It was not just chance that the Sun never set on the British Empire.
Maj Gen Balhara, SC, reminisces...
Many years ago standing on the Rock at Gallipoli I had wondered what these Brits and Aussies have in them, that even with a full half-century and a quarter gone by they still throng to this desolate place—thousands of miles away from their homes—only because their nation will never allow the memories of their martyrs to be forgotten. The annual ceremony at Gallipoli is an extremely poignant and emotional affair: 2nd and 3rd generation descendants, some who never even saw the men who fell at Gallipoli, stand in solemn silence grieving with moist eyes and a lump in their throats. Australia sends at least three to four ministers while senior representatives from their MoD as well as Pentagon are also in attendance.
These memories and thoughts got rekindled yet again in 2014 when we hosted Prince Andrew at the Kohima War Cemetery. The Prince was on a world tour in commemoration of the 75th year of the Queen's coronation. He had a two and a half day itinerary in India and had been advised to visit Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta) and Delhi. These were the venues of obvious choice—after all what better way to rekindle our colonial past than to show Royalty around each of the three Presidencies!
Needless to say, at each of the venues he would have been assured of a grand reception and a gala time. But what did he choose? The Prince politely declined all offers of gala times and receptions. He requested for a one-and-a-half-day visit to the Kohima War Memorial. His reasoning was brutally simple: he was on a world tour to pay homage to those who had kept the Union Jack flying high!
He landed in the sweltering heat of Dimapur, refused to take a helicopter flight to Kohima, because he wanted to get a feel of the road that had been rendered so vulnerable in the face of the advancing Japanese.
For a scheduled 45 mins ceremony he spent nearly two hours, visiting each and every grave. Returned the next day to Delhi, visited India Gate and flew out to Singapore the same day.
No visits to the Taj or any other place of tourist or diplomatic interest.
He was kind enough to answer my query, as to why had he come all the way when a symbolic wreath laying at the India Gate would have sufficed. His answer: "Because we care and when you care no distance is too long and no journey too arduous."
Suddenly, It all became crystal clear: some will never forget their dead; some simply won't remember!
It is not by chance that nations become great. Every great nation in history, held their Armed Forces in high esteem.
Maj Gen Balhara, SC, reminisces...
Many years ago standing on the Rock at Gallipoli I had wondered what these Brits and Aussies have in them, that even with a full half-century and a quarter gone by they still throng to this desolate place—thousands of miles away from their homes—only because their nation will never allow the memories of their martyrs to be forgotten. The annual ceremony at Gallipoli is an extremely poignant and emotional affair: 2nd and 3rd generation descendants, some who never even saw the men who fell at Gallipoli, stand in solemn silence grieving with moist eyes and a lump in their throats. Australia sends at least three to four ministers while senior representatives from their MoD as well as Pentagon are also in attendance.
These memories and thoughts got rekindled yet again in 2014 when we hosted Prince Andrew at the Kohima War Cemetery. The Prince was on a world tour in commemoration of the 75th year of the Queen's coronation. He had a two and a half day itinerary in India and had been advised to visit Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta) and Delhi. These were the venues of obvious choice—after all what better way to rekindle our colonial past than to show Royalty around each of the three Presidencies!
Needless to say, at each of the venues he would have been assured of a grand reception and a gala time. But what did he choose? The Prince politely declined all offers of gala times and receptions. He requested for a one-and-a-half-day visit to the Kohima War Memorial. His reasoning was brutally simple: he was on a world tour to pay homage to those who had kept the Union Jack flying high!
He landed in the sweltering heat of Dimapur, refused to take a helicopter flight to Kohima, because he wanted to get a feel of the road that had been rendered so vulnerable in the face of the advancing Japanese.
For a scheduled 45 mins ceremony he spent nearly two hours, visiting each and every grave. Returned the next day to Delhi, visited India Gate and flew out to Singapore the same day.
No visits to the Taj or any other place of tourist or diplomatic interest.
He was kind enough to answer my query, as to why had he come all the way when a symbolic wreath laying at the India Gate would have sufficed. His answer: "Because we care and when you care no distance is too long and no journey too arduous."
Suddenly, It all became crystal clear: some will never forget their dead; some simply won't remember!
It is not by chance that nations become great. Every great nation in history, held their Armed Forces in high esteem.
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