1965 – A story of grit and valiance

Madras Engineer Group puts up photo exhibition commemorating 50 years of the Indo-Pakistan war

Marking the golden jubilee commemoration of India-Pakistan war of 1965, Bengaluru-based Madras Engineer Group (MEG) Centre in Ulsoor had organised a photography exhibition on its premises on Saturday. The photographs from the war field particularly from the marshy terrain of Kutch region in Gujarat not only reconstructed the hostile scenario of the war field but also brought forth the valiant efforts of MEG soldiers that made it easy for armed battalions to counter the enemy.
Countering the enemy movement and attack along the Western frontier, the Kutch area turned out to be a major obstacle for the forces with its marshy and saline areas. Braving the inhospitable conditions of the region, MEG soldiers came up with necessary roads for the movement of tanks to forward areas and assisted the battallions with necessary supplies like ammunition and food for the soldiers at forward posts.
Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, a senior MEG official explained, “Three major activities of MEG during 1965 war was to build roads, block enemy movement and de-mine the area helping movement of Indian tanks. Accordingly, boulders were laid for several kilometers on marshy terrain of Kutch and a motorable road was built in a few days’ time which helped quick deployment of forces and supply of ammunition to fighting units.”
Similarly, the unit also helped in detecting land mines laid down by the enemy along the border. “MEG soldiers with advanced equipments could detect land mines and de-mine the area, facilitating the movement of tanks till the forward areas and fire at enemy posts. Several hundred land mines were detected and neutralised by MEG personnel along the border spreading across both in Gujarat and Rajasthan,” another MEG officer revealed.
Stories of MEG soldiers, who stunned the world during the 1948 war by building the world’s highest motorable road along Zojila pass in the Himalayas, were also displayed at the event. “Nobody could guess that a road can be laid at that elevation for movement of tanks. Our soldiers worked day-night in laying the road and checkmated the Pakistani forces by driving our tanks at that height,” recalled yet another soldier of MEG centre.
For its valiant activities, MEG centre was decorated with 16 battle honours and three theatre honours, two Param Vir Chakras besides numerous Maha Vir Chakras, Veer Chakras and mention-in-Des-patches. The nation will proudly remember the heroism of CQMH Abdul Hamid and Lieutenant Colonel AB Tharapore who were awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously.