether SS could
have perceived the likely spread of the conflict but we do know that he had
headed East, but was it out of the novelty of documenting a war in a new
Theater? Probably not. Because among the military commanders of 1948-49 Battles
in J&K that SS was acquainted well with, was Brigadier L P Sen, DSO, the
then Uri Sector Commander. Now fourteen years later, Lieut General L P Sen,
DSO, was the GOC-in-C Eastern Command and SS may well have sought his
indulgence in getting him to the scene of imminent clash of Arms with the PLA.
Mrs. Shanta SS confirms the fact of SS leaving for Towang around September 1962
and returning home in November 1962 with the Painting (oil on canvas) which
Major General D K Palit, Vr C used on the cover of his book “WAR IN THE HIGH
HIMALAYAS; INDIAN ARMY IN CRISIS, 1962.” Be that as it may, this visit of SS to
the Eastern Battle Zone remains highly enigmatic because both among his family
and friends there is no mention of any sketch book(s) which SS the artist would
invariably have carried. Similarly, there is no evidence of personal notes in
any note book. As a result, we neither have any sketches of and from Se La nor
indeed the first hand, independent opinion especially of the opening salvos of
the war by the PLA, as eye-witnessed by SS. He could have stayed on upon his
painters-perch which judging from the perspective of his painting, could only
have been on the high ridge on the East of Nyamjung Chhu, dominating the battle
field but out of harm’s way. Was SS hustled to evacuate in haste? He was not
the man to lose nerve in the proximity of a battle and pull back prematurely.
For, three years before his demise when he suffered a stroke, leaving his right
arm paralysed, SS simply learnt to handle paint-brushes with his Left hand and
kept up his life’s calling, as always. We shall never uncover the truth because
SS passed away on 28 August, 2009, aged 85 years.
But this Painting by SS
will live forever, capturing in one sweep the foreground comprising the
Tsangdhar and the Thag La Ridge lines in the minutest detail in full stretch,
the Namka Chhu from source to its junction with the Nyamjung Chhu and thence
the seemingly flat, vast expanse of the Trans Himalayas stretching beyond the limits
of imagination! The geographical precision and the tonal effect of colours
under sun and shadow are more perfect than a studio photo-portrait under
controlled conditions. The overall impact of the painting is at once evocative
of a remark by Mr. Grosvenor, the Founder President of The National Geographic
Magazine, that one good photograph is better than a thousand worded article!
About 2483 words.
Notes.
(a). *
This was the protocol of precedence between the Civil administration
and the Armed Forces, visa-vis its sharp decline today.
(b). @ SS in the book “ZOJI LA: 1 NOVEMBER
1948.”
Lieut General (Retd) Baljit Singh,
House 219,
Sector 16-A,
CHANDIGARH. 160 015.
Tel: 2770619/9878881022.
You can see this vedio documentary now at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5nf8wWTcPM&feature=youtu.be
You can see this vedio documentary now at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5nf8wWTcPM&feature=youtu.be
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