Letters From The Border and Other Less Told Stories

Pushed and prodded relentlessly, threatened ruthlessly with a long stick, the Seven Brigade staggered into the Namka Chu River valley and struggling up the formidable Karpola pass, only to face a massive Chinese build up across the River Namka Chu on the Thagla ridge. Bereft of equipment, heavy weapons, mines, barbed wire, digging implements, rations, ammunition and snow clothing, the men were ill equipped either to take an offensive action against the Chinese or take effective defensive positions and more importantly without a cause and motivation to fight.
Deceptively serene all this time the valley suddenly bared its fangs on 20th October 1962 turning into a valley of death.
A valley of death for those who perished on that fateful day strung along the river line. For those herded across to languish in the POW camps. But it was worse still for those mortally wounded lying unattended in the valley, on the riverbank and up the slopes in abject misery and unbearable pain, without food, water or medical aid, life slowly draining out. With no one to provide succour and no hope, they could only wish for a quick and merciful end.