AFVOA Newletters of Year 2004

Page 36 of 153 “Just say what you hear Mommy say.” the mother said. The little girl lowered her head and prayed, “Dear Lord. Why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?” Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey - 11th Gorkha Rifles (posthumous) Date of Action: 23 June 1999 Place of Action: Khaluber/Juber Top, Batalik sector, Kargil area, Jammu and Kashmir CITATION 45. Manoj Kumar Pandey was the hero of Khalubar in Batalik sector. Not satisfied with the recapture of Jubar top, the brave officer volunteered to lead the mission on June 23 when the determined enemy halted his battalion’s advance to the final objective. Leading troops through narrow ridge carpeted with enemy fire, Pandey led his men with exemplary courage in close combat Shot in shoulder and leg, the brave officer led a solitary charge inspiring his troops to pounce on the enemy defences. He collapsed but not before the last bunker was captured. 46. On the night of 2-3 July 1999, during the Kargil conflict, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey was leading the attack to capture Khalubar. In a display of courage witnessed in close combat, this young officer surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy through a hail of bullets. Wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge till he closed into the first bunker. In ferocious hand to hand combat, he laid low two of the enemy and cleared the first bunker with complete disregard to his grievous injury. 47. The officer, rushed from bunker to bunker, inspiring his men. Critically bleeding, he collapsed at the final bunker and finally succumbed to his injuries, but not before the last of the enemy had been annihilated. His last words were, “Na Chodnu” (Don’t Leave Them). For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey was awarded the PVC posthumously. (Sources: http://www.geocities.com/siadfu/pvc10.html : http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medias/pvc/mkpandey.html last revised 6 September 1999 http://faculty.winthrop.edu/hayanese/ndia/medals/PVC/mkpandey html Good Friday 48. ‘Good’ Friday is a designation that is peculiar to the English language, in that it commemorates the day of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In German, for example, it is called