Description

General Lachhman Singh’s book is significant in two ways. By concentrating his attention only on his sector in the 1971 Bangladesh campaign,the author has given us a wealth of detailed information on how his 20 Mountain Division swept through the northwestern sector and captured Bogra within a matter of days. The reader gets an eye witness account, Iaced with anecdotes, or how actual military manoeuvres are coordinated and conducted during a major war. So fully has the scene been dcscribed that anyone pursuing this account will feIl that he has been taken to the very centre or the battlefield with all its noise, seeming chaos and pain which comes from seeing valiant men dying for their country.Secondly,because of the strict focus on the activities of his division alone,the author has written a book which will be of inestimable advantage to younger commanders. It not only describes the pitfalls, administrative and military. that they will face but also shows them how to keep their nerve during hostilities.Moreover, this work is unique in that General Lachhman Singh has chalked out the process by which orders from headquarters filter down to area commanders. the conflicts of personalities that take place, and how these conflicts ought to be resolved in future wars.Major General Lachhman Singh,P.V.S.M., Vr. C., was commissioned in the Artillery in July 1943 and joined 2 Field Battery (now in Pakistan) at Peshawar in the then Northwest Frontier Province. He did active service in Burma with the Black Cat Division during the Second World War and took part in the battles of the Irrawadi crossing, Meiktila and the subsequent dash to Rangoon.During the J&K operations in 1947-48, he took part in the battles of Chhamb, Naushera. Jhangar,Rajauri, Uri and Zojila where he was wounded. He was awarded the Vir Chakra for conspicucus gallantry during the battles for the recapture of Jhangar. He commanded 3 Field Regiment during the Goa operations.He has held important commard and staff appointments and was General Staff Oficer Grade I in the Military Operations Directorate during the 1965 Indo-Pak conflict where he got first hand experience about the management of war at the highest level. During 1971, he commanded 20 Mountain Division in Bangladesh and was awarded ihc Param Vashisht Seva Medal for outstanding qualities or leadership in battle.He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College and one of the most decoratcd soldiers of his batch.