20/09/2022
Pencil sketch of Cap Mansukh lal ji (Sardar e Jung) i by me
The bravery and heroism shown by Capt. Rao, Lt. Mansukh Lai and Lt. Ajaib Singh in successfully defending the Regimental Headquarters and beating back against heavy odds the determined attacks of the enemy, will ever remain glorious in the history of the Azad Hind Fauj. Lt. Mansukh Lai had already thirteen bullet wounds on his body when he made the brilliant final charge along with his men to capture the hill position on which depended the safety of the Regimental Headquarters. In this battle 600 men of the Azad Hind Fauj successfully battled against nearly 3000
soldiers of the British who had superior arms and equipment....... 1
By ths time heavy rans had set in and made the ration and ammunition supply a most difficult problem. Due to the lack of proper food and medicines, the health of the troops deteriorated rapidly and by the middle of June, 1944, they had become so weak that they could hardly walk a few miles, but despite this they stuck to
their posts and ın the face of repeated British attacks never retreated even an inch before them At about ths time the tide de of the battle had turned. The British had managed to substantially reinforce their beleaguered Garrison in Imphal, and were now in a poston to launch the main offensive.
Their first move was to capture the heights occupied by the men of "Gandhi Brigade" around Mythun Khunou This tme it was an attack launched by a whole British sh Brigade, 3,000 strong, supported by heavy artilery and aeroplanes Our old rivals, the "Seaforth", agan led the attack.
By a clever encircling movement, they surrounded one of our companies commanded by Capt. Rao, and it looked as if they would annihilate our force The situation looked extremely grave All the commanding heights and strategic points were m enemy hands Besides this the strength of the Gandhi Brigade was very much depleted owing to widespread illness and battle casualties In this particular action there were 600 IN A men opposing approximately 3,000 well-fed British soldiers having infinitely superior arms and equipment. Our men fought most heroically Col I J. Kiam, the Brigade commander, himself was in the area of the company that was encircled by the British He realized that unless the strategic heights were recaptured by them his garrison would be annihilated. He, therefore, issued orders to his officers to take possession of those heights at any cost Lt. Mansukh Lall was ordered to recapture one of the heights He was commanding a platoon consisting of approximately 30 men. With this small force he counter-attacked without any artillery covering fire, and recaptured one of the strongest posts occupied by the enemy While leading his small, and semi-starved force up the steep ridge, he was wounded 13 times, through exhaustion and loss of blood, he staggered and fell to the ground His men seeing their gallant commander fall hesitated and slowed down their pace Lt. Mansukh Lall, like a tiger that is mortally wounded but is determined to make the last charge, roared to his men and exhorted them to continue their advance and not to worry about him They were very near the summit, and making a last supreme effort, with 13 bullet wounds m his body, he rose to his feet and personally led the final assault on the height which was to decide the fate of Gandhi Brigade that day. The enemy, having no stomach for a bloody hand to hand fight, did not relish the idea of facıng the cold bright steel bayonets of the men of the Azad Hind Fauz etreated, leaving the height in possession of the INA men The most important point was thus recaptured and the unit saved... 2
Source
1. India's struggle for freedom
2My Memories of INA and Its Netaji
