Barsaati Captain

Authored by Lt Col Noel Ellis

22/V/2020

‘Captain Noel Ellis’ with ‘two months’ of service, was tasked to accompany a ‘Barsaati Major’ & report to a very senior Mech Inf Officer, the Col GS of an Infantry Division, for a “Top Secret” briefing.

What if Col GS asks me, ‘BMP ki chal aur roken’? Noel only knew ‘Rifle ki chal aur roken. What if he asks, how many men in your battalion? Of which even the Major was clueless, I suppose. Blood was circulating in my body at ten times the normal speed. I could hear my heart pounding on my chest, when I was detailed for this task.

Major had a map, which he showed me. This was the first time I was looking at a map of the ‘Desert Sector’. I was used to the Dehradun kind of maps, where one could spot Mussoorie and Bhadraj by instinct. Here, I was looking at blank sheet. It did not have a single jungle or river. No nala, no roads, no built up areas, nothing. The only good thing which caught my eye was a green and saffron line, which I was told is the IB (International Border).

The question in my mind was, why me? A year later, on one of the raising days it was revealed that the minimum rank of an officer the Col GS would brief had to be a Captain, so I was told to wear Captain’s rank just for that. In the advance party of the battalion that time, we were only 2Lt’s or Majors. A smart, dashing, intelligent looking, know it all kinds selected was yours truly. I was given the ‘field epaulets’ of a Captain (on Payment) from the Baniya and sent with the Major.

Major was a very friendly guy, soft spoken, had done great appointments like, ‘Instructor’ and had been an ADC. Much later in service, I was told that he and the Col GS were from the same old unit, so breaking the ice wasn’t a problem, that’s why he was sent.

Major handed over a ‘Quarter Inch’ map to me and told me to shove it in my suitcase with instructions, that if it gets lost, it would be better that you become a ‘Bhagora’ (deserter). I almost fainted when for the first time, I saw “SECRET” written on a map. Our move was so secret that we went in civvies in a state transport bus. Boy, this must be some task, I thought.

We reached the Guest room and Major had forgotten his beret. Do you have a beret he asked? Of course I had one, give it to me and tie a ‘patti’ (bandage) on your head. The dressing table of the guest room had a first aid box. Now this ‘Farzi’ Captain was ‘Farzili’ hurt also. It was a chance for me to enact all the dramatics I had learnt in school. The Major had told me, ‘don’t open your mouth, come what may’. I nodded.

Finally, time to enter the ‘sacred office’ came. How would I salute? My heart hammering, we entered. This man had a big black mole on his cheek. He had been described as a true villain. My instinct kept telling me that 2Lt Noel Ellis you shall be arrested for fraud. His piercing eyes went through me, like a bullet making a clean hole.

Col GS opened a curtain on his side where there were maps. He rattled out names of places, as if he knew each of them personally. There were arrows and roundels all over and finally his telescopic pointer came to rest at a place. He tapped that pointer there several times. That was the place where something was going to terminate, shhhhhh! Secret.

He then turned towards me and I was anticipating whole of Pakistan Artillery on me. He had a good look and said, you wait outside. No one will understand that feeling. Before he could change his mind I evaporated. The runner outside showed me the waiting room and asked, ‘Saab chai piyoge’. Felt like hugging him.

We returned the same evening, by train this time & before I got down, I was 2Lt with one star again.

That Raising day, Col GS had accompanied the GOC. ‘I have seen you somewhere’, he said. I introduced myself, 2Lt Noel Ellis Sir and meeting you for the first time. He took a swig of his drink scratched his head and said, ‘weren’t you a Captain a couple of months back’? Just then a waiter barged in and I disappeared again, only to appear when GOC was at the mess gate.

Being in ‘field’, one was promoted to a ‘Barsaati Captain’, on completion of two years’ service. But what I went through as a 2 Lt, could only be done in Fauj. Isn’t it? I wonder!!!!!!!!