My First
Experience Under Fire
L N
Subramanian
A first hand
account by LT GP Singh extracted from the article
of the same name from Combat Journal, April 1991.
I was
commissioned as a 2nd Lt in June 1988 and was to
join 5 Maratha LI. In July 1988, I learnt with
consternation that the Battalion (Bn) was
operating in Sri Lanka in the thick of battle with
the LTTE. Thinking of all those stories, news
items and video clips my imagination ran riot
with nervous anticipation on what was in store for
me. Would I have the sublime pleasure of being a
heroic leader of my platoon or have a hot web of
the LTTE’s bullets around me? Would I be ambushed
on arrival? I landed in the Bn with mixed feelings
and varied thoughts.
The situation on
arrival was fairly peaceful with routine cordon
and search operations interspersed with ambushes
and vigorous patrolling.
I was learning faster
than those exercises at Indian Military Academy (IMA)
could teach. I had a vague idea of mines while in
the IMA. We came across Improvised Explosive
Devices (IEDs) and land mines laid by the LTTE.
Recovering them without mishap made it seem simple
and easy. Then on 08 Sep 88 we lost Capt N
Muralidharan and four Jawans while they were
recovering mines. An officer and a JCO were
injured in the same accident. The incident shook
me and brought to focus the devastation that the
mines and booby traps can cause. This made us more
cautious and we became more alert and determined.
Thereafter,
the situation changed and the activity increased.
A political leader of the LTTE named Shiva was
killed, to be followed by regular skirmishes and
encounters with the LTTE.
On 19th and 20th
November 1988, the LTTE decided to shake us up a
bit by firing simultaneously on all our posts. But
it was all thunder. We were unable to trap them,
as on being challenged they would melt away into
the urban areas. When under fire, I remembered the
controlled battle inoculations of the IMA where
the bullets flew a mile above our heads and here;
in contrast, the peppering of the LTTE AK 47s was
a big change. Though I reacted at the sound of the
fire, my excitement was yet on a low since the
fire was not effective.
Almost a year
passed with routine operations.
In Aug 1989, I got
my chance to be baptized under effective live
fire. My Coy along with another was to operate in
the Vellivettithurai (VVT) area. On the strength
of information, we established a cordon in VVT
area on 1 Aug 1989. We remained in the area for the
entire day as well as the night of 1/2 Aug. The
area was new to us. At 10:00 hrs on 2 Aug the LTTE
opened heavy fire on a section of the cordon from
the outside. In excited anticipation I rushed to
my Coy Commander for the next course of action.
Since we were all employed on the cordon, we had
inadequate reserve to deal with in the situation.
The militants could not be encircled without
regrouping I enquired from my Coy Cmdr if I should
encircle the militants from a flank with my
platoon or remain in position. My Coy Cmdr was
positioned behind a compound wall and was trying
to gain a position of advantage. He asked me to
locate the militants’ position and then encircle
it from the right.
Since I couldn't
see above the high wall I decided to move outside
through the gate in the wall. I pushed the gate
and as I opened it, a long burst from the
militants AK-47 hit the right side of the gate. I
took cover in a split second and appreciated that
the militants would be either on the roof of the
house opposite or on the tree beside the house. I
realized that they could observe us closely. The
fire was quite effective. Meanwhile a bullet
injured a jawan in the head. The Coy Cmdr left his
cover and dashed to the site to bring the jawan to
safety. A heavy volume of fire was immediately
brought on him. The hail of fire angrily kicked up
the dust around him missing him by a few inches.
Fortunately he made it to a bund nearby. He then
crawled back to safety. Meanwhile, after some more
firing I was positive about the militants location
but I couldn't see them physically. I informed the
Coy Cmdr of their location. He took quick action
in ordering the 84mm CG detachment to fire 2
rounds of 84mm. He ended the militants firing.
Radio intercepts confirmed that the militants were
wounded. While the 84mms were fired I tried to
move to the right to capture them but found that
they had withdrawn. We soon evacuated our injured
to 17 Sikh position. I promised myself a better
catch next time but was subsequently appointed MTO
(mechanical transport officer).