The True Joint Forces Officer : The Only Officer To Serve In The Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, & Indian Army Turns 100
By
Brigadier I S Gakhal
Col Prithipal Singh Gill turns 100 today on 11 Dec 2020.
Dated : 11 Dec 2020 (IST)
Squadron Leader Niranjan Prasad had commanded an RIAF Squadron and then had joined the Indian Army. As a Brigadier he had commanded 50 (I) Parachute Brigade and later as a Major General the 4 Infantry Division.
There have been a few others too in the Indian Armed Forces, the American Armed Forces etc who have served in two different Armed Forces. However Col Prithipal Singh Gill must be the only officer in the World who has served in all three branches of the Armed Forces.
Pakhi is a village located in the erstwhile state of Faridkot. In 1846 S Mihan Singh was given a jagir by the British that set about the linage of the Pakhi Family.
The Gill Family of Pakhi has a long and chequered connect with XIV Ferozepore Sikh /1St Battalion, TheSikh Regiment. Two most famous grandsons of Mihan Singh who served 14 Sikhs were Subedar Major (Hony Capt) Bhagwan Singh and Sardar Bahadur, IOM.
Subedar Major Bhagwan Singh had represented Indian Army at the Kings coronation in 1911 and was later the Kings Orderly Officer in 1915. His service for 14 Sikhs lasted for 32 years. Having returned from retirement, Capt Bhagwan Singh served during Gallipoli campaign.
It was during the Third Battle of Krithia, that his son Jemedar Sobha Singh was killed in action. Capt Bhagwan singh’s other son Lakha singh went onto become the Sub Maj of 14 Sikhs. Incidentally, Capt Bhagwan Singh’s grandson Brig Karnail Singh Sidhu commanded 1 Sikh (1963-65).
Capt Narain Singh, MC, IDSM,OBI another grandson of S Mihan Singh served 14 Sikhs and was also the SM of the Battalion. After retirement he was promoted Lt Col in the Faridkot State Forces.
There were many others from the Pakhi Family who served 14 Sikhs, some of them were: Sub Magar Singh nephew of Subedar Major Bhagwan singh, Lieutinant Hira singh another grandson of Mihan singh, Jem Tota Singh brother of Capt Narain singh MC, IDSM,OBI and Maj Harpal Singh the great grandson of S Mihan Singh (Mihan Singh- Capt Bir Singh –Maj Harpal singh).
Maj Harpal Singh served 1 Sikh and later commanded a Garrison company under 1 Sikh at Sagor. Lt Col Gurdial Singh the brother of Maj Harpal singh Gill joined the Indian Medical Services.
His son Lt Gen Inder Gill rose to become an army commander. Maj Harpal Gill has two sons, the elder late Brig Parampal Singh served in 1 Sikh as a soldier, before being commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery and the other Col Prithipal singh who turns 100 on 11 Dec 2020. This post is about the latter.
Prithipal Singh joined the Royal Indian Air Force and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and stationed at Karachi, flying Howard aircrafts. Flying was then considered unsafe and his family did not want their son to live the life of a Pilot. He had joined the RIAF without seeking permission from his parents.
This is when a British General, known to the Gill family, Gen Savoy, came to their help and was able to have Pilot Officer Prithipal Singh transferred to the Indian Navy, where he served on a mine sweeping ship and later on INS Teer which was a Navy escort Ship for cargo ships during World War 2. As a Naval Officer, Sub Lt Prithipal Singh was detailed to attend the Long Gunnery Staff Course at School of Artillery, Devlali, and he qualified as an Instructor in Gunnery (IG).
He then himself sought a transfer to the Army, which was approved, and he was posted to “Gwalior Mountain Battery” equipped with 5.4 inch Howitzers. He later served with 34 Medium Regiment and still later raised and Commanded 71 Medium Regt.
During the 1965 Indo-Pak War four guns of his Regt were cut off by enemy action. Lt Col Prithipal Singh Gill personally led a successful mission to retrieve the four guns. On promotion to the rank of Col, Pirthipal Singh, Commanded an Assam Rifles Sector in Ukhrul, Manipur.
After his exceptionally chequered career in the Royal Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and the Indian Army (Artillery), Col Prithipal Singh Gill finally retired to farming the family lands at his native village Pakhi in Faridkot District.
A farmer’s son had come full circle. It is a most unique (and maybe the only case of its kind), that a Military career of someone that started as a pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force, later sailed the High Seas with Indian Navy, and finally saw action as a Gunner Officer with the Indian Army in the 1965 War, finally culminated as an Assam Rifles Sector Commander in Manipur.
Centurian From Gill Family of Pakhi : Col Prithipal Singh Gill
Today the 11 Dec 2020, Col Prithipal Singh Gill, will turn 100. Wishing Col Prithipal Singh Gill a very Happy 100th Birthday. An exceptional life indeed.
May you remain ever Healthy and Happy.
Those who have served in 1 Sikh will remember the Inter Company Sports Championship Trophy, (see att photo) a legacy presented by Maj Harpal Singh Gill of Pakhi. Also presented to the Battalion by the family was a teak wooden box fabricated to carry the Guru Granth Sahib on mobilisation for Burma. Lt Gen RA Savory, SM Bhagwan Singh Sardar Bahadur,IOM and Capt Narain Singh, MC, IDSM,OBI were veterans of Gallipoli and enjoyed a lifelong bond.
