MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH - THE WARRIOR

 This is the true story of 1962 INDO CHINA WAR of Chushul village in Rezang La mountain situated in leh district of Ladakh Region  where there was a minus temperature in winter of the Himalayas , which freezes the bones and blood in the body, but it was Major Shaitan Singh and his Kumaon Regiment , who challenged the death and smashed Chinese Soldiers with heavy casualties.

                     

     This is the story of Major Shaitan Singh   son of lieutenant colonel Hem Singh ji.

Major Shaitan Singh was commissioned in the Kumaon regiment on 1st August 1949.

        On 18th November 1962,Rezang La was on 16000 feet height above sea level and the temperature was -30 degree Celsius, where oxygen level was zero.

          In such a condition, the CHARLIE COMPANY of 13th Battalion of KUMAON REGIMENT was posted at Rezan La Mountain under the leading command of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH- THE WARRIOR to hold the position of Rezang La.There were 120 soldiers in 13th Battalion of Kumaon Regiment under the Command of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH .

                

              MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH and his Regiment were deployed on 24th Oct1962. It was very tuff for Indian Soldiers to face challenges in winter at minus temperature.

To make Hot Tea it tooked around 1 hour., Raw Vegetables and Fruits was freezed like Stone. The Oxygen intake was breathlessness.

       There was no Artillery support to Rezang La Post and no other backup support by other Regiment of Indian Forces.Taking advantage of this thing, Chinese soldiers kept an Eye on Indian Millitary posts, bunkers and positions.

        Nearly a month had passed since the war began and on the night of 17th November an icy storm knocked over.The visibility was only 600 metre, after the Icy Storm ended.

      The Arms used by the Indian Soldiers were only . 303 Rifles -which loads one bullet at a time and shoot one bullet at a time.They were having limited rounds of Bullets, Limited L.M.G (Light Machine guns) And limited Mortars. 

          Where Chinese Army were having

1. 7.62 mm self loading rifle

2. Light Machine Guns

3. Medium machine guns

4.120m.m ,81m.m and 60m.m Mortars.

5.132m.m rockets

6. 75m.m and 57m.m Recoilles guns Which can also  destroy bunkers.

         As CHUSHUL sector was very important due to Air Field for Indian Army.

Seeing this Chinese Forces wanted to capture that Air Field , as it was a strategic point and it would have been easy for Chinese Forces to take control of it for operations.

       But the Chinese Soldiers were unaware of this matter, that they are going to face a RAJPUT - MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH and his KUMAON Regiment and AHIR company .

        When Indian Government came to know that Chinese troops will going to attack with heavy arms and artilleries in Rezang La of Chushul Sector .

                               The Indian Government immediately gave orders to Indian Forces to move back from their posts and Quit the Rezang La Posts. Orders for moving back  of Indian Government was given under the leadership of Prime Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU , which was the biggest mistake of Prime Minister NEHRU which resulted in Mismanagement, over confidence Miscalculation and Political Failure.

      

          In view of all these conditions, MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH decided to terminate the orders of Indian Government and decided not to leave his Posts and fight for his Nation till his last Breath.

         MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH was well known that the Chinese Forces are around

5000 and are going to attack in few hours.

         In all these situations, MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH ordered to his Regiment that, "The Chinese can attack at anytime, we are 120 soldiers and the number of enemies is not known, it may be thousand or above, may be the availablity of Arms and Ammunition will end and there is no availability of reinforcement backup , but I will not quit my Posts and will fight till my last breath . Those who want to stay on this Posts ,can fight for his Nation and have to sacrifice for his Nation and those who don't want to fight ,can quit and leave the Posts and can move back".

       After hearing this statement from MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH , The Charlie Company and The Ahir Company of KUMAON REGIMENT decided to fight and sacrifice for their Nation and will not let a single Chinese to enter the Rezang La posts.

         On 18 th November 1962 ,Early in the morning, a troop of Chinese Soldiers started heavy firing with Machine Guns and L.M.G on 7th and 8th Platoon of KUMAON REGIMENT.

       In the Attacking Mode the Indian Soldiers of KUMAON REGIMENT started heavy firing with full power by Rifles , Light Machine Guns (L.M.G) and Mortars. The first wave Of Chinese Forces got heavy  Casualties as many Chinese Soldiers were killed by the Indian Forces.

     It was 5:40 a.m when the Chinese Forces started heavy firing with Artilleries and Mortars to provide Cover fire to the Troops of 350 Chinese Soldiers; In order to attack 9th Platoon of Charlie Company in KUMAON REGIMENT.

            Due to heavy casualties of Chinese Forces, the Chinese Forces have changed their strategy of attacking. Now, the Chinese Forces have started heavy firing with M.M.G ( MEDIUM MACHINE GUNS) on the 9th Company.By Diverting the mind of 9th Company, the troops of 400 Chinese Soldiers attacked from the rear side on the 8th Platoon.The 9th Platoon stopped this attack by Wire Fencing.

           Now, it was 7th Platoon which was attacked by 120 Chinese Soldiers from rear side, in which the 7th Platoon have tuff reply with Rifles, L.M.G and Mortars.In this Incident, both the forces got heavy Casualties, the Chinese Forces as well as Indian Forces.

            Many Soldiers of 7th and 8th Platoon got injured and many of them were Martyred.

 

MJOR SHAITAN SINGH was fighting continuously non-stop and also motivated his soldiers of CHARLIE company and AHIR company of various Platoons to give tuff reply to Chinese Forces.

                   In such a situation, MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH got extremely injured  by heavy shellings from Chinese Forces.                                      

Instead of injury MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH continued to fight non stop against Chinese Forces like a warrior. MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH body structure was bleeding, but still he fought continuously and fingers were on the trigger of his Gun Machine.

       

         After the L.M.G and Mortars fight in heavy shellings by Enemies ,the arms and ammunitions of 13 th Battalion KUMAON Regiment were over.

         Now, The MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH and his Company decided to fight Hand To Hand Combat with Chinese Forces.

      

       The whole Battalion of KUMAON Regiment fought like a WARRIOR with their bayonets and also used Stones in hand to hand combat under the leadership of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH. 

         Naik RAM SINGH who was a Wrestler in AHIR COMPANY , when he noticed that in Hand To Hand Combat the bayonets of the Indian Soldiers were not hitting hard to Chinese Soldiers, due to Parkas which the Chinese were wearing. Seeing all this, In such a condition, Naik RAM SINGH just grabbed the Chinese by their necks with both the hands and crushed their heads together on the Rocks.

 

         In the REZANG LA battle Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV AND HAVALDAR NIHAL SINGH played brave Role; as Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV was a Radio operator and NIHAL SINGH was holding the L.M.G command posts of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH.

After the Hand to Hand Combat all the dead bodies were lying on both the sides with Heavy Casualties.

In the battle of Rezang La 114 out of 120 india soldiers were martyred and 1300 Chinese Soldiers were killed.

         According to Havaldar NIHAL SINGH (Personal Guard of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH) ; NIHAL SINGH said that the Battle was very full of challenges, because the Charlie Company was having very limited Arms and Ammunitions and weapons used was .303 rifles which was retired in the 2nd World War ; And the Chinese Forces attacked with modern weapons.

           According to NIHAL SINGH the Chinese Forces were around 5000.The Company stopped the first attack  of Chinese.

     After this , according to NIHAL SINGH the Chinese Forces started Bombardment. The invasion of Chinese was sharp. The Company was having chance to move back and save their life, but all the Company of Indian Soldiers said they will fight till their last breath and will not move back and will not leave their Posts.

          Meanwhile, MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH was shot in his hand. MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH was soaked in blood. RAMCHANDER YADAV AND NIHAL SINGH took the injured MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH behind a large Icy Rock.

           MJOR SHAITAN SINGH refused to take medical help. MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH ordered the soldiers to bring a  Machine Gun and tie the Gun trigger with one leg from the rope. After this, MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH started firing on the Chinese Forces with one foot.

          According to Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV,  MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH was injured in his intestine and MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH JI had fainted, but little life was left in him . Now, RAMCHANDER YADAV was also injured. suddenly the Company Havaldar Harphool Singh ji screamed and said ,"Protect the body of Major SAHAB (SHAITAN SINGH), not a single Chinese should touch the body of Major SAHAB ( SHAITAN SINGH)".

According to Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV, in view of all these circumstances, RAMCHANDER YADAV immediately opened the belt of his Rifle and tied the body of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH with him through that belt and tied it and started to roll down about half a Kilometre from Rezang La .

         While rolling down, The Chinese Forces opened fire on Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV and MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH, thinking that YADAV was carrying an important person, who was a Big Rank Officer. So while rolling down, the bullets were going over them. After coming down 500 Yards; Captain YADAV laid the MAJAOR SAHAB (SHAITAN SINGH) in the middle of big Stones and for sometime Captain YADAV breathed here.

       When RAMCHANDER YADAV looked at the Watch in the hand of the MAJOR SAHAB (SHAITAN SINGH), there was only 2 minutes left in 8:15  a.m early in morning.

                  According to Captain YADAV, the Watch of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH stopped, because it use to run on the Pulse and exact at 8:15 a.m MAJOR SAHAB (SHAITAN SINGH)  was Martyred.

      MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH JI said in his last words to Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV and Havaldar NIHAL SINGH that, 

" You immediately go to the Battalion Headquarters and tell C.O sir (Commanding Officer) that the Company had fought till his last breath."

        In Rezang La war only Six Soldiers  survived from 120 Soldiers of KUMAON REGIMENT ; in which , Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV also survived.

         Captain RAMCHANDER YADAV reached Command Headquarters on 19th November 1962 was taken to an Army Hospital in Jammu on 22nd November 1962. He told the full story of war ,that, he believes that he survived, so that whole Nation can narrate the heroic story of 120 Soldiers. After being pushed back twice to the Chinese Forces, the Chinese continued to attack fiercely. Soon, the Arms and Ammunitions of the Indian Soldiers were over and they decided to fight with bare Hands.

             Captain YADAV tells the story of a soldier named NAIK RAM SINGH who was a Wrestler and alone killed several Enemy Soldiers till his last breath.

        It was 3 months since the War ended. In such a condition, no information was found about the body of MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH. Now, it was Red Cross society and Army Personnel which started searching for them, when the Ice of Rezang La melted.

             Then there was Shepherd who found something in uniform in a big Rock, when he was going towards Rezang La to graze his sheep. In such a situation, the Shepherd gave this information to the officials present there.

              After, the news of shepherd, when the Army reached there , seeing what they saw, everyone was shocked; Each and  every Soldier of KUMAON REGIMENT even that day , were holding their guns, as if the fight was still going on. MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH JI was still holding his Gun ,in them. He looked as if, still ready for War.

          The body of  INDIAN SOLDIERS  were found in such a condition, that , there is still passion left in them. It is not known how long the War lasted, but the Indian Soldiers kept fighting for their Nation till their last breath. And while fighting, their body freezed in -30 degree Celsius on 16000 feet . 

            MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH was cremated (Antim Sanskar) with State honours in his hometown of Jodhpur. After this, he was awarded the Param Veer Chakra , the largest Gallantry Award.

      

          18th November 1962 REZANG LA Battle is unforgettable, as 120 INDIAN SOLDIERS of 13th Battalion KUMAON REGIMENT have killed 1300 Chinese Soldiers. At the same time,114 out of 120 INDIAN SOLDIERS were Martyred, while fighting against Chinese Army .The Entire INDIA country is proud of such a brave Warriors.