Bangladesh Operation

Lt Gen TN Raina, MVC, the then Colonel of The KUMAON and NAGA Regiments, was appointed as the Corps Commander of one of the Corps in the East. There were number of Kumaoni Battalions in Eastern Command at that time.

Role of Kumaon Battalions in the War of Liberation

Pre Hostility Period

One of the Kumaoni paltans had to act before hostilities who were occupying a company position. Pakistani troops, in one of their rallies, stumbled against this position and lost some 28 men in dead and wounded. The Nagas too were provided an opportunity to display their prowess and proved their martial mettle.

Nk Sher Singh, VrC	One of the Battalions had begun their advance into East Pakistan . All the companies were engaged in action around the area. The Battalion’s first gallantry award in the form of a Vir Chakra was awarded to Nk Sher Singh, who showed great courage in silencing an enemy machine gun single handed, while leading a patrol in a Nullah. In the battle against a Pakistan position astride a small railway bridge, the companies displayed excellent traits of courage. Maj Naresh Sharma, was awarded Sena Medal for his bold leadership, while disregarding his severe wounds and leading his company to the objective. For the skilful and energetic conduct of operations entrusted to the Battalion, Lt Col TS Pall was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal.
Maj (later Lt Col) Sunahara Singh, VrC	Another Kumaoni battalion was involved in an engagement in a built-up area. One Company under Maj (later Brig) DK Dhawan, SM, was faced with the task of clearing a number of Pakistan bunkers, under shelling and heavy fire from automatics. Unerring aim of L/Hav Nandan Singh destroyed no less than seven enemy bunkers. The Vir Chakra that he later received was a befitting reward for the feat.Another Kumaoni battalion was involved in an engagement in a built-up area. One Company under Maj (later Brig) DK Dhawan, SM, was faced with the task of clearing a number of Pakistan bunkers, under shelling and heavy fire from automatics. Unerring aim of L/Hav Nandan Singh destroyed no less than seven enemy bunkers. The Vir Chakra that he later received was a befitting reward for the feat
2 Lt R S Sandhu VrC	In the action fought that day by the Company, many individual acts of gallantry were performed. When 2 Lt RS Sandhu, commanding a Platoon, noticed that an enemy Light Machine Gun in a bunker was holding up the advance of his men, he crawled towards it and, though injured in the chest, threw a hand grenade that silenced the gun. His bravery won him Vir Chakra.
Nb Sub Shankar Datt, VrC(posthumous)	After the objective had been captured; Light Machine Gun fire from a neighbouring locality began to harass the Kumaonis. Thereupon, Sub Shib Charan Singh, rushed forward and silenced the enemy automatic with a couple of well-aimed hand grenades. The Company Commander had himself set the example by refusing to be evacuated after he had been wounded in the eye by a splinter. He led the company till the objective was taken. L/Hav Kishan Singh won the third Vir Chakra for the same company that day.In one of their rallies, Pakistani troops stumbled against another Battalion of Kumaon and lost some 28 men in dead and wounded. The Battalion, under the command of Lt Col AN Sapru, during Operation ‘Cactus Lily’, had the honour of capturing the formidable features of ‘Lalmai’ on 8 December 1971 and ‘Laksham’ on 10 December, with reinforcement from two Companies of another Kumaon Battalion.
	The company was told that they would carry out the first phase of the attack on night 13/14 December. Nb Sub Laxmi Datt Pathak had shown exceptional courage and leadership as the leading Platoon Commander of the Company. While the Company was moving up, his platoon came under intense fire of small arms and medium machine guns. This temporarily held up the advance of his platoon; but despite the heavy odds, the JCO went from section to section, inspiring his men to keep moving. In the process he received bullets in his stomach and on his right wrist. Even with these grievous wounds, he led his platoon to the objective. His gallantry was later rewarded with a Sena Medal. The Battalion attacked at night; it thereafter put in a day light attack on the enemy defences and captured the feature, thus forcing the enemy to surrender. The Battalion was awarded one Vir Chakra, one Sena Medal and two Mentioned-in-Despatches.
Maj (later Maj Gen)KP Nanjappa, VrC	In another action one of the Battalions, was frequently in contact with enemy troops. The Battalion fought a spirited action and gave a good account of themselves. Maj (later Maj Gen) KP Nanjappa particularly distinguished himself in the action and later was awarded Vir Chakra. Hav Diwan Singh received a Sena Medal. They killed four enemy soldiers, wounded four, captured eleven, with a large quantity of arms, ammunition and equipment. Later on the same Battalion was given task to reach to close to the border and to participate in the encirclement of the objective along the Mynamati – Dacca highway. Nb Sub Shankar Dutt Joshi displayed immense courage and leadership despite being mortally wounded. He succeeded in occupying a tactically important bridge.
Maj K Lushai, VrC	For this action he was awarded Vir Chakra (posthumous). The capture opened a major axis to Dacca . The Battalion forced the surrender of 15 officers, 27 JCOs and 1077 Other Ranks belonging to one of the Pak Headquarters and other Pakistan Para Military Forces. The Battalion, during the operations, was awarded two Vir Chakras, one Vishist Seva Medal, two Sena Medals and four Mentioned in Despatches. Another Battalion opened their account in the area of Belonia. One company under Maj K Lushai and another company under Maj Y Prasad withstood an attack from a large posse of Pakistani troops. The Kumaonis inflicted a large number of casualties upon the enemy. Maj Lushai was awarded Vir Chakra, L Nk Umed Singh was awarded Sena Medal (posthumously) and two Other Ranks were Mentioned-in- Despatches for their gallantry in action.
Maj NK Sharma, VrC	In the Belonia area, another Company of same Battalion, under Maj NK Sharma, were pitted against a large posse of Pakistani troops. The company under Maj NK Sharma acquitted creditably. The Battalion lost three in killed and two in wounded. Maj NK Sharma was awarded the Vir Chakra for this action. In another Corps Zone, another Kumaon Battalion under Lt Col (later Brig) Atma Singh participated in the Battle of Bahduria. The Battalion started probing the enemy defences on the night. In the ensuing standoff between the enemy and the Kumaonis.
LHav Nandan Singh, VrC	Lt Col Atma Singh, the Commanding Officer along with two Other Ranks were injured, and evacuated. The mantle of command of the Battalion was donned by Maj (later Lt Gen ) PC Mankotia. Bhaduria, with its heavy built-up area, lots of trees and well defended bunkers, was a difficult place to attack without armour support. It was held by three companies of first rate troops of the Pakistan Army, who fought with great determination, as Bhaduria was important to them. The following gallantry awards were earned:-Hav Devender Singh Kandhai - Vir Chakra (Posthumous) Sep Dil Bahadur Thapa - Sena Medal (Posthumous) Capt Joginder Lal - Sena Medal Nb Sub Shiv Singh - Sena Medal (Posthumous) Sep Lila Bhahadur - Sena Medal (Posthumous)
Hav (later Sub Maj) Sangram Singh Rawat,VrC	Barely a year old, the Nagas too had an opportunity to display their prowess and proved their martial mettle, when in one of their trans-border incursions, two companies of Pakistan troops walked into their well laid ambush. Maj Ian Da Costa, ably assisted by Maj Tinu Ao handled the ambush competently. The boldness and courage displayed by the Medium Machine Gun Section Commander, Hav Sangram Singh was especially commendable. Hav Sangram Singh’s dash and daring won him Vir Chakra.
Hav Devender Singh Kandhai, VrC	A section commanded by Nk Mohan Ram got isolated from the main company while withdrawing from the ambush. This section under Nk Mohan Ram’s leadership fought the enemy until it had expended all its ammunition. Nk Mohan Ram laid down his life fighting. He was awarded Sena Medal (posthumously) for this brave action.This was the first battle action for the Naga Regiment and what its men displayed in the battlefield was no mean achievement for a newly raised unit.
L Nk Durga Datt,VrC (Posthumous)	The Kumaonis had once again displayed their indomitable spirit on the battle field to ensure another unambiguous victory for the Indian Army and its noble sons fearlessly sacrificed their lives to uphold the ‘izzat’ of the Regiment as also to honour the oath they had taken on the sacred parade ground of the Centre.

IMAGES OF PAK SURRENDER

	Signing of Indo Bangla Accord after the cease fire.
	Triumph at New Delhi after the War. (From left to right) Air Chief Marshal P.C. Lal, Admiral S.M. Nanda, General Sam Manekshaw join the Indian Defence Minister Jagjiwan Ram
	Lt Gen Niazi ( Pakistan ) signing the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Lt Gen JS Aurora on 16 December 1971
	The ‘car flag’ of Corps Commander( East Pakistan ) Captured by Maj Yogesh Prasad at Maynamati

Operation ‘Cactus Lily’- Western Front

On 3 December 1971, there were three Kumaon battalions, all deployed within some 35 km of each other in the most sensitive areas of Jammu and Kashmir. One Battalion was ordered to deny a river crossing to the enemy. While the Battalion was under the process of deploying, the Pakistani artillery opened up on them. The shelling was very heavy and the Kumaonis were caught in the open, on an unreconnoitred ground. The Pakistani Army attacked with a Brigade. The fighting went on till 8 AM, and when it ceased, the enemy had 180 of his dead on the battlefield.

The Battalion’s Second-in-Command, Maj Mohan Singh Bains now took over the command of the Battalion as Officiating Commanding Officer. The Battalion was successful in thwarting the enemy attack for recapturing their position on Manawar Tawi and were successful in holding the defences till Cease Fire came into force. In one of their missions, 2 Lt MC Bopanna successfully rescued Squadron Leader Trevor Keelor, of Indian Air Force whose aircraft was shot down by the Pakistani Air Defence guns. The Battalion was honoured wih Theatre Honour J & K 1971, two Sena Medals and two Mentioned-in-Despatches.

During the 14 days of the war, another Kumaoni battalion launched seven raids and seized one enemy post that was retained till after the Cease Fire. It was a measure of their success that no enemy patrol was seen beyond their own posts after the initial encounters. On 5 December, the Battalion, carried out raid on Ghug, an enemy Border Observation Post. Six enemy soldier were killed in this raid and Sep Samai Singh was decorated with the Sena Medal.

On 11 December at about 7 AM, the enemy counter-attacked one of the localities, and his tanks came within 200 yards of the ‘Forward Defended Locality’. In the battle that ensued, L Nk Uchhap Singh of another Kumaoni battalion, showed great courage. Standing up in his half-dug trench, he faced a Patton tank and fired his RPG-7 rocket launcher. The tank was knocked out and as it caught fire, three of the enemy jumped out. One of them took up a position, while, the other two made a bid to escape. CHM Bharat Chand ran forward, hit and overpowered the man; his companions were also rounded up soon after. L Nk Uchhap Singh later received Sena Medal and CHM Bharat Chand was Mentioned in Despatches.

In another action, a Platoon from a Company of the same Battalion was ordered to search the village Kukiyal Majhal and destroy the enemy picket. Sub Mohan Singh Basera, the Platoon Commander showed great courage and devotion to duty in clearing the area against strong opposition. He was later awarded Sena Medal. In the early hours of 16 December, the enemy put in two counter attacks to retake two of the villages, both held by a Company. Each attack was preceded by heavy shelling but the company stood firm and repelled both. Maj Chauhan's handling of the company showed leadership and courage of a high order and he was later decorated with Sena Medal. In addition, two officers and a NCO were Mentioned in Despatches for gallantry.

On 9 December, at 0650 hours, a Kumaon Battalion under Lt Col (Later Brig) RV Jatar advanced toward the border on the Kharotar-Khetwo road. The enemy opened up with artillery, machine guns and 75-mm recoilless rifles. The Company, under Maj DS Shekhawat, was earmarked for the first phase of the attack.The battle began a few minutes after 1400 hours. The Company had to make a long detour to bypass the enemy minefield and avoid enemy’s direct Medium Machine Guns fire. The Company's objective, had only a Light Machine Gun and an artillery observation officer on it, but it was well covered by Medium Machine Guns from the adjoining ridge.

During the advance, Maj Shekhawat was wounded in the leg by shrapnel but continued to lead his men with determination, and the objective was taken at 1445 hours. Maj Shekhawat later received Sena Medal for displaying gallantry and leadership. Hav Laxmi Narain, with Recoilless Gun detachment, supporting the Company displayed exemplary courage, initiative and leadership, by neutralising two Light Machine Gun bunkers, whose fire caught the leading platoon in tactically unsound ground. This NCO acted on his initiative and cleared the opposition enabling further advance, for which act he was awarded Sena Medal. One of the Kumaon Battalions under the command of Lt Col (Later Maj Gen) SR Bahuguna, decided to outflank the enemy from the east and strike him from the rear. Maj Sunhara Singh, had taken the eastern portion of the enemy's defence line successfully. The enemy opened up with small-arms and eight Medium Machine Guns. Through their fire the assault companies charged, forcing the Pakistanis to abandon their positions and withdraw northwest, to their main defences, leaving behind their equipment and dead comrades in the pill boxes. In the final phase of the battle, the enemy's main defences south of the town were to be tackled by two Kumaoni Companies. The enemy was now quite active; the move to the forming-up area took place under heavy shelling. The battle lasted well over two hours before Gadra could be captured. Enemy losses were estimated at 40 killed. Maj Sunahara Singh was decorated with Vir Chakra. An NCO who played an admirable role in this battle was L Nk Durga Dutt. While the assault was on, he had crawled forward to deal with an enemy bunker that housed a Medium Machine Gun. A hand-grenade destroyed the gun and its crew. Then, while he was moving to a second bunker, he was hit in the head by a burst from another enemy automatic. But this brave Kumaoni continued to move forward and silenced the second bunker also. He later succumbed to his injuries. The gallantry shown by him was recognized with a posthumous award of Vir Chakra.