Gems

The history of the Pothohar is multilayered. It is a land where many civilizations left their mark. A sailing expedition around the world led by a Pothohari Brigadier TPS Chowdhury, AVSM is a fascinating tale. They were the first team from India to sail around the world covering 54,000km in a yacht. They sailed through all the Oceans, encountered rough seas, storms and cyclones and had many near death experiences. The team comprised of 10 army officers, from the Corps of Engineers.

There were quite a few of our men who joined Indian armed forces and were sent to defend British interest in Singapore, Iraq, North Africa , Burma / Assam border. Notably amongst were Dr. Arjan Singh, Major Lochan Singh, Sardar Nand Singh Engineer, Maj.General Pritam Singh Chowdhry, Charan Singh , Major Dr. Bishan Singh , Flying Officer Man Mohan Singh , and Man Mohan Singh Bedi. As expected they all had close brushes with death but we were lucky to survive, with the exception of Flying Officer Man Mohan Singh who died during the war. Maj General Pritam Singh was wounded in Burma. Our women were also involved with war services in India. Bhuva Dler and her daughter Gobind were working with Italian prisoners of war in Dehradun.

There is an another person worth mentioning although he was not part of our clan until after war, when he married Gobind, daughter of Bhuva Dler & Brig. Man Singh. Brig. Manmohan Singh Bedi was known for his valor and his aristocratic taste. He was the eldest son of Tikka Sant Singht Bedi, a large landowner in Montgomery District, Punjab.

Brigadier Bedi (circa 1915-1985) was in the 2nd Lancers Armored Regiment. He served in the Indian Army in North Africa as a Major. The vast sandy open spaces of North Africa were perfect for the use of armored units. The German army was successful in defeating and capturing his unit.  His parents had written him off as being dead, having had no news of him after he was taken prisoner. The Indian officers were initially sent to Germany and subsequently transferred to a POW camp in northern Italy. Dr.Surjit Mansingh , Luke Aloke Mansingh & Mrs Jasjit Mansingh are happy to share the following anecdotes with ourVansh.

1. Brig. Bedi’s Encounter with General Erwin Rommel (aka Desert Fox ) over a case of Scotch Whisky -

   Likely about 1942

   While he was prisoner one day his Commanding officer ( CO) asked that Major Bedi request the German CO if he could retrieve a case of whisky from their unit stores, now in German possession. His CO felt that the Germans would be likely to accept this request from an Indian officer. When Major Bedi went into the German Officer’s tent a highly decorated officer was also present. Major Bedi recognized him as being the famous German General Erwin Rommel . Rommel Panzer’s divisions and successes in North Africa were well known.

   Once the Major Bedi returned from the tent with the case of Scotch. General Rommel briefly spoke to him and asked him (as was commonly asked of Indian POWs at the time) to join the German army as it was the world’s finest and Sikhs were India's finest soldiers. Why are you fighting for the British? Rommel's politeness and implied invitation to Bedi may have had something to do with the fact that by 1942 Subhas Chander Bose formed Indian National Army to fight against British Rule in India. Any diversion in the cool desert nights during the war was welcome. Finally when Gen Rommel was done he asked Major Bedi if he may keep one bottle of Scotch from the case as a memento. Major Bedi agreed, not being in a position to raise any objections! Major Bedi reached into the middle of the case, pulled a bottle, wiped off the dust and presented it to General Erwin Rommel , “with compliments from the 2nd Lancers” he said as he handed over the bottle. General Rommel was known for his humane and just treatment for POWs.

   When Man Mohan got back to the tent with the British Officers his CO was very pleased and shook his hand vigorously and slapped him on the back in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "Jolly Good Man Mohan ", he said. This seemed much in excess as would be warranted by the his small errand to recover a case of British Army issue Scotch Whisky. Capt Bedi's Commanding Officer reached for a bottle in the corner of the case and unwrapped a large sheet of paper carefully taped and wrapped around it and proceeded to place it inside his battle jacket. These were the Allied battle plans for this segment of North Africa for his unit and other British and Allied forces in the vicinity. We never heard how many Germans Captives Bedi dispatched with his Tank Company in the sands of North Africa. It is likely that a significant number of British casualties were likely avoided by Major Bedi's retrieval of the case of whisky and his presenting General Irwin Rommel with the "right bottle " (or not presenting him with the wrong bottle). Many women were saved from becoming widows and many children from losing a father as a result of this stroke of providence.

2. Great Escape from Prison in North Africa -

   Indian & British Prisoners captured in North Africa were transported to a prison camp in the North of Italy (Milan.) In 1944 the US was actively involved in the War and in early 1944 Allied Forces had landed in the South of Italy. This news reached the prisoners as well. Major Bedi, two other offices one British one an Indian Officer made a plan to escape from the prison. This other Indian officer from another unit was a Major Yahya Khan who later became Army Chief and subsequently President of Pakistan from 1969-1971. Yahya Khan and Manmohan were both commissioned into the Indian Army from the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College in Dehra Dun.

   Their plan was to start moving south and eventually meet up with the allied forces advancing north from their landing in Sicily. For some days they traveled by night,staying in the forests and ridges of the Apennine Mountains . On a couple of occasions they were able to elude German patrols in the vicinity. The Italy Campaign was a difficult and bloody campaign for the Allies and Axis forces and this long trek south was no walk in the park. This was third the escape attempt for Yahya Khan.All prisoners do not try (or have the opportunity to escape). Brigadier Bedi did and he took it. Eventually they met up with Allied forces sometime in 1944. The other two Indian officers who were captured and escaped at the same time were Kumaramangalam, future Chief of Army Staff in India, and Yaqub Khan, future Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Bedi and Yahya Khan walked through Italy posing as Italians, easily passing as such because of their Punjabi features and complexion. It is believed that the four of them met up with American forces by then in Sicily, and were returned to India. Upon his return Bedi's family greeted him as risen from the dead and there were huge celebrations in Rawalpindi.

   Later on after the partition of India. Brigadier Bedi whose family was from Pakistan was trying to get land records to facilitate his claims for compensation from the Indian Government. He wrote to his fellow escaped prisoner to help him obtain the records. By this time in 1966 Yahya Khan was the Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan and made sure that all necessary documents were delivered promptly and safely to him in his residence in Defense Colony in Delhi.

   Manmohan Bedi & Gobind Mansingh got married in October 1946 in Rawalpindi with the whole city decked out in celebration. The bridegroom came on an elephant in great style. In those days there were sumptuary laws in place limiting the guests to 50. All the Baratis were served partridges etc. and the city remembered the glamorous wedding for a long time. In his retirement he trained dogs and falcons - very aristocratic tastes indeed. He was also fond of nice whisky. We are honored to have him as part of our Vansh. He will always be held in high esteem in our hearts.