Memoires of a Prisoner of War (POW)

Introduction

The following article has been written based on notes provided by Col. (Retired) Baldev Singh Chahal, who had fought in the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war and was taken Prisoner of War by the enemy. He remained in captivity for almost five months, during which time he faced extreme hardships: both mental and physical. He bravely endured the intense interrogation, malnutrition, faced near death experience and withstood personal tragedy. During his confinement, he maintained a positive outlook, remained strong, motivated his colleagues and eventually saved the lives of his fellow officers.

Col. Baldev Singh was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army in December 1962. This battalion is also known as the Saragarhi Battalion, whose 21 brave soldiers faced 10,000 tribesmen in the North-West frontier in 1897 and gave up their lives for duty and honour. This battalion took part in both World Wars and post-Independence wars. It has had the distinction of being awarded numerous gallantry awards and has produced distinguished heroes, one of them being Col. Chahal.

Col. Chahal served the country with integrity and dedication during his 31 year army career till his retirement in Dec. 1993. He took part in several campaigns, fought gallantly and faced the enemy head-on along with his fellow soldiers as is synonymous with Saragarhi Battalion. During the war of 1971 War with Pakistan he commanded a company, received battle injuries and helped in the liberation of Bangladesh. He has been awarded eleven medals during his career, including the Wound Medal. On a few occasions, he was recognized by his superiors for valor and recommended for gallantry awards. During his career he commanded the 19th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, and subsequently became Commandant of Military Police.

Col. Chahal has summed up his experience as a POW in the following lines, “We all know what it means to be a POW; however, the saying goes, ‘It is absolutely true that only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches’. You cannot fathom the life of a POW unless you have personally experienced it. Life in the army is tough; it is tougher to fight in battles and face the enemy, however the toughest is being a POW.”

Battle of Barki

The 4th Sikh Battalion played an important role in the Indo-Pak war of 1965. On September 10, 1965 the battalion captured the well-fortified village of Barki in Pakistan. It was in this battle that the infantry battalion led the way while the tanks followed and captured the village. The Indian Army faced intense fire from Pakistani soldiers who were well positioned in and around the village. The leading companies of 4th Sikhs ran over the defenses of two companies of Pakistani Army and captured six concrete pill boxes which contained MMGs, LMGs, and RCLs. This was one of the locations where hand to hand combat took place between soldiers of both armies. In this battle, Lt. Chahal was the Adjutant of the unit, he along with his men fearlessly charged towards a pill box, which was firing incessantly at them and subsequently captured an enemy JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer) during the encounter. This soldier was awarded Pakistan’s 2nd highest gallantry award posthumously for his brave stand against the attack of Indian Army. Earlier attempts to neutralise the pill box were unsuccessful and resulted in many casualties. Bodies of the brave solders with their weapons in hand were lying around the pill box. It was a tearful sight for the young Lieutenant, who saw the martyred Jawans; he paid his respect to the departed souls and made a promise to annihilate the enemy and avenge his fallen comrades.

Khem Karan Sector and Falling into the Enemy Trap

After successfully capturing the village of Barki, the Commanding Officer of 4th Sikh Battalion, Lt. Col. Anant Singh was assigned the task of proceeding to Khem Karan sector. The battalion left on Sept. 11 to establish a road block behind enemy lines and assist the Indian Army in proceeding forward into the enemy territory. Lt. Chahal along with 200 men and his CO proceeded further under enemy fire and reached behind the enemy lines; however, the Division attack as planned by the Indian Army didn’t materialize. The brave soldiers were led into a trap, where they were surrounded by enemy tanks and infantry. There was no place to escape as they were surrounded on all sides: there was a railway line in the front and a road at the back. Finding himself in a precarious situation and to avoid unnecessary casualty, the CO decided to surrender; however, if possible, ordered his men to escape. Some did manage to getaway into the surrounding sugarcane fields and later on joined their units.

Lt. Chahal was leading a unit close by, when enemy bullets started firing towards his direction. He and his men took cover and tried to break free, however, were caught by an enemy tank in front. The JCO of the tank aimed at Lt. Chahal and ordered him to surrender. Lt. Chahal was determined to face the enemy with his weapon, however better judgement prevailed and he decided to submit. At this point his best option was to give himself up to destiny and return to battle another day (which he did during the war of 1971). Taking a sip of water and not knowing his fate, Lt. Chahal was captured by the enemy. While positioning a bayonet at his back, they searched him and tied his hands. He was taken to a holding site, where began the gruesome ordeal of captivity, interrogation, starvation and mental torture.

Captivity and Being a POW

The Indian soldiers were rounded up, thoroughly checked, disarmed of any potential threats and were made to march about a kilometer to a rendezvous, area which was located at a school building. The officers were taken to a room and were offered a cup of tea, a gesture which would go extinct later on. Here they were observed by Pakistani army officers, who seemed to be proud of their accomplishment. Subsequently, the soldiers were brought together in an enclosed area and the laces of their boots were un-tied so that they may not use them to strangle their captors. They were transported to the Divisional HQ located at Kasur under intense security, with their hands tied to the vehicle. There was silence and a feeling of helplessness amongst the Indian soldiers, as they wanted to confront their captors; however, due to their venerable situation had to submit and wait for an uncertain future to unfold. On reaching Kasur, they were again briefly interrogated by the Pakistani Army and then were blind-folded, hands-tied and sent to Lahore.

Confinement and Experience at Lahore Criminal Cell

Upon reaching Lahore, the Indian soldiers were separated and taken to various cells. Lt. Chahal was locked up in a small, dark cell which was meant for holding criminals. There was no window, air quality was poor and filled with an unpleasant odor. The room was locked up by a door with a small, six inch circular opening through which a sentry would observe the movements of Lt. Chahal. Having been fighting continuously for the last eight days with intense enthusiasm and minimum rest, he was extremely tired. He fell on the uncomfortable bed and immediately went to sleep.

Two hours felt like two minutes as Lt. Chahal was rudely woken up by the sentry, ordered to proceed to another room where Pakistani soldiers were present. They started questioning Lt. Chahal initially by coax and cajole techniques. The switched over to intimidation and threats. When information was not forthcoming, they used abusive language, pejorative words and mental harassment to make him divulge confidential information. Lt. Chahal, kept calm, maintained his equilibrium and refrained from divulging any details. He had never faced this type of situation before; however, he focussed on the almighty and recounted how the brave Sikhs would have faced their Mughal captors. He was determined to endure the hardships fearlessly and with dignity.

While at Lahore, the Pakistani authorities had called in correspondents from around the world and allowed them to witness and photograph the Indian Soldiers, so that propaganda pictures could be circulated, depicting ‘cordial’ relationship between Pakistanis and Indian POWs’. In a staged environment, the Pakistanis tried to broadcast amiable relationships with their captors so that Indian authorities would have a false perception of cooperation of their soldiers with the enemy. In one of the staged photographs, a JCO of Pakistani Army came over to the CO of the Sikh Regiment, gave him a warm hug, and shook his hands firmly. This photo was circulated world-wide and was seen by Indians. When repatriated back, Lt. Chahal explained to the Indian authorities about the incident with the media at Lahore and the true intention of Pakistan, which was to create a feeling of distrust for the captured soldiers amongst the people of India.

Confinement at Rawalpindi Civil Jail

After the ordeal at Lahore, the Indian POWs’ were transported to Rawalpindi Jail. Again, they were subjugated to intense scrutiny, interrogation, intimidation and hardships. They were provided with a bed, blanket, and bed sheets. For the first time, sufficient water was provided to the soldiers. The soldiers took a relaxing bath, the Sikhs washed their long hair, beard and felt rejuvenated. Subsequently, they washed their clothes and used the bed sheets as their makeshift clothing while their uniform dried. The Pakistani soldiers, amongst whom were Bengalis, keenly observed the Sikhs, their cheerful disposition, their thanksgiving to the almighty and their unbreakable spirit. They were surprised to see the soldiers who appeared cheerful in spite of prevailing hardships and uncertainty. The Sikhs are always in ‘Charhdi Kala’ by the grace of God.

Regimental Bonds are Perpetual

Before the Partition of India and Pakistan, the 4th Sikh Battalion consisted of Sikh and Muslim soldiers. There was a strong camaraderie amongst the soldiers of the battalion, they were brothers in arms who fought together in campaigns, helped one another and gave their lives to protect their comrades. On partition, the Muslim soldiers were transferred to Pakistan. While the India POWs were at Rawalpindi, they met an elderly JCO who had retired from the 4th Sikh Battalion. He was engaged in assisting the Pakistani army. Upon learning about the battalion of the captured soldiers, the feeling of regimental loyalty, was rekindled into the retired JCO, who tried to assist the soldiers to the best of his ability. He sent covert messages between Indian officers located at various cells and kept communication open between them. He spent money from his personal funds to buy items required by them and never hesitated in risking his life to help his former regimental brothers. To a soldier, the regiment is his family and the love for its members never diminishes and loyalty remains perpetual as was proven by the fidelity displayed by this compassionate, retired JCO.

Life at Kohat Fort

The Indian soldiers were transferred to Kohat Fort, which is now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. A secure POW camp was erected by the Pakistani Army, consisting of double, barbed wire fencing along with watch towers with search lights, monitored by marksmen.

This camp contained blocks, which in turn had rooms for the prisoners. A block contained 3 rooms, each secured with walls and scrutinized by sentries. Lt. Chahal shared a room with his CO, Lt. Col. Anant Singh, the second room contained two Air Force officers, and the third room contained officers from Sikh Light Regiment along with an officer from Artillery. The officers were subjected to the regular routine of interrogation, intimidation and enticement to defect. Lt. Chahal being a religious, caring and devoted person used to recite the Sikh prayers and perform Kirtan to uplift the spirit of his men and gave motivation to the downhearted fellow soldiers. He felt a deep connection with the almighty and always thanked God for his blessings.

At times, Pakistani soldiers used to go up on the tin roofs of the rooms and would throw stones or beat the tin roof to create the most annoying noise in order to mentally torture the POWs. At times, they used to temper with the food & beverages so that the Indian soldiers would experience excessive bowel movements. Food inspection duty was assigned to soldiers to taste and inspect the food before consumption.

The Indian soldiers were provided with bare minimum diet, which was not fit for human consumption and was beneath basic human standards. They were given two unripen rotis, served with watered down dal containing more pebbles than legume along with rotten vegetables. The character and integrity of people is determined on how they treat their captors; indeed our neighbours fall far below the normal.

The above were pathetic tricks played by the enemy to break down the Indian POWs mentally and physically; however, our soldiers endured the trials/tribulation and didn’t concede defeat. They maintained discipline and had faith that one day they would see their family and loved ones. They didn’t lose hope in the almighty God and the officers provided motivation to their men and told them to endure the hardships, as diamonds are formed after years of pressure.

When God’s Hand is Over You No One Can Harm You

The Kohat Fort was located near a strategic military location: the Pakistani Airforce base, which was the target of Indian Airforce. In one of their missions during the war, they dropped two bombs, one exploded near the air force base and caused extensive damage and the other dropped near the block where Lt. Chahal was located. The bomb dropped around 200 meters from his room. Luckily it didn’t explode and was defused and removed by the Pakistani Army. It was a miracle and God’s divine intervention that saved the lives of Indian soldiers along with Lt. Chahal, who was grateful for his protection and blessings. The almighty always protects those he loves and who remember him in happiness and in time of sorrow.

Arrival of International Red Cross and Relief

After days of suffering and malnutrition, the International Red Cross was allowed to visit the Indian soldiers. They provided much needed relief by evaluating the arduous conditions of the POWs and tried to bring succor to their deplorable conditions. They were allowed to send letters (which were censored) to their families and were provided with POW allowance of Rs. 57.00 per month. This allowed the soldiers to purchase essential food items such as milk, fruits and vegetables along with other necessary items for basic survival. Efforts of Red Cross brought some hope to the beleaguered soldiers and they were beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Lt. Chahal received a letter from his family on 25th December, Christmas Day, a day celebrated by many around the world when God sent his son to save mankind. Unfortunately, this day would be the one which Lt. Chahal would never forget for the rest of his life as it was on this day that he learnt from his family that he had lost one of the most precious and treasured gifts: his new born son. Perhaps God had blessed Lt. Chahal with a son who would sacrifice his life in order to save his father’s and rest of the men, like Jesus Christ. There are some things in life, which cannot be explained and man often wonders why God gives with one hand and takes with another.

Repatriation to India

After conclusion of the war, negotiations were taking place between the Indian and Pakistani Government for the repatriation of Indian soldiers. In Feb. 1966, the Indian soldiers started to be sent back to India. Lt. Chahal along with some of his fellow officers and soldiers boarded a train to India via Hussainwala border in Ferozpur district, Punjab. The soldiers were ordered to maintain complete silence en route and the shutters of the train windows were put down so that there was no outside visibility. The solders, after five months of captivity and sub-human treatment were emaciated and mentally exhausted. They were looking forward to being with their families and finally return home.

Upon reaching the station, soldiers were transferred, Lt. Chahal saw his wife and family who were eagerly waiting for him and were overjoyed at his safe arrival. After a quick meeting with their loved ones, the soldiers were transferred to Ferozpur Fort, where they were given fresh uniform and debriefing.

Lt. Chahal had covertly written and brought with him the names of 57 officers, who were still detained in Pakistan. He gave the list to his superiors, who then started the negotiation for the release of these officers. Lt. Chahal did a prodigious service by risking his life to save his fellow soldiers and colleagues, who may not have seen freedom in the foreseeable future.

After debriefing with the authorities, Lt. Chahal went out to share his joys and sorrows with his wife and family. He was again with his loved ones and thanked God for bringing this joyous day when he could see his family and happiness on the faces of his fellow colleagues. This was only the beginning of Lt. Chahal’s adventurous career, who fought in the 1971 war, was wounded, helped in the liberation of Bangladesh.

Present

Col. Chahal retired from the Indian Army in December 1993 after 31 years of distinguished service. After retirement, he settled at his ancestral home in Patiala, Punjab where he has been actively involved in community activities: he helps his fellow senior citizens and provides them guidance and motivation. He has remained physically active and still takes part in sporting activities such as running, yoga etc. He is a passionate environmentalist and has been raising the issue of climate change at schools and public events. He strongly encourages and practices recycling, planting of trees and the importance of conserving water. He is a true patriot who has served his country with integrity and continues to help his fellow countrymen by setting examples and has been leading the way for betterment of mankind.

Written by: Gurmeet Singh Sandhu

As per notes provided and verified by: Col. (Retired) Baldev Singh Chahal

Pic. 1 Col Chahal

Pic. 2 As a young 2nd Lt. Sitting 3rd from left

Pic. 3 & 4 On repatriation to India in Feb 1966

Pic 5 Current Picture