The decade of the Forties was turbulent for the British Raj - World War II was raging and the Indian sub-continent was swept by a popular freedom movement. As the war ended, the Indian sub-continent was divided. India as a fledgling nation rose to the aftermath of Partition ? violence, exodus and influx of population; and a war in Jammu and Kashmir. Indelible Reminiscences by Major General Gurbakhsh Singh, Padma Shri, DSO, OBE is a testimony of those turbulent times. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he was commanding his Battalion Jind Infantry in Singapore when the British Forces in Malaya surrendered to the Japanese. He became a Prisoner of War along with his Battalion and faced unprecedented ordeal and privation for over three years. During the captivity, he held his Battalion together, even spurning a personal offer from Subhash Chandra Bose to defect and join Indian National Army. The tide of war turned with Japanese surrender in Singapore; the General brought back his Battalion intact to India. For his outstanding leadership under extreme adversity he was awarded Distinguished Service Order. He was the Deputy Force Commander of the Indian Custodian Force in Korea overseeing the repatriation of prisoners of war. The Indian Custodian Force did a commendable job and earned praise from every quarter. The General served in various capacities in the army, civil and even corporate sector. In every field he excelled and brought about changes and new order, due to his foresight and diligence. Written with remarkable frankness and simplicity, the book is a must read for military professionals and students of military history.
