03 May 1988- The first day
It was my third tenure to my unit. I was excited and more so as it was going to be my first visit to a “phoren” land and that too- Operations. I got up early, perhaps due to excitement or maybe for the Madarassi mosquitoes at the Transit Camp Madras. The waiting was over, as the minibus arrived before our rooms at the Transit mess. The eight of us were huddled off to Tambaram. We were there by 0930h. We sat in a shed which had one fan. Our flight was at 1030h. AN-32’s and trainer aircrafts could be seen. Then came this plane of ours. The Vavuniya flight had arrived. The same flight was to take us to Trincomalee. Air Force and a few Army officers came to the inspection table and were received by the custom staff. Then came the men, all lined up in battle fatigues, sun tanned but happy to be back on Indian soil. An ambulance drew next to the aircraft. There was a hush, two casualties on a stretcher were quickly whisked. The men by now had laid out their luggage next to the Custom’s inspection table. Out came VCPs, VCRs, Two-in-ones, clothing and crockery sets. Custom’s yard stick was rather strange.
Soon time came to board our craft. On we climbed to the AN-32, packed to brim, with pumpkins, potatoes and “Modern” bread. The sweat rolled down our uniform, the flies hummed merrily as the engines rolled and it was in a matter of seconds that I realized I was air-borne on the way to join my unit for a third stint and that too an Operational one at Sri Lanka.
Exactly after an hour and twenty minutes, we landed and I was told it was Trincomalee- the Eastern Sri Lankan town which had the finest natural harbour in the world. The landscape was lush green and simply beautiful with tall coconut trees and green topped hillocks.
The drive to the Regimental Head Quarter, a stone throw from the air field, a short interview with the Commanding Officer and a quick lunch in the Mess, brought me to my - Field Company, some eight kilometers further towards the town. It was a lovely setting in a school building facing the inner harbour. The blue sea across the road was rough as the waves hit against the road. The scene was just marvelous and most unlike the expectations I had carried.
I was briefed by the company’s 2nd in- command. The company was part of an Independent Infantry Brigade and the only field company of the regiment with an operational role. The platoons were deployed for carrying out road opening and combing operations. The men were surely in high spirits but there seemed a lot to do. Late in the evening I decided to visit “Alpha” platoon where the boys were camping with an infantry unit. It happened to be a battalion with which I had had long innings at Sugar Sector. They were beautifully sited on the silvery beach of Nilavelli. Palm trees rustled on top, bare bodied children ran about and women folk in colourful tight cholis and petticoats went about doing their chores. The Batallion Head Quarter was located in a resort which had seen better days. The place had been a haven for American and Australian visitors. The place still smelt of the exotic aura which once must have pleased the tourists with the native maids playing the hosts.
The men looked both surprised and happy on seeing me at this hour. They were quickly lined up and introduced and tea appeared from no where in true Bombay Sapper style!
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