Skip to main content

DIG DIG DIG

 DIG DIG DIG

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS


27/I/2024

 

It was while doing Staff College at Wellington that we came in close contact with officers of friendly foreign countries. It was good to see them attired in their respective uniforms. A bit of learning for us.

By far our ‘Olive Greens’ stood out beyond doubt. I say this in no manner to disrespect their uniforms but as they say, “hamari vardi ki kuch baat hi alag hai”.

There was a wreath laying ceremony at the ‘war memorial’ right at the gates of Staff College. We used to have ‘Sponsor Officers’  detailed to brief and keep foreign students abreast with everything. Sponsor officers were responsible for briefing them on every aspect and familiarising them with every nook and cranny of the college so that he does not dope it out and reaches at the stipulated time.

There was one student from ‘Vietnam’ who didn’t know English or Hindi. A Lt Col much senior to us, who detailed to lay the wreath on the memorial on behalf of the foreign students. One of my course mates, his sponsor officer, had to familiarise him with the drill before the ceremony. This Vietnamese officer nodded as if he had understood the procedure.

When it came to the final moment, his sponsor officer almost had a heart attack. How hard he had tried to explain the solemnity of the occasion, the need to be smartly turned out in ceremonials, the slow march of a few steps before laying the wreath, the smart salute and the final ‘about turn’. All went in vain.

This officer was dressed in a kind of a faded uniform. His ‘peak cap’ had equivalent service as himself. On the other hand we were dressed in our finest, with shoes, buttons and accoutrements gleaming and shining as never before. His march was the icing on the cake, like a model on the ramp. It was neither a slow march nor a catwalk. It was as casual as casual could be. He did a more casual salute and a unique about turn.

Don’t you March in your country, the sponsor officer asked? What else did I do, he said. He had  taught drill in his country. We were speechless.

We were a little taken aback at the casualness we thought which had been displayed by this officer, not realising he was the best from his country. We Indians take parade and drill to just another level.

We had an Officer from France with us too, who marched exactly like how we saw ‘Capt Noel’ leading the French Army Contingent yesterday at Rajpath. Good that they had their own band accompanying them, or else our bands would have lost their rhythm and beat in the first three steps.

They had nice & plump ‘bandsmen’, unlike ours. Their walk was fit enough to walk through ‘Palika Bazar’ doing window shopping (pun intended).

Had these guys been put under Drill ustads like Sub Lobi Ram, Piar Singh and Hony Capt Darbara Singh, (God Bless his soul), these  French guys would have run away after the first ‘flat foot carry on’ command they would have got on the drill square. Pet ander, chathi bahar, gardan collar touch, ghootna main bend nahi ayega cadet, heel Everest se aa ke dharti main gaarega, baju ka swing agle ka kandha aur pichele ka mooh par lagega, koi shak…. Lef-Ri, Lef-Ri….  

‘Dheere Chal’ was tougher than ‘Tez Chal’. In ‘Salami Shastr’ the ustads expected rifle magazines to fly off when hit with an open palm. A little gap between your elbows in ‘savdhan’ meant ten chukkers of the drill square with your rifles over your head. One nail less out of the 13 in the sole of your drill boot could fetch you three extra drills.

On a ‘Mur’ (turn) one had to turn on one heel and one toe, at the call of ‘Ek’ then a pause for ‘Rajaram-Sitaram’ and then the bang of the feet in unison with the ‘ek’ that followed. Or else it was ‘jaise the’ till cows come home. Gosh!

Every country likes to be distinct in its military mannerism. By far, I have not seen anything better than the Indian contingents. Even the ladies this year did a commendable job when their contingent commanders lifted their feet above their heads to synchronise their heads with ‘Eyes Right’ when saluting the President.

There are two schools of thoughts. One, who like the drill the way it is today and the other, who want it toned down. Why should the word of command be shouted to spray saliva ten feet away, when we have mikes which can amplify the command. The debate is never ending. I am with the former.

I am with the Dig-Dig-Dig types. Which school of thought are you with? I wonder!!!!!!!!!

https://youtu.be/XmyLnCXh2_Y?si=dpqC2umMsisloJfq


JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

FINGER ON YOUR LIPS

  LT COL NOEL ELLIS   29/IV/2025   What has happened to Pakistan? While India is doing Fauji Exercises, Pakistan has mobilised for what! I agree that the people of India want revenge. But, from whom? Our PM has only said that “we will not leave the terrorists and their supporters till the end of the Earth”. He has never said he will sort out Pakistan, or has he?   It has been hilarious watching discussions on Paki social media channels. They seem to have already given up. Our RM meets the PM and Pakistan starts shitting bricks. They talk about jazba and gazwa, and start telling us about their nuclear arsenal. 160 I suppose. By the way we will send across one equivalent to your 160 if need be.   There is a saying, ‘Chor ki Dari main tinka” literal meaning is, a straw in a thief’s beard. However, the deep meaning is that a guilty person reveals his guilt through his behaviour, even unintentionally. Clearly, “a guilty conscious needs no accuser”...

SCENE AT ELLIS’ RESTAURANT

    LT COL NOEL ELLIS   04/XI/2024   Every morning the scene in the Ellis’ restaurant is so refreshing. The notes birds sing sounds like ‘reveille’ being sounded by the buglers. The ‘scenario’ keeps varying with arrival of different birds at different timings.   It is like being a restaurant owner, working solo with minimum help. Yours truly is the waiter, housekeeper, cook, receptionist, barman, purchase manager, accountant, and storekeeper of this shack. Imagine!   Foremost thing in the morning is housekeeping of the garden area, followed by watering the pots. This gives the plants a nice bath, like kids being readied for school.   The first set of ‘clients’ called the ‘Tailor Birds’ appear. They love to hunt for insects which get disturbed by the watering ritual. They sing and dance, hop and skip and carry on chasing moths and worms, without bothering about my presence.   By then the Bulbuls and the Sparrows start lini...

IF THERE IS A WAR…...

    LT COL NOEL ELLIS   28/IV/2025   I remember the 1971 war as a small child. We were in Kapurthala Punjab, very close to the Pakistan border. It was an evening in December, I do not remember the exact date. While returning from a friends house, the declaration of war was done as I skipped along the ‘Thandi Sarak’ of Kapurthala.   The gist was that a vehicle with loud speakers was telling people to head home as an "emergency" had been declared and war had started. I ran as fast as I could, shivering with fear and my heart beating unusually fast. Though I was a lap baby when the 1965 war had taken place, it appeared serious business now.   Overnight, Dad and other Uncles started digging trenches infront of our homes. Carbon paper was no dearth in a teachers house, so mom got into an overdrive to stick them to the glass windows. Though the glass had been painted during the 1965 war, some broken panes had been replaced. Mom told ...