HOWs THE JOSH OF JUNE 85 COURSE

 

HOWs THE JOSH OF JUNE 85 COURSE

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

08/VI/2023

 

How can I forget 08 June 1985. a kid of barely twenty-one and a half years old was about to start a journey for which he slogged like hell. From his ‘Pahla Kadam’ in May of 1973 when he joined Sainik School Kapurthala, Punjab to his ‘Antim Pag’ when he passed out from IMA, Dehradun.

 

This lad had no idea what lay in store and there was another ‘Pahla Kadam’ beyond IMA. The weight of ‘one pip’ on his shoulder weighed so heavily, that he could be least bothered by anything else. ‘Sala main to Sahab ban gaya’ kind of feeling prevailed.

 

As I sit and recollect today, my mind was absolutely blank on the passing out day. The parade was about to begin, my parents were there and here I was busy fixing my dress, shining my shoes, brassoing my shoulder titles and collar dogs as if they were never polished. What if the Drill Ustad finds a fault and throws me out of the parade kind of emotions.

 

With so many punishments already under my belt, to finish the POP was a task in itself. Probably, my shakal was defective so that every GJ, Lobo and Negi could sniff me out in the hundreds of Gentlemen Cadets. A punch in the guts, repeated cabin cupboards, getting caught at the wrong time and wrong place had become my trade mark.

 

GJ could make you run at midnight; Lobo could take ‘screw sessions’ till the wee hours of the morning. Standing on a cold wintery night, watching the lights of Mussoorie twinkling was not fair. Fresh air could be filled into our lungs in many other ways.

 

That Antim Pag became the stepping stone to another Pahla Kadam. A new unit, a new set up, a new location was in store. One had heard of Infantry and Artillery. A little about Armoured Corps and Mech Inf. One had no idea what one should opt for. Mech Inf was the first choice and I got it.

 

The twist in the tale was it was a Recce and Support Battalion. No one had any clue what it was all about, what it did, how it functioned and where it was located. There was nothing written and nothing said about it, except we were told it was ‘hush-hush’.

 

My buddy ‘Daju’ GC DP Gurung, was a companion one can never forget. I remember him so fondly still, God Bless his soul. A thorough Gentleman and a man with a big heart. He was a superb guitarist too. Both of us would sit together, as he strummed his guitar singing old English numbers. I with a voice like an ill-tuned car engine would get on to do what I did best while he crooned. That was making ‘desi ghee ka halwa’ on a coil heater which neither Lobo nor Negi could ever catch.

 

The sky was overcast on POP Day. It rained as we marched onto the parade ground. Who cared whether the shirt was stiff or the trousers were pressed. We were all soaked with showers of blessings. The rain didn’t dampen our spirits.

 

Now that we were on parade, stamping of the feet and timing mattered more. More so for the parents. Drill had to be perfect which we, especially Ex NDAs had been shamming till now. The force of the heel which dug into the ground was more than three times what we normally did.

 

With Adjutant on his steed, walking majestically along the parade added grace. Though we always thought of putting a lit cigarette butt in the horses backside. It would have been fun to see the Adjutant on a gallop while we did ‘dhire chal’. That day we left him to do his job.

 

The band broke into ‘Auld Lang Syne’ as we moved to take the ‘final step’. Our eyes went moist which were camouflaged in the rain. Finally, it was time to say goodbye to so many friends. Many of whom one has not met since we passed out.

 

Many gave their lives for this country & many are in the highest posts of the Military today. My salute to them. However, most of us are now couch potatoes, retired & re-attired but definitely not tired. The fauji spirit cannot be taken out of us, though most of us fall in the Senior Citizen category.

 

Cheers to the course of June 85, love you guys. May God bless you, your better halves, children, and grandchildren. 38 years just passed by in 38 seconds. Stay happy, healthy, and spread a smile. How’s the Josh now guys and gals? I wonder!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS