AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 4 – War Diary CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 31 of 167 1 My Friendly Encounters With The Enemy Col A Krishnaswami VrC,VSM** Genre: War Diary Encounter #1: January 1959, 2/Lieut. A. Krishnaswami was commissioned on 14 Dec 1958 from the Indian Military Academy Dehradun as 2 / Lieut . and posted to join my Battalion the FIRST J&K INFANTRY, then located in a snow bound area of Kanzalwan Gurez in J&K. I joined the battalion on 5 Jan 1959 at the Administrative base at Bandipur. To reach the main battalion it involved walking for three days through snow filled mule track and cross the treacherous Razdanangan pass before sunrise and proceed towards Kanzalwan Gurez on the third day (8 Jan 1959). It is customary in Infantry Battalions to initiate the Young Officers on their joining the Unit, to be trained along with the “Ummedwar Cadre” personnel (Sepoy to L/Nk Cadre) to put them through the paces of Regimental drills and tactical training. The Cadre is a tough grind as young officers compete along with the jawans who aspire to get their first stripe on their sleeves. The jawans work very hard to do well. Surely, the IMA trained officer cannot lag behind and have to prove their worth to earn respect of the JCOs and jawans by exhibiting their competence and ability in all fields as a junior leader. I joined the 15 days Ummedwar Cadre on 12 Jan under the charge of Major Mahatma Singh, OC ‘A’ Company of my battalion. I successfully completed the cadre. I was particularly impressed with the Weapon training Instructor Naik Kaka Ram, who gave me useful tips for night firing and shooting from the hip. On 30 Jan I got a pleasant surprise. I was called to the Adjutants office and told that the Commanding Officer was pleased to appoint me as the “IO” (Intelligence Officer) and briefed me that I am detailed to carry out an operational recce to select an alternate route for a mule track to one of our forward posts facing the PAKIS. The present alignment was under enemy observation in places and was not desirable. Section 4 – War Diary I