Op North Delta Forest

It was 0015hr on Jul 02. The temple flag was flapping lazily in the fresh cool air. I was awake the whole night charting the finer details of the operation and the route to be followed and also planning the man power details who would be remaining in the Coy loc and the men who will be reporting back to duty from leave and also those who are suppose to go on leave.
I as usual with my weapon went out to brief my men who were standing outside in rain about the operation we were about to launch. Soon the D – Company (Coy) Commander (Cdr) along with B and E Coy Cdrs along with their teams reached my Coy location (loc). After a combine briefing of all the Teams we were off to our mission with the rain God busy pouring all he had on us as to tell us go back go back.
We were going through the apple orchards and each orchard is fenced by barbed wire so we really had to be extra careful every time we pass through them with a worry that we are not ambushed some where by our friends from across with a warm fire show J. This drill is the most time consuming but necessary also cause it saves life. The drill is very complicated and has to be carried out with surgeon’s precision. For the benefits of all non fauji I will try to explain the same with a sketch.

Legends of map:
Blue colour – E Coy
Brown colour- D Coy
Green Colour B Coy
Black Rectangle : the apple orchards
Before we enter the orchards we usually take up defenses and wait and listen and try to sniff the air of any irregular thing, which is, not suppose to be there. Once satisfied one of the Coy Team (depicted by the green colour) then starts off very carefully. Simultaneously another Coy Team starts off along the fringe of the forest (depicted by brown colour). The march is so slow and careful that we can listen to our heartbeats and also the faintest of any noise can be heard at distance. At this time when the other two teams are moving ahead the third team, which is at the rear, is guarding the rear of the teams. At all times the teams are in touch with each other on the radio sets. Once the team reaches at the pre determined place they then take up the defenses there and the third team, which was in the rear, now moves up to the predetermined place. The break lines in the figure show the halts. Once they reach the pre determine place they inform the other teams and only after counter checking the authenticity of the call that the teams move ahead for their predetermined halts.
Once the rear team moves the predetermine place the rest of the two teams start once again and third team takes up the defenses. This technique is called as fire and move tactics. This is done so that at any time if any of the team comes under fire from any side we can retaliate the fire effectively and also reduce the casualty on our side. This is continued till there are orchards en route and the complete teams are out of the possible ambush sites.
I was leading the E Coy Team in this operation. Finally reached the forest and the grueling climb started at around 0330 hr. At around 0600 we reached the place where we were suppose to spend next 4 days in anticipation that some movement of the friendly neighbor hood will take place and we will be able to get some catch.
Four days of rain and the biting wind lashed us from 360 degrees. In night the weapon became so cold that it was impossible to hold it with naked hand. The rain made the clothes totally wet and nights were freezing cold due to the winds.
On the fifth day the search of the jungle was to begin. Things were very bad as the rain had made the jungle totally slippery and more over the wet clothes were biting like hell. After a cup of warm tea and snacks I got into fresh clothes, checked my weapon, magazines, adjusted the pin of the grenades and at 0800 started the search. At around 0930hr I had a strong gut feeling that there is going to be some trouble today. Learnt it in a hard way to listen to the gut feeling and respond to it. At around 1130 there was a faint sound of firing on the West side of the place were I was searching the jungle. The radio cracked the silence of the jungle and the information came on the set that contact has established on the West side and all the search parties to be extra alert and keep max control over fire.
These are the routine instructions which are on the radio so as to keep everyone abreast of the latest and also to make people aware that this jungle is alive today hence be careful. The firing was going on and we can hear the choppers hovering on our head and in all this the sound of empty stomach is too loud to miss. Old saying in Army “Eat when you get a chance and not wait for your stomach to tell”. By the time we finished our lunch it was almost 1430 hr and there was no respite in the firing. My worries were now becoming more grave cause I could foresee as to what was going to come up.
At around 1600hr when my search was almost complete my radio set came alive screaming ‘steel for emerald, steel for emerald, steel for emerald’. There comes the rocket.
‘emerald for steel, over’.
‘steel for emerald you bloo+++ fu***** joker are you alive or dead, OVER’.
‘emerald for steel very much alive , over’
‘steel for emerald change to alternate frequency. Over’
‘Wilco ‘.
‘Steel for emerald how many dinner you have for your team’
‘emerald for steel, tango ending with oscar ’
‘steel for emerald good and I believe your ammo is intact, over’’
‘emerald for steel affirmative, over’
‘yea then open your map and follow the…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. understood, over’
‘Roger, over’
‘Ok all the best, Get the Ba***rds, Out’.
My NCO was looking at me with apt attention as to what are the instructions given by steel. As I casually glanced towards the men they were already adjusting their gear and checking the torches and other night requirements indicating Sahabjeeeeee chalae. I just briefed them and started going back to the forest with my team now only of 15 men rest were to go back to ‘A’ Company and rest there and in case of reinforcement required, to be moved immediately.
My task was to link up with the West column with whom the contact has been established in the morning and replenish them with the ammo, food and also act as the reinforcement for the night in putting multiple ambushes.
It was at around 2200 hr we came under heavy fire or so we thought, cause it was dark and difficult to see any thing. After checking on radio sets it was confirmed that the fire was not on us but it was just the covering fire so that the militants are pinned down there cause through the thermal imager they were able to make some movement towards the axis in which we were moving. In the stillness of night the firing seems to be much closure the it is. But the fright was enough to get away from any fatigue that was trying to take over our tired bodies. Finally at 2300hr we were able to marry up with the D Coy column and if I tell you about the drill then probably I will end up writing the whole tactics presi. At around 0200hr heavy firing started and lot of RPG being fired and there was lot of UBGL and ALG being fired. When there was little lul in the firing I received a radio call from diamond that his two men are seriously injured and they required to be immediately evacuated. My men who were in the jungle from last 5 days took the responsibility with enthusiasm of the teenagers as if told to go out for a movie.
In no time the make shift stretchers were made and the casualties were evacuated to the nearest road head from where they were taken in vehicle. These men who had gone down to evacuate the casualties in total 12 of them what they must have undergone and what all the drills they followed is something worth seeing and experiencing. They reached the Vehicle at 0500hr and started back immediately with supplies of ammo, warm breakfast and tea ration.
What a fine fighting machines these men are. They will do anything for their brothers in arms and their commanders if they are worth it (the men test their officers and if the officers show the salt required to lead them only they are given the respect which is worth it) Fair deal ahh what say man.
Soon it was the sight every one was waiting to see, the daybreak and soon the firing too slowed down and at around 1000hr the final curtain was laid on the overnight operation. D-Coy did it again and the catch was 04 militants killed and a large cache of arms and ammunition recovered from the hideout which was busted in the operation.
Each operation led by me taught me so much about the men I commanded and the pleasure it gave me to lead the best fighting souls in the jungle against the militants.

Legend:
Blue lines : Search Area of E-Coy
Green Lines : Search Area of B-Coy
Brown Lines : Search Area of D -Coy
Violet Lines : Route taken by E- Coy for reinforcement
Yellow lines : Route taken by casualty evacuation party of 12 men
Red Line : Main road on which vehicle was waiting for cas evac.
Red Rectangle : Site of contact.

Today when I sit in the AC room and see people forgetting to respond the mails on time causing people to loose their jobs is pathetic. If such people are sent in the war or in the counter insurgency operations they will not be lucky to be killed by enemy but will become the target of own fire. God help them.
My salutation to the magnificent fighting machines whom I commanded and the honorable officers under whom I served.