AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 4 – War Diary CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 39 of 237 The look out sentry shouted“GADI GADI” I saw a convoy of three vehicles, approaching.As it reached the road bend, where we had established the cycle rickshaw block, I gave the orders to the MMG gun detatchment to fire a single warning shot and, the convoy halted. The occupants including the drivers wearing long kurta and pyjama, dismounted and run to seek cover.There was no return fire. I surmised that it was a civilian convoy with the load to be delivered in Dhaka. After some initial thrill of firing rounds on the enemy column, I ordered to stop the fire to conserve ammunition. A patrol was sent and we learnt that the column was carrying ammunition to Dhaka. Mazdoors said that the main body of troops was to follow around mid day. We had now three surrendered mazdoors and loaded ammunition lorries as our first catch!! We got the three Ammunition Vehicles parked haphazardly to serve as a Road Block. We collected a few weapons like LMGs of chinese origin and ammunition from the vehicles. Once again the Sentry shouted “JEEP JEEP”. We awaited the arrival of the speeding jeep. It could not go beyond our obstacles and all the occupants including a young Captian Navashish Ali Khan, were killed. His Pistol with the holster and his two shoulder pips as war mementoes remind us of the action we fought,even today. Time was around 0930 hours. An 106 mm Rcl gun physically carried by troops from Tangail for the tank threat was deployed by Capt Prakash Chand. A Forward Observation Officer Capt Nirmal Singh Hira joined us for providing Artillery fire support. I was feeling very secure to face the challenge ahead. As anticipated, around 1230 hrs the column from Jeydebpur proceeding towards Dhaka was sighted. The leading tanks resorted to prophylactic firing with medium machine gun fire. A column of 30 troop carrying vehicles were following. A and C companies kept cool and maintained fire discipline awaiting my signal for opening fire.We wanted the leading tank to get closer. The rice fields on either side restricted their movement to the road .Our plan was to have a pot shot at the tanks with RCL fire to surprise the enemy and lower his morale. The first tank moved closer to the road bend and briefly halted. We held on.The tank Mediummachine gun fired close to our gun post.My instant decision was to restrict and halt further advance. With mysignal our RCL Gun reacted first with fire to surprise the enemy. Regrettably the fire merely grazed and did not secure a direct hit on the tank. The tank commander immediately reacted and fired a burst on our MMG position. Havildar Ajit Singh,the detachment commander, was the first fatal casualty. Lance Naik Mohinder Singh the No1,MMG gunner,tried to lift him from the trench by raising his shoulder and got a hit, badly injuring him.He wanted to fight on in spite