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Epic Battles
 
Sino-India War of 1962
 

After a decade of ‘Panch Sheel’, spirits of ‘Hindi-Chini-Bhai Bhai’ in the fifties, the cartographic war between two countries was hotting up. The tension between India and China had been building up for some years, leading to border clashes on the lofty Himalayan heights.

The Chinese Invasion

The Chinese invasion came with a bewildering suddenness. The invasion had a great impact on India and on the thinking of its leaders, the Armed Forces of India, their equipment and training. Among the Army units that fought to stem the tide of Chinese invasion were valiant battalions of the Kumaon Regiment. They fought with valour, and the gallantry of their officers and men won undying fame.

Battle of Walong - 1962                          
 
During 1962 War, a Kumaon Battalion was deployed in the Walong Sector of North East Frontier Area, (now Arunachal Pradesh), where they fought the Chinese with astounding grit and determination. The Kumaon Battalion was the only unit of the Indian Army to launch an attack on the Chinese defences with limited resources, but with unlimited ferocity and aggression.The epic Battle commenced on 14 November 1962.
The attack of battalion less two companies was launched without any tangible fire support.  The assault continued the whole day against very heavy resistance. Once the ammunition was exhausted, hand-to-hand battle ensued with both sides suffering heavy casualties.

Memorial at Walong

To reclaim the lost ground, the Chinese counter attacked with greater ferocity. They pressed their assault with human wave after wave. The Kumaonis stuck to their ground till the last man and the last round and caused heavy losses to the enemy. Finally, the Chinese succeeded, as there was no able bodied Kumaoni left.

This supreme saga of heroism with limited resources and in inhospitable terrain has been an inspiring example for the succeeding generations to emulate. Brigadier NC Rawlley, aptly summed up the performance of the unit with these words "The  KUMAON Battalion fought, fought and fought till there was an eerie silence".

The Battalion celebrates ‘Walong Day’ every year on the 14 November, so that present generation of officers, JCOs and Other Ranks continue to draw inspiration from the heroic deeds of their predecessors, to discharge their duties towards the Nation. The battalion was awarded, five Vir  Chakras for bravery and sacrifice during  the battle.

Rezang La - Ladakh

It was Sunday, when the dawn broke on 18 November 1962; unusually cold, with snow falling lightly over Rezang La, since the early hours. This day saw a battle that was unique in many ways. Never before in the World’s military history had a major battle been fought at such an altitude. The forces arrayed were also unequally matched.

At about 0615 hours, all those deployed around Chushul, were attracted by the sound and sight of massive shelling on Rezang La, Gurung Hill and Spanggur gap - bringing entire Infantry Brigade to their respective battle positions.

The Battle

The Battle of Rezang La commenced hours before the shelling that the rest of Brigade saw from a distance. In fact, the first Chinese attack was ‘silent’, with the intention to surprise the defenders of Rezang La, in which, the Chinese failed.

At about 0400 hours, it was noticed that a large body of enemy troops, scrambling up through gullies towards a platoon post.Within no time every man of the Kumaon Company under Maj Shaitan Singh was at ‘ready for action’ state. Every gully that descended to the dry bed of Rezang Lungpa was swarming with Chinese. It was still pretty dark. Maj Shaitan Singh and his brave men were now certain to face a big attack. With bated breath they waited, their fingers on their triggers.

An artist's impression of the Battle
At about 0500 hours, when the dawn was just cracking, the first wave of Chinese assault was seen through their gun sights. Just when the Chinese came within range, Maj Shaitan Singh ordered to open fire and the Company under Maj Shaitan Singh let the attackers have it. Many of the enemies fell; others continued to advance. But with every weapon of the Company firing, the gullies were soon full of dead and wounded Chinese. Evidence of large number of the enemy casualties came, when Rezang La was visited three months later.Chinese frontal attack having failed, they modified their attack plan by shelling Rezang La heavily. It was this intensive shelling which made a spectacular display of the Chinese superiority in weapons. There were no bunkers left on Rezang La. Evidence of this was seen when Rezang La was revisited in February 1963, but there was no sign of panic or withdrawal. According to those who visited Rezang La, three months later:-

“The dead men were found in their trenches, frozen stiff, still holding their weapons. Broken Light Machine Gun bipods, and some men holding only the butts of their rifles while the remaining weapon had blown off, bore witness to the enemy fire.”

The odds against the Company were heavy, superior numbers and fire power was beginning to tell. But the Rezang La company defended locality was being astutely defended, till the end.Finding his Company surrounded, after the enemy shelling, Maj Shaitan Singh reorganised the position and resited the automatic weapons to take on the enemy attack. It was during the re-organisation, which Maj Shaitan Singh was personally supervising, that he received a burst of fire in one arm. After a while, he received another Light Machine gun burst in his abdomen. His mortal remains were found three months later.  By any test, every man of the Company who fought and died at Rezang La was a hero and the grateful nation continues to remember each one of them as such. The name of Maj Shaitan Singh, who fired these men with the spirit that prefers death to surrender, will live forever in the pages of India ’s history. The Kumaonis "fought till last man last bullet" at the icy heights of Rezangla.  The nations highest decoration for gallantry the Param Vir Chakra was conferred on him posthumously. His body was flown to his hometown, Jodhpur , where it was cremated with honours befitting a national hero.

Maj Shaitan Singh, PVC

The Rezang La Memorial

Brig (later Gen) TN Raina, MVC
It was at ‘High Ground’, the place where the Battalion Headquarters was located, that the mortal remains of ‘Heroes of the Battle of Rezang La’ were cremated with full military honour, in February 1963, after the bodies were recovered.  Later a ‘Memorial’ was erected at the spot, as their tribute to the fallen comrades in arms. Inscribed on this monument are the following lines- “How can man die better than facing fearful odds for the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his gods?” - ‘Macaulay’

There could be no better epitaph for the men who fought and died at Rezang La. The Kumaon Battalion was later the proud recipient of the Battle Honour ‘Rezang La’ and the Theatre Honour ‘Ladakh 1962’. Emblazoned on their colours, these names will always remind future generations of the brave men who died fighting for the country’s honour on 18 November 1962.