Martyrs of Rezangla remembered near Sino-India border

Srinagar, Nov 19 (UNI) The Army paid homage to martyrs of the battle of Rezangla during the Sino-India war in 1962 at Chushul bordering China in Ladakh province of Jammu and Kashmir.

Floral wreaths were placed at the war memorial to remember the sacrifices made by the valiant soldiers of 13 Kumaon on behalf of Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, Northern Command General Officer-in-Commanding-in Chief Lt Gen H S Panag and others.

Giving details, a defence spokesman here said it was on this day in 1962 that soldiers of 13 Kumaon under the command of legendary Major Shaitan Singh fought valiantly to the true tradition -- last man last round -- of the Indian Army.

''They stood their ground till they died and defeated numerous Chinese onslaughts. The ferocity of the battle can be gauged from the fact that only ten men out of 124 were left alive, but there was no sign of panic or withdrawal,'' he added.

The spokesman said the accounts of those who visited Rezangla, three months later stand testimony to the valour of the soldiers.

''The dead soldiers were found in their trenches, frozen stiff, still holding their weapons and grenades in their hands. Broken Light Machine Gun bipods and some men holding only the butts of their rifles while the remaining weapon had blown off, bore witness to the enemy fire,'' he said while quoting some eyewitness accounts.

The mortal remains of 114 soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice could be recovered only after three months, he added.

He said a unit of Kumaon regiment gave a reversed arms guard of honour as all the people present there bowed their heads to the last post sounded by the Army buglers to pay tributes to the martyrs.

UNI