The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories by Rachna Bisht Rawat Page A

under Naik Ram Kumar Yadav, was on the reverse slope.
    As the men went about digging bunkers and building defences, using sandbags, all that they had to shelter from the harsh, cold winds were 40-pounder tents. Every platoon had about 25 men. Each of them was aware that the orders issued by the battalion commander on 24 October said that if the Chinese attacked all sub-units were to fight to the last man and the last round.
    ‘The weather was terrible; we didn’t have proper winter clothes or shoes. The jerseys, cotton trousers and light coat we were issued could hardly keep us warm in those freezing winds. The soldiers would get terrible headaches and nursing assistant Dharam Pal Dahiya would rush from post to post doling out medicines, ‘ recounts Ram Chander. The quiet and soft-spoken Maj Shaitan Singh, would rough it out with his men.
    As radio operator, Ram Chander’s job was to establish communication between the different platoons. ‘When we were free we would sit together and listen to All India Radio. We would hear about posts that the Chinese were attacking and how they were massacring our men. Our blood would boil. We were itching to teach them a lesson. “Hamein mauka milega toh ham jam kar ladenge” (If we get the chance, we will give a very good fight), we would tell Sahab and he would just smile back,’ he says.
    The greatest disadvantage of Rezang La was that it was crested to Indian artillery fire and could not get any artillery support because of the ridges around it. The men of C Company were thus completely isolated and they were equipped with outmoded. 303 single action rifles of World War II vintage while the Chinese had the latest automatics. They were also under orders to not patrol the international border so all their patrols were restricted to within 400 yards of their location.

The battle of Rezang La
    18 November 1962 is a Sunday. It is colder than usual and snow falls lightly over Rezang La.
    Around 3. 30 a. m.., the stillness of the early morning is pierced by the staccato sound of an LMG burst. Maj Shaitan Singh quickly asks Ram Chander to tune the radio set. Jemadar Hari Ram from 8 Platoon comes on air and says that the enemy has tried to attack their listening post with about ten men but were spotted. Number 8 Platoon has directed LMG fire at the Chinese soldiers climbing from the gullies and killed most of them, while the remaining have run away.
    ‘Shabash! Chaukas rahiye,’ (Bravo! Be vigilant) says the major. Suspecting there could be more enemy attacks he orders a patrol to check the gullies between 7 and 9 Platoons.
    The patrol returns and reports that these gullies are swarming with Chinese. The LMGs and mortars are put in position. Jemadar Surja Ram, 7 Platoon, reports that around 400 enemy soldiers are climbing up to their post. ‘We can see them clearly against the snow,’ he tells his company commander.
    Maj Shaitan Singh orders him to fire at them the moment they come within shooting range. When the enemy soldiers are 250 yards away, 7 Platoon opens fire. Their three LMGs blaze for four minutes. They report that the enemy attack has been repelled.
    Just then, 8 Platoon reports that 800 enemy soldiers are coming up from the ridge near them. ‘Aap Veer Ahir hain, poore josh se ladiye,’ (You are a Brave Ahir, fight with full spirit) the major tells Jemadar Hari who bravely replies, ‘Aap chinta hi mat kariye Sahab, ham ladenge’ (Don’t worry, Sir, we will fight).
    The platoon opens fire and the attack is neutralized. Maj Shaitan Singh orders mortar fire into the gully; Jemadar Hari Ram advises: ‘Sahab, don’t fire any more into that nala; it is full of dead Chinese men.’
    After all their frontal attacks fail, the Chinese quickly change their plan. Around 4. 30 a. m., they begin to shell all the posts at the same time. From the blinds recovered later, it is evident that they use three types of mortars; 120 mm, 81 mm and 60 mm. To destroy bunkers, they use 75 mm