16th Reunion Corps of Signals

 Reunions are special and for it to be successful, there must be a union first and foremost. That we all are forged into a union by one common thread or lanyard is a fact, although some of us have bid adieu to that precious string in order to merge into one big union of Indian Army. The Signallers or Jimmies as people in uniformed fraternity refer to them are celebrating their 16th Reunion at 1 Signal Training Centre Jabalpur from 14th to 16th Feb, coinciding with their 114th Raising Day. Having joined this fraternity on 13 Jun 1987 and having spent the better part of our lives amongst them, they naturally are our kith and kin even more than those by blood. 

I haven’t been fortunate enough to have been able to attend any of the previous reunions owing to service exigencies and other commitments, so this time around when the invite was extended I was not going to give it a miss despite the fact that I had to undertake this pilgrimage alone without my better half. She had to stay at home, due to some pressing family commitments. It was a difficult decision as she has been part of this journey too for the last three decades and is a die hard Jimmy herself. 

The journey was eventful to say the least as the air travel which was to be for just about an hour plus went on for almost four hours plus due to the foggy conditions prevailing in Jabalpur on 14th morning. We all had heard of Delhi fog upsetting the flight and train schedules but Jabalpur playing truant was unheard of. So the pilot circled around waiting for things to clear before diverting to Nagpur and then finally after refuelling we finally made our rendezvous with this laid back town by mid day.

While checking in at the Hotel, we immediately huddled up with  familiar faces, some friends and colleagues and the bug called nostalgia struck almost instantaneously, reliving old times, the trials and tribulations, familiar cribs against difficult bosses of those times and plenty more. Evening some of us were headed for GwariGhat and Narmada Aarti before dinner but as I am still recovering from my ruptured Achilles Tendon, I decided to give it a miss. Dinner time, we just couldn’t sit as we kept bumping into more and more friends in this swarm where everyone wanted to be catching up with everyone else present. By the time we came to the one event where I was required to be on the stage for the release of my third book, “Two Hoots and Three Cheers” by the Senior Colonel Commandant Lt Gen MU Nair, I was desperate to find a seat to rest my aching tendon. Lt Gen K Vinod Kumar, the SO-in-C was kind enough to write the Foreword for the book and also permitting the release of the book at this occasion. The drinks and snacks kept the energy levels and spirits high and some of the oldies did get on the stage later to shake a leg or two. With so much more to share with our friends and the night not getting any younger reluctantly most of us bid our hosts good night.

15th Feb  is the Corps Raising Day,  in 1911 four Signal Companies were raised in the British Indian Army, so traditionally the day commenced on a sombre note with WreathLaying Ceremony at the War Memorial. I was visiting this memorial after more than three decades and it had undergone a huge makeover, this one is unique in its concept and design. War Memorials are generally plaques of stones etched with the names of the brave hearts who have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. But this one is much more than that, it encompasses a complete story of the soldier and his tryst with destiny and death. The murals almost lifelike and the murals of soldiers in ‘shok shastra’ (reversed arms) seem to be immersed in the poignant moment. Every petal of flower which is laid at their feet must be considering itself the chosen one and fortunate to have been bestowed the honour for this tribute. 

With a heavy heart, we moved to the Military Tattoo ground where the hosts ensured that our moods would get into the festive spirit, with some breathtaking stunts by our Daredevils the Motorcycle Riders who have made hair-raising stunts a routine affair going on breaking World Records as though they are old gramophone ones. They maintained their impeccable record by  establishing yet another one by smashing, hold your breath 691 tube lights in a single dash through them. Lt Gen Anand an old Daredevil himself, took it upon himself to execute a fire jump even though he is in his sixties. Kudos to him and the spirit of the Daredevils, living up to their reputation. Taek-won-do, though a martial art is also a sport and our Signallers are earning laurels in national and international fora, here their expertise was on display for all of us, as they executed many a gravity defying stunts. The microlights flypast and paratroopers free fall into the stadium ensured that Jimmies were trailblazing even in the third dimension.   Bhangra and Lezim dances provided the rhythm while the Pipes and Drums Bands enthralled us with their lilting tunes.

The evening dinner was preceded by a Symphony where the Band continued from where it had left off in the morning, the fusion of Indian and British tunes played so beautifully that we transcended into a different realm altogether. So much so that even our nonstop chattering had to cease as the ears refused to entertain anything other than the melodious tunes in the air. It was midnight by the time we hit the sack, dog tired but sleep still eluded us as we were still in that zone itself.

16th morning we again commenced in true military manner with Commemoration ceremony honouring our brave hearts who have made us and the nation proud by their gallantry in various operations including the recent OP Snow Leopard and some as old as in the seventies in the North-East against the hostiles.  Some were posthumous some others although in their eighties but still spirited enough to make it to this event  and honour us with their presence. After the Commemoration I took the opportunity to visit our Corps Museum, which I daresay is amongst the better managed and curated in our Army than most other Regimental Museums are. Professionally done, it provided us with a glimpse of our rich historical legacy and a proud one at that. It covered the operations, the evolution of communications, the equipments and the glorious achievements of our corps in the field of sports and adventure as well. I took a moment and had a photograph taken in front of ‘DRONA’, the legendary lorried communication vehicle of second world war vintage which had seen operations in Middle East with 43 Lorried Brigade Signals, my unit, the “Airway Signals” in Kashmir, Hyderbad, Goa and Pakistan before finally being retired.

The Equipment Display which followed was a testimony to the innovative spirit and ingenuity of our signallers who have been at the forefront of technological revolution unfolding in the Indian Army. We were reassured that the Corps will only march ahead in the days to come under the able helmsmanship.

Adieu, sayonara are always the most distressing moments after such occasions and here I am embarking on my return journey, expressing my gratitude to the hosts for having provided us veterans with this opportunity to relive our days and rekindle our associations. Au Revoir…until we meet again!!