AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 7 – Panorama CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 217 of 332 retreat to CO’s cabin singing ‘Ramji karenge beda paar udasi mann kahe ko darein’ and repeated to him the scene in the tank space. He told me with a twinkle in his eye “Don’t worry, I am from Mathura” and he drafted a personal signal to the C-in-C, quote “YOUR … ALL 200 MALES. HOWEVER YOU ARE WELCOME TO TRY”, unquote. We heard nothing from the C-in-C thereafter. The ship sailed to Port Blair first and then to Campbell Bay. The buffaloes were planned to be disembarked by beaching. The ship beached at Campbell Bay in a light surf. (The beaching photo is that of INS Magar’s new Avatar commissioned in 1987). The ‘buffalos’ were initially scared to get into knee deep water and wade ashore. Coincidently the ship had number of sailors with surname ‘Yadav’ and they along with the buffalo boys were employed to cajole the animals ashore. Once the reluctant Alpha went, the rest followed. Signal sent to C-in-C: quote “200 VIPS WADED ASHORE MAJESTICALLY AFTER INITIAL RELUCTANCE” unquote. During our return passage to Port Blair we were accompanied by INS Panvel, an A&N based Patrol Boat. The tank space was being cleaned out. Loads of biodegradable muck was being thrown overboard. About 3 hours short of Port Blair whilst we were off North Cinque Island Magar flashed a signal to Panvel. Quote” I HAVE A COLD, DO YOU SMELL PORT BLAIR?” unquote. Pat came the reply from Panvel. Quote “CAN’T SMELL PORT BLAIR BUT CAN SMELL BULL SHIT” unquote. Our old man was tickled pink reading this and called the young CO for a glass of beer on arrival at Port Blair. Run II A few months after disembarking 200 studs in Campbell Bay, INS Magar was once again tasked to carry another lot of buffaloes. I had by now had been awarded my WKC (Watch Keeping Certificate). Normally one gets transferred to another ship on award of WKC. For reasons best known to the Personnel Branch at NHQ, I was reappointed on Magar and like a bad penny continued. Kamadeva/Cupid’s arrows must have struck the studs at Campbell Bay. The locals therefore had requested the A&N Administration that they required she buffaloes to even the things on ground. The buck was passed to G o I. The buck in the form of she buffaloes reached Vizag and then onboard