There was a time, not too long ago - just 40 years - when I joined the Regt, along side VK Mehra. 'Kaka' Manjit Sandhu was the Adjt, Gurdev Kler the Sec-in-Comd & Roy Thumby, the Comdt. We were 10 'Mr' 2/Lts with one full Lt Kulwant Singh Musafar as Senior Sub (the Musafar got dropped by him later). A full cricket/hockey/soccer team by ourselves. Matt had a Norton motorcycle whose head lights never worked. To do a night guard check with him, I had to carry a torch to light the way. Bobby Layal & he shared a room but the question always was who would get into the loo first & whether they would reach for the first parade (PT/drill/durbar) on time. Well, if we were not five mins before time or 15 for the durbar, a guard check from Kaka was normal. The Regt was in tents and the Mess next to Golf tee No 4, if memory serves me right. The bachelors accomodation shifted to a barrack next to the 'Nagar Golf Hut. No lounging outside as some senior or the other was perpetually 'teeing' off. VK & I were 'presented' bicycles by the 2IC till we got our first pay to repay the CSD. Well, just commisioned, we were efficient in their use. A few kms this or thataway. Got dined in on my first day in the Regt along with VK. Lakhmi Chand, the Mess abdar was directed by Kaka to pour 'one large' of every drink in the bar into a jug. We were directed to finish it. Had no effect on either of us, though. After the dinner, speeches and all, the other subs decided to get us drunk. In effect, we kept standing, the rest went under. Not bad for a first day.

A month later, the COAS, Gen SHFJ Manekshaw was to visit Nagar. He had just introduced name tabs for offrs and a man was despatched to New Delhi to get them. The day arrived and we were lined up to be introduced. When he reached me, the Comdt introduced me as the latest entrant from the IMA. He asked me "Who commissioned you?" I told him that he had been the Reviewing Offr at the POP. He smiled, his moustache splayed wide, stepped forward and gave a solid punch on my chest and said "Even I make mistakes, don't I?" I went three steps back and could only smile back. Later, I realised that the name tab had broken. The Chief walked through the open garage area. The men were doing Maintenance on the tanks. He stopped and asked a sowar "Kahan se aya hai?" On being told from the infantry, he said "Haath milao" and shook that man's greasy hand. He carried on like that shaking this hand and that, collecting and passing on grease, here and there. It was only after he had crossed all the tanks that he accepted the 'sutar' the Ris Maj was running around behind him with, to wipe the grease away. One thing was certain. His one walk-through had raised the Regt's morale sky high. What a lesson for a subaltern.

A few months on, three vacancies for the Commando Course were allotted to the Regt. Mat, Daddy Dhillon and one more got detailed and went. Suddenly, three more vacancies got allotted. Move on one day's notice. VK or me was a toss-up. Since I was in the Regt hockey team, VK won. We went to the market and he picked up his essentials - chocolates, kaju etc for his trip. On return, while VK was getting his other non-essential stuff (FSMO etc) together, the news arrived that surrender of the three vacancies had been accepted! Some relief for VK but the chocos were tasty enough.

We used to practice hockey on the BTR ground next to the MH Offrs Ward. One morning an offr in kurta pajama walked across and wanted to play with us. After the practice session, he chatted with me. Gave me some sound advice. "When you are given some work to do, like writing the proceedings of a Court of Inquiry, etc, don't do it. The Presiding Offr should do it, not you. What can happen? You will be awarded extra guards or something? Soon that will stop when they realise you are not going to be affected by it. Pal, after that, its cool time. No work will come your way". It should be apparent that I did not follow up on his advice. Maybe, no such work did come my way! But, there was a follow-up. 18 years later I was the AMS (Armd Corps) in the MS Branch at Army HQ. One offr was not being accepted for posting by any of the posting sections. I called for his dossier and found it was that same offr. He had a very even reporting pattern - only 4s in his box gradings. At least, I think, he followed what he preached!

YOs Course came up for VK & me in Nov. The ACC&S Mess had space shortage & so we attended the first two phases from the Regt Mess. The week before the course commenced, I was the Regt duty offr. When I went for the night guard check, there were no lights and no pen available to sign the Quarter Guard register. So, I left it un-entered. Next day after the YOs welcome address etc, back in the Mess for lunch, the Officiating Adjt, Kirti Kakkar, accosted me. Yes, that night guard check. I was awarded night guard checks sine die, till further orders. It was stopped on the fourth day.

In Dec 69, Avinash Apte joined us. He was my NDA course mate who got relegated on medical grounds in our final term in IMA. He arrived on a Sat morning, early on my advice, so that we could get away to Pune for the weekend. His father was posted with the NCC in 'Nagar, allowing him to exercise this option. We got back on Sun evening and Avinash was told by his first ever sahayak to go to the Regt in Sam Brownes (cross belt) the next morning, for his interview with the Comdt. That AN, a livid Avinash gave me a mouthful in the Mess! On his first day in the Regt, he was marched up for being absent without leave, before he had actually joined! His punishment, to tell his Dad what he had done. Avinash never forgave me for it, though he really did no wrong. I was reported to the Adjt Tac Wing, that I had bunked to Pune without outpass. I was left with a smile - more on that to the curious over a drink, in the Mess Bar, some day.

Enough for now. More later.