THE HELMET AND THE WATER BOTTLE

THE HELMET AND THE WATER BOTTLE : REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER

LOG BOOK EXTRACT

It was, I think Sept 1986.


I was a rookie pilot with barely 450 hours, flying with my Squadron CO,  a taciturn disciplinarian, accustomed to explode suddenly and grab the controls  after watching you struggle to keep the speed constant, height maintained and flying balanced; ball and string aligned (didn't they teach you anything, this aircraft flies with a tilt).

Anyways, it was  a long flight. We had taken off from Srinagar onwards to Kargil-Leh- Chalunka- Tangtse-Chushul.

There was an officer from 13 Fd Regt who was to accompany us to Chushul. He had been tasked by his unit to lay a wreath on the 13 Fd memorial there. It was the 'old boy' grid working and since his CO was a friend of my CO, a sortie was arranged ---- and there was another gunner CO located at Chushul who was a friend of both these CO's!!

We crossed the Zorawar Wall,  flew along the C 1 axis (yes, I was told that this axis is normally forbidden, being under Chinese observation), skirting and admiring Pangang Tso and finally landing at Chushul. All arrangements had been made by a local artillery unit. A welcome cup of tea was waiting and so were  a couple of jeeps and guides.
A good gunner friend of mine from the Advance Gunnery days had specially come to meet me.

T/O was after a couple of hours and while the CO and the 13 Fd  officer went off in one direction,  I thought it prudent to hop into the jeep with my friend who had agreed take me for a conducted tour of the area.

We drove around the desertfic terrain, over humps, mounds, hills --  as he pointed out all the landmarks including the old airstrip where US Airforce Hercules'  had landed in 1962.
And since I had wanted to see the famed Rezangla feature and the battlefields  around Chushul, my day was made. 
As we drove past some old defended locality, abandoned now, I noticed crawl trenches and half filled slit trenches dotting the gravelled type kutcha track on both sides. 

Valiant and brave soldiers would have made a stand somewhere around. 

So many years back. 

We stopped the jeep and stood quietly, looking around. Silence.
I picked up a rusted helmet and a water bottle, the canvas cover of which was now tattered and about to fall off. 
I still have it.

In memory of men  who were better soldiers than us.

How can a man die better,

            Than facing fearful odds, 

                               For the ashes of his fathers, 

                                And temples of his gods

A 11GR OFFICER AND HIS 1897 PATTERN BRITISH RIFLE REGIMENT OFFICER'S SWORD

A 11GR OFFICER AND HIS 1897 PATTERN BRITISH RIFLE REGIMENT OFFICER'S SWORD 

The story goes like this.

LT COL AJMER SINGH

After a pre-independence stint with the RIASC, my father in law, Lt Col Ajmer Singh, applied for a commission in 1949 and was commissioned in 5/11 GR. He later commanded 2/11 GR. After a distinguished career and subsequent retirement, he passed away in 2015.

Amongst the priceless memorabilia and photographs of his service days,  we came across his 'Officers Sword'. Leather scabbard and all.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SWORD

On closer examination, I saw that the etching near the hilt where the blade meets the hand guard is marked "Guthrie Valentine London". 

Obviously this sword was made by Guthrie & Valentine of 12 Cork Street, Bond Street, London.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ETCHING

A little research confirmed that there were a couple of sword makers who provided ceremonial swords for British officers.   The design is specifically known as the  "1897 Pattern British Rifle Regiment Officer's Sword". The design specified the blade as being 32 ¹⁄₂inches (830 mm) long and 1 inch (25 mm) wide at the shoulder, with the complete sword weighing between 1 lb 12oz and 1 lb 13 oz (794-822g).

The blade is straight and symmetrical in shape. Further, The last 17 inches (430 mm) of the front edge were sharpened when on active service (and a few inches of the false edge, at the back near the tip, to aid penetration). The blade ends in a sharp stiff spear point. Further, the description stipulates-:

Quote: "The blade is usually decoratively etched on both sides.The guard is a three-quarter basket of sheet steel. It is decorated with a pierced scroll-work pattern and has the royal cypher of the reigning monarch set over the lower knuckle".Unquote.

Check out the photographs below. Appears to be the real MacCoy. The manufacturers insignia, the crown (royal cipher) and the 'basket of sheet steel'.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ROYAL CIPHER

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE ETCHING

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PIERCED
SCROLL WORK

THE SHEET STEEL GUARD

But --- a quick search on the net confirmed that there was no such  firm existing, here or in England! More research was required, and I had to scan through some net based archives/books. 

The London Gazette  of 08 May 1928 gives a public notice that the firm of Guthrie and Valentine was dissolved on the '31st day of March 1923'. It was established in 1796.

But the firm exists in a diferrent avatar. It now mostly makes high end apparel, shirts, clothing items.

Since these swords were standard British officers 'ceremonial swords', probably some of them were also available in some Regimental Centres and Military Furnishers in India. More so in various Gurkha Regimental Centres, since the British had for a long time not permitted Indian officers to be posted to Gurkha Regiments/Battalions. This could be a purchase from one of the Gurkha Centres which still had a stock of the 'Made In England' swords.

And if the firm of Guthrie And Valentine (Tailors And Military Outfitters) was dissolved in 1923, it stands to reason that this particular sword is a 'collectors item'. Manufactured pre 1923!

Priceless----yes!!