AFVOA Newsletter of Year 2021

Section 5 – War Diary CV 2 No. 01 / 2021 Page 50 of 123 Nair was bold and told the Brigade Commander that he would take it on as the enemy was on the run and was carrying out a hasty withdrawal and was in disarray and as such in a pursuit operation, he would seize the opportunity to strike the enemy as he would certainly not anticipate our regular army to infiltrate. My joy knew no bounds when I was asked by the CO whether I would take on the assignment and select a suitable site to ambush the withdrawing enemy and prevent his reinforcing the Dacca garrison for a long drawn fight in a built up area. I readily agreed and needed no further briefing as I was with in the hearing distance during the conversation of the Brigade commander and the Commanding officers. “Fortune favours the brave “goes the adage. Capt. Prakash wanted to be part of my company to assist me and I dissuaded him as he had a greater responsibility as the adjutant of the battalion. He not only assisted in reequipping my company but being a Dogra himself knew my boys well and personally ensured that none carried any Cigarette in his person as coughing in an ambush site would compromise our stealth. It was a good move and greatly assisted in the entire mission to carry out its task. Later, around 2AM, after my company had selected a suitable site and located the fire elements to spring the ambush. I radioed our CO Lt Col Nair and spoke in Tamil for security reasons to request for the rest of the battalion to fetch up and augment the defences. Prakash tied up with me for the guides to receive the remainder battalion and had also managed to procure an RCL gun from the Brigade sources to take on the perceived tank threat with the Enemy forces .The dismounted RCL gun had to be carried across the river along the slushy rice fields to be utilized in a ground role. Prakash also got a Forward observation Officer detailed from supporting Artillery Regiment to provide fire support for my action. Well before dawn, around 3-30AM the remainder battalion fetched up and the CO and Prakash had got them deployed in the allotted areas indicted and coordinated the defences to provide all round defence of the ambush site. Then my plan of action to spring the ambush was discussed and approved by Lt Col Nair and Prakash suggested that as a deception measure, we could improvise an obstacle on the road axis to give an impression of it being typical Mukti Bahini type of road block. From one of the nearby vacated farm huts, he managed to get an old rickety cycle rickshaw and got it placed at a distance of 1000 yards away from the actual ambush area to serve as a roadblock with couple of large stones around. As sunrise was approaching, every one moved back to their assigned locations and the eerie silence was restored with expectation of the enemy to fall in our laid out trap. The battle action has already been narrated earlier in an article by me under the heading “Ambush at Mile Stone 10”, and lasted till around 4 PM in the evening.