44 Years Since The Antim Pag In Chetwode Hall, IMA
By
Brig R K Singh , 52 NDA / 62 Regular
SERVE WITH HONOUR
“The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first,. always and everytime.
The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and everytime.”
– Field Marshal Chetwode
Clap – Slap – Bang
10 Jun 1978.
To all my Army Course Mates – with you I had the great privilege of marching into our destiny.
Clap – Slap – Bang
It was a Saturday morning, 10 Jun 1978. We were in hundreds and it was raining. Soaking wet, lined up for the parade, sinews taut with pride and anticipation of the reward. After four grueling years in different dresses and without any, different times of days & nights with and without load, tests, exams, exercises, running, haunching, pulling, heaving, hanging, jumping, crawling, scrambling, sweating and bleeding we were a Parade short of our destiny.
And it started
Clap – Slap – Bang
Flesh to Steel, Flesh to wood , Iron to Tarmac, the sound so distinct and reverberating above the continuous tap of the rain on tarmac.
Clap – Slap – Bang
Statues in synchronized motion, flesh & bone moving with the precision of machine. Aligned in Body, Mind & Spirit a gracefully choreographed display of perfection. Rain bouncing off erect chins in spray creating a spectacular similarity of translucent faces. The Red Hot Iron of 4 years was being forged by immersion in water at the end of a journey and beginning of another.
Clap – Slap – Bang
The rain stopped, parade ended and we became 2Lts. There was no midnight ball or tossing of caps but at that moment we owned the world. Hugging one another back slapping, ecstatic we flew off to different corners with boundless enthusiasm. The time flew, it always does. Many nests were built, associations made, best was given to whatever came our way and imprints were left in all measures. We gave plenty and got as much perhaps more. Most of all wonderful memories of a magnificently adventurous journey with so many seasons of splendor – Vivid & Achingly Sweet.
Clap – Slap – Bang
44 yrs down the line we are more together than ever. Intertwined organically because we were forged together from 1974 to 1978. In that process we all gave and took a bit and some more to/from one another. Sharing now is in abundance. We have circled back and this convergence is hugely comforting.
Clap – Slap – Bang
There will be another Passing Out P. Without any schedule, in random order and number. But let there be no doubt – even on the other side as we close in it shall be
Clap – Slap – Bang rain or no rain.
Stay well my friends. Good Luck.
