Broadcast from Calcutta
on 2 Sep '44
Mani: Indian Army observer.
Script for Broadcast With the Indian troops in Manipur.
Early in June I was flown into beseiged Imphal. Flying
over high mountains and dense forests and piercing
thick monsoon clouds we reached Imphal. On landing I expected
to see grave and stern faces; instead, I found a cheerful
atmosphere.
Imphal as I saw it from the air was a picturesque
green valley surrounded by several ranges of hills whose
tops were covered with heavy monsoon clouds. Within a
few hours of my arrival, I had a taste of the Manipur monsoon.
All roads except the few are metalled became rivers
of mud and pools of water collected everywhere. The
ground became so slippery that some of us who were living
on hill-slopes had literally to skate down. Leeches
started crawling up my boots after sunset swarms of
mosquitoes began to make their irritating injections.
Having told you about the monsoon in this valley
I should tell you about the conditions under which our
troops have been fighting here. You must have heard of
the island-hopping strategy in the South West Pacific.
In Manipur we have been hill hopping. Capturing hill top
after hill top we have driven the Japs from Indian soil.
Usually the Japs were on the crest of these steep hills
and our infantry had to charge with bayonets up almost
perpendicular slopes after our artillery had "softened up."
In such attacks our troops often had to climb more than
3,000 feet. On either side were deep yawning valleys with
dense forests. If a human being fell into them and survived
his injuries, his chances of escape would be rare.
While fighting in the plains our troops had to walk knee-
deep through slimy slow-moving rivers of mud and had to cross
thick jungles of steep ravines and swift-flowing-nullahs.
-2-
Frequently they had to cross rivers in spate to keep in
touch with the fast retreating enemy. The rain beats down
constantly and thick mists envelop the countryside. Land-
slides are frequent and cause great inconvenience when we are
moving swiftly in spite of the monsoon. For days together
our troops have had no rest and when they had a little respite
they used to close their eyes for a short nap as they were
standing in the knee-deep slush because to sit down or lie was
to drown oneself in the mud. If you had been there you would
have been surprised at their good cheer and light-heartedness
in spite of such extreme hardship. You would have
certainly grown proud of these tough and resourceful Indian
troops who making light of this arduous life, smilingly
crack with you a few jokes in Hindustani. You would have
found them quite confident of their superiority over the Japs,
a superiority which events during the last few months have
amply proved.
You are proud of the name that the Indian Army
has established for itself in the Middle East and in Italy.
You ought equally to be proud of the part Indian troops have
played in the battle for Manipur, fighting on their own soil
and defending their own country against the invader. If you
had been there with me to see the gradual wiping of the enemy
from all the four roads leading out of Imphal, you will
certainly cherish the fame of the Indian Army with the
realisation that India possesses such fine types of
fighting men.
On the Manipur Road, with a British Division;
the 7th Indian Division and the 5th Indian Division took
equal shares in driving out the Japs. Jats, Dogras, Sikhs
and Punjabis xx distinguished themselves. Within another
three weeks the road to Ukhrul in the north-east was also
cleared. The honours were due to Sikhs, two Frontier
regiments, Gurkhas and two British regiments. This was
-3-
closely followed by the clearing of the 130 mile-long
Silchar track running west from Imphal. The worst conditions
of the monsoon were experienced here but Rajputs,
Dogras and Punjabis came off in flying colours in spite
of it. Men from the Frontier took a leading share in
the fight along the Tiddim Road to South-West along
with Gurkhas and British troops. The climax to the
entire fighting was reached when the Japs ran back to
Burma in a hurry on the road to Tamu, chased by troops of
the 23rd Indian Division. Patiala Sikhs, Rajputs and
Mahrattas were close at their heels and converted the
Jap retreat into a rout.
I must mention the Madras Regiment which
had to defend Imphal in the north. Probing with patrols
in the Iril Valley, they brought back useful information
regarding the enemy in addition to killing a large number
of them. Indian Signallers could be seen carrying on
both in bad and fair weather and their clothes were never
dry. They had always to wade across water before they
could get to their wiring masts. Even along shelled roads
they could be seen calmly repairing their line. Indian
Artillery had to haul their heavy guns up steep slopes
as high as 5,000 feet but they were always there in time
to have a good crack at the Japs. Indian manned tanks
successfully supported our infantry and always adhered to
their highest code of honour - never-to lose their tanks.
Indian Sappers, Pioneers, transport personnel and muleteers -
all carried out their tasks in perfect time unmindful of the
severe conditions and some of them marched with our infantry
into the interior of dense forests when their only contact
with the rear was by wireless and they were fed by supplies
dropped from the air.
I should now tell about the completeness
with which the Jap has been beaten. He was in most cases
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starving and everywhere short of food. Men from the
Frontier told me one day that they had found his eating
grass from his mess tin; such instances can be multiplied.
He was short of ammunition. In one encounter he had to
throw stones at the attacking Punjabis. His morale was
completely shaken. He ran to save his skin. The remnants
of his left behind in their retreat ammunition,
rations, trucks, pack-saddles. I have seen paddy
growing on the rice-bags that they left behind. He could
not even take his guns with him-so great was his hurry. He
even left behind some tanks. He discarded his wireless
equipments and telephones. His dead were scattered all over
the battle areas.
On the other hand the morale of our troops is
very high. He now knows he can fright under the most
rigorous conditions. The Indian soldier has become tough
and resourceful. "Our men are in good fighting spirit
and the enemy is no match for them", said a V.C.O. from Kohat
to me. I have watched superiority of our troops over
the enemy. In ambushes our men have proved much cleverer,
in reconnaissance patrols they have successfully brought
back useful information without the enemy's knowledge, in
raids our handfuls of men have inflicted large casualties
on numerically superior forces and in frontal attacks our
companies have swept to victory with bayonet charges showing
a dash and daring that has terrified the enemy. Even
in the element of surprise the enemy has been outwitted.
Here is how a Sikh battalion captured a hill near Palel.
One company went in to make a fake attack and another was
sent to cut the enemy's line of communication. Meanwhile,
a section crept into the heart of the enemy position and
at a signal shouted 'Sat Sri Akhal', the battle-cry
of the Sikhs. Simultaneously the same cry rent the air from
the sake attack company. The enemy was so completely taken aback
-5-
that he thought we had surrounded him and fled from the hill
abandoning some of his dead.
You must be interested in the kind of life our
troops lead in the frontline. I can tell you it is not
always grim and very often they amuse themselves in a nautch-
party. Punjabi jawans dressed as dancing girls used to
entertain them with dance, song, and kisses. Now and then the
nautch girls of Manipur whose dance is famous visit the troops
and entertain them. The troops also have their own cinema
and games. Our troops have a good sense of humour even in the
frontline. I was accompanying an Indian Air Force Officer
who was driving his jeep at nearly fifty miles an hour. We were
held up by a naik of the Military Police, who told my friend
in Hindustani: Sir, you are not driving a Spitfire now!"
The relationship between our troops and the
Manipuris have been cordial. The Manipuris have willingly
vacated their bashas for our troops to stay in, have supplied
vegetables, fish, eggs and chicken to them and also fresh
milk for use in our hospitals. More often the token of
friend ship is a cigarette of which the Manipuris - both men
and women - are equally fond.
As I was returning from Manipur with some of
our leave-going troops, I saw the children of Assam by the
road-side lustily cheering them. I realised immediately that
you have not forgotten the Indian Army that fought in Manipur
and kept the invader away from your homes.
ENDS.
Mani: Indian Army Observer
Comilla: 2 Oct.'44
Talk for BBC---1
In India the word "frontier" has been commonly understood
till now as the north-west frontier that divides India
from Afghanistan. Now the futile attempt of the Japs to invade
India has brought into prominence an equally important frontier--
the ranges of high mountains and dense forests to the east of the
province of Assam that separate India from Burma.
The peaks of these mountains vary in height from
3,000 to 6,000 feet and are mostly steep knife-edged ridges
difficult of ascent. Often on either side of the narrow ascent
are deep yawning valleys so thickly wooded that if one fell into
them his chances of escape would be rare. Mountain torrents pour
down in great force and flow across as swift nullahs and small
rivers. Intersperse with the high hills are green picturesque
valleys and the biggest of them is the Imphal plain which is the
main portion of the Indian State of Manipur. In the hills dwell
the friendly Nagas, Kachins and Kukis.
The monsoon is a real menace to these parts and is
probably the heaviest in this part of the world. All roads
except the few metalled ones become rivers of mud and pools of
water collect everywhere. The ground becomes slippery making it
extremely difficult to climb hills. Leeches abound and after
sunset swarms of mosquitoes make their irritating injections.
This is the country-- its condition accentuated by
the monsoon-- in which Indian troops have boon fighting. Hill-
hopping, they have been capturing the hill-tops from the enemy
by frontal attacks, mostly with bayonets, after our artillery had
softened up. Walking through knee-deep slimy slow moving rivers
of mud, crossing thick jungles of steep ravines and swift-flowing
rivers, they have pursued the fast retreating enemy. Mists envelop
the countryside and landslides are frequent. Some of our troops used to
close their eyes for a short nap as they were standing in the
slush because to sit down or lie was to drown oneself in the mud.
Inspite of such extreme hardship, these tough and resourceful
men from all parts of India have been cheerful and lighthearted.
In the push towards Tamu on looking at the paddy growing on the
rice bags left behind by the fleeing Japs, a Sikh jawan xxxx
exclaimed: Poor rats, they have not had enough time to reap
their harvest!"
The Indian sepoy is confident of his superiority over the
Japs. In ambushes he has proved cleverer, in reconnaissance patrols
he has brought back useful information without the enemy's knowledge,
in raids his handful of men have inflicted large casualties on
numerically superior forces and in frontal attacks, his companies
have swept to victory with bayonet charges showing a dash and daring
that has terrified the enemy. Even in the element of surprise the
Indian has outwitted the Jap. This is how xxxx the Patiala
Sikhs captured a hill near Palel. One company went in to make a
fake attack and another was sent xxxx cut the enemy's line of communication.
Meanwhile a section crept into the heart of the enemy and
at a given signal shouted 'Sat Sri Akhal', the battle-cry of the
Sikhs. Simultaneously the same cry rent the air from the fake attack
company. The enemy was so completely taken aback that he thought we
had surrounded him and fled from the hill abandoning some of his deaxxxx
The Sikhs won the hill for no loss.
Life is not always grim for the Indian soldier. In between
battles he entertains himself. At one place a few Punjabi jawans
dressed as dancing-girls were singing rural Punjabi songs of love
and dancing to the rythm of an improvised tabla. At another place
Madrasi sepoys were enacting pieces from the Ramayana in Tamil
in an open-air theatre. They seemed to be carrying make-up articles
with them whereever they went-- so found are they of the stage.
ends
Mani: Indian Army Observer
Comilla.8 Oct '44
Talk for BBC---2
Manipur is doubly precious to Indian history. For the
first time since several hundreds of years Indian troops have
fought on their own soil resisting a ruthless foreign invader.
Secondly the heroism, valour and courage of the Indian troops,
true to their tradition, rose to an epic form here and men from
all parts of India-- from distant Nepal to the remotest corner
of the Madras province-- took their share in this great effort.
Unfortunately, owing to the attention of the world xx
being focussed on events elsewhere the importance and true magnitude
of the Battle of Manipur has not been appreciated. On a front
extending to nearly three hundred miles three Jap divisions
have been beaten and thrown out, the Japs suffering nearly 50,000
casualties. General Slim's 14th. Army troops, British and Indian,
who fought there know how they had to fight both a maleficent
monsoon as well as a powerful foe. When the lotus blooms in the
ponds of Manipur and the coy maidens along the roads xxxx
smile as they throw their fishing nets into the lakes from where the
enemy is now far removed, our troops understand it to be an
expression of their gratitude. And gratitude, even more than popularity, fills
the hearts of troops with joy.
To understand the Indian soldier one has know his
military tradition both in the Indian Army and in Indian history.
He is proud of his noble past and heritage. Coupled with his
high sense of duty and his philosophy of life, this is what makes
him valiant and has contributed to his success in Eritrea, El
Alamein, Benghazi, Tobruk, Italy and Manipur. Destiny rules him
and to die as a warrior is the greatest honour to him.
Not only the men but young Indian officers have also
played a gallant part in the Manipur fighting. Lt. Daljitsingh
Randhawa, 6th. Rajputana Rifles, led a bayonet attack on a Jap
strong position on the Palel-Tamu Road and for his courage and
initiative he has been awarded the M.C. The enemy was entrenched
on a knife-edged ridge and had their machine-gun posts on the
higher slopes of the ridge. Daljit and his men had to climb as
they were attacking. Covered by fire from the rear, the young
Sikh officer led his men undauntedly even though they suffered
early casualties. While within a few yards of an enemy machine
gun post he trew two grenades into it and killed two. Very far ahead
of his men, he advanced further and met face to face a Jap
with whom he had a dramatic interlude. Only a few yards between
them, they were gleaming at each other and for a few moments
were measuring each other from top to toe. But the Indian
officer had nothing but contempt for the Jap; for, as a child
years back has he not learnt that a Jap toy breaks more easily
than others and since then he had considered the Japs as of
inferior quality. "It was a tense moment for me", he said
describing the incident to an Indian Army Observer. "The Jap
beckoned to me with his finger but I said: 'Tairo'. The next
thing I did instinctively was to throw my regaining two grenades
at him. I could not see the result as I was injured immediately
but I am sure I did not miss the mark". While his wounds were
being dressed, he was restless and wanted to have one more crack
at the enemy but he was not allowed. However his men cleared the
position and held it.
Now and then the Japs have provided our troops with
some amusement. Throwing both his hands up in the air, one unarmed
Jap approached one of our posts near Bishenpore. Losing
his nerve at the last moment, probably seeing the Gurkhas there,
he turned back and tried to run away. But a well-aimed shot
from a Gurkha rifle made him fall dead to the earth.
end
Mani: Indian Army Observer.
Imphal: 31 Oct '44
Script for BBC---4
On a dusty evening when the red clouds in the sky were
indicative of the bloody battle that a battalion of the 13th.
Frontier Force Rifles had just xxxx then fought with the
Japs on the Ukhrul Road in the fourth week of June last Subedar
Abdul Rauf of village Shadi Khel, district Kohat, with his dusty
clothes and tired yet stern face exclaimed to an Indian Army
Observer: "Our men are in good fighting spirit and the enemy is
no match for them." Behind these words lie the words of class
of officers in the Indian Army who are known as the Viceroy's
Commissioned Officer and who are in intimate contact with their men,
living and fighting alongside the men as they do.
Their contribution to the successes of the Indian Army
has been very great and to the winning of the battle of Manipur
still greater. Their rich experience-some of them with more than
25 years service- combined with their able leadership attained by
intimate contact with their troops has proved invaluable to
battalion commander especially in the dense jungles. It is well-
known in the frontline that the V.C.O. is the key-man. Even among
ancillary troops he is very essential to the quick and efficient
working of our logistics.
Always at the head of their men, these officers have set
the example in courage and complete disregard for personal safety.
Jemadar Sattar Khan of the 12th. Frontier Force Regiment and of
village Shakradara, district Kohat, is an illustrious example but
there are many like him. Ahead of his men in a bayonet-charge on
a strongly held position, he engaged a Jap officer in a hand-to-hand
scuffle and while on the point of vanquishing him he was
mortally wounded by a grenade with which the Jap officer killed
himself. This happened months ago near Bishenpore but every week
brings in a fresh story of equal heroism on the frontline.
Jemadar Uday Prakah Misra of Hasangunj, Lucknow, and of
the Bengal Sappers and Miners, doing a less spectaculat job dis-
Script for BBC-- 4 page two
played courage to an equal degree. Engaged in the task of establishing
a road-block with mines and tar-barrels behind the Japs on the Tamu
Road, he and his men came under heavy fire. Wounded twice, he would
not go back till he had finished his job and completely satisfied
that his mines were blowing up enemy vehicles.
Even less spectatcular may be he deads of the V.C.O.s
in the Indian Engineers, Indian Signals, Indian Pioneers and in the
R.I.A.S.C. But if one should only watch them at work one would
realise their great importance and the contribution they have made
in saving their country from being invaded by a ruthless enemy.
They may come from different parts of India and from different
religions and castes but the defeat of the enemy has been their one
aim and to this end the V.C.Os of the Indian Army have played a
worthy and glorious parts.
ends
Wingate
Script for Broadcast
MANI 9.4.4
Many of you may have seen a caravan on the move but I
wonder if any of us have seen that most colourful caravan that left the
Indian soil nest the Assam-Burma border on a February evening in 1943
and entered dense jungles on its mysterious and adventurous 1,000 mile
journey into the heart of Burma. A light blinked for the last time on the
farther shore of the black Chindwin before the men moving in single file
with all noise suppressed-even the horses and mules were trained not to
neigh- disappeared. They vanished into enemy territory with radio sets
on the backs of mules and oxen as ther only contact with their bases in
India. At their head was a leader who with his long hair and dreamy looks
appeared more like a prophet than adventurer.
That was one of the most daring expedition of this War,
known as the Wingate Expedition and their leader was the 38year old
India born Brigadier Orde Charles Wingate from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. To many
of us in this country (S.Africa) it recalls to our minds the story of our
adventurous pioneer, David Livingstone.
While Livingstone came to a dark continent to explore and carry
the torch of civilization, the Wingate expedition went deep into enemy
country during a war of great Calamitous magnitude and caused immense havoc
to the enemy. In the three months they were there they raised bands of
Burmese to fight with our forces, have blown up railway lines, sabatoged
Jap military stores and dislocated the enemy's road transport.
These brave men christeneing themselves "Chindits" after the
fabulous griffins who guard the Burmese temples, are a fearless band
recruited from the stilted houses of Burma, from the hill villages of Nepal,
and from the grimy streets of Lancashire industrial towns.
The Burma Rifles contributed largely to the success of the
expedition. Consisting of Chins, Kachins, Karens and Burmese, they were the
eyes and ears of Wingate's columns You must remember that the jungles on
this frontier of India are as dense as our own jungles, where mass
penetration is difficult while infiltration can go almost unchecked. These
seasoned troops of the Burma Rifles had served in ther homeland before the
Wingate -2-
and knew the customs of their peoples, their jungles, tracks and rivers and
how to live on the country.
Wingate gave the sturdy mountain bred Gurkhas and the city bred
tall British troops intensive training in in jungle warfare, river crossing
and forced marches with heavy packs till they were moulded inot tough and
determined shock troops. Thousands of troops became muleteers and stayed
with their animals day and night. Others learned to look after elephants.
The rest were used as infantry.
Divided into several columns able to opeate separately, the force
moved with aircraft cooperation. Radios kept them in touch with army head-
quaters and rxxxxdio messages told planes where to drop supplies, which
targets to bomb and the latest news of enemy movements. Loudspeakers were
used to talk to the villagers and leaflets were issued to them.
Proceding eastward by Jungle tracks and over mountain tanges,
certain columns penetrated over 200 miles into Burma. Early in their march
putting out of action a main railway link, they destroyed the track and
bridges at seventy five plaues. The enemy tried to encircle them and
after sharp encounters our men proceded eastward and crossed the river
Irrawady. Operating there for a considerable period and engaging large
numbers of the enemy, when they had done as Much damage as they could, the
force made its way out in spite of a Jap attempt to trap them.
The R.A.F. played a magnificent role in this expedition doing over
50,000 miles of night and day flying, transporting and delivering by parachute
over half a million xxxx pounds of supplies to constantly moving troops
and sometimes evacuating the wounded.
Wing te went with the British Premier to Quebec and there plans were
formulated for the recent airborne invasion of Burma, landing troops 200
miles behind the enemy lines. It is Indeed very unfortunate that when his
forces were once again making history that ther leader should have lost
his life in an aircrash over our own territory.
Wingate lived and died a hero. His men embody in concrete form his
ideal of the "combination of the oldest with the newest". They think of the
Japs in the same terms:" a dull, ferocious, poverty-stricken little enemy".
The spirit that he has instilled into them and the training they have
received befit them for one of the most arduous yet grandest jobs of the
war in the East-- the driving of Japs back to their homeland.
ends