MY VAGIR DAYS SOLDIER, SAILOR – FISH OUT OF WATER

I was the Mate on board during my second tenure on Vagir. We were at Cochin for Store Ship, R&R etc. prior to a major exercise off the Lakshadweep’s. The inevitable Foreign Cruise was to follow immediately thereafter. Falklands War was still fresh in everyone’s minds. Exercises off our Island Territories were, therefore, given increased importance.


We were to carry a platoon of Para Commandos, who would be launched from the submarine in Gemini boats off one off the smaller atolls in a covert bid to capture the island.


When I met them on the casing of the boat, my Five Feet nothing frame was dwarfed by the Six Foot plus Jats from a Para Regiment posted in Rajasthan. Major Naurial, a coursemate from the National Defence Academy, led them. Naurial and I established a rapport immediately. He explained that he would not be leading the mission. He was there only to acclimatize the boys to the conditions on board the sub and also to carry out dry runs for the Gemini launch. I was to be their Platoon Commander so long as they were on board.


What a terrific lot they were, tough and disciplined. They learnt the ropes with a lot of hard work and perseverance. Naurial left us when he was satisfied that his boys were now capable of launching the Gemini’s from the casing of a surfaced boat.


We had decided to repaint the boat on conclusion of the exercises so as to look presentable for the Flag Showing visit to Seychelles, which was to follow thereafter. I asked the Sub’s Coxswain to arrange some long sticks to which we would affix rollers in order to paint the casing. The Coxswain returned empty handed. ‘No Sticks’ he said matter of factly. I turned to the Commando Subedar Major and repeated my instructions. Next morning we had enough sticks to paint an entire squadron of submarines.


We cast off from the berth early morning on the appointed day and proceeded on surface during the first leg of the passage towards the island. The first submarine meal the commandos had on board appeared very insipid to these burly soldiers. That was also to be their last meal on board. The sea became quite rough once we were in open waters. The sailors had a big laugh upon seeing the seasick hunks clutching their bellies as they tried to hold back whatever little they had eaten by way of food. The Commandos appeared quite helpless, as they lay curled up in the Fore Ends of the boat.


The situation improved once we had dived. The Pongos, as we called them, were still not very comfortable with the claustrophobia and strange smells inherent to these boats. We still had to carry out a ‘Wet Run’ before the final launch. The boat surfaced at night at a considerable distance from the target island. We were to carry out a wet run in a trimmed down position. The commandoes were to retrieve the Geminis lashed inside the casing and inflate the rubber boats with the sub’s IP air in the pitch-dark. Sea conditions were not calm and the sub was rolling considerably. In such circumstances, the casing cover fell on the head of one of the commandoes who was trying to unlash the Gemini from inside the casing. He began to bleed profusely and had to be brought inside for treatment. The sub’s wardroom also doubles as the sick bay. The commando refused to be treated in what he thought was exclusively the Officers Mess. It took a lot of persuasion before he could be brought in for treatment. The commando sat in an upright position of ‘Savdhan Baith’ taught to him in his regiment while the Doc stitched up his scalp. He neither batted an eyelid nor made any sound while his head was being sutured.


After his head was bandaged, the Medical Officer advised bed rest and pronounced the commando unfit for further operations. However, he insisted on joining the rest of his platoon when the Gemini’s were to be launched for actual deployment next morning at dawn. He could not be persuaded to stay back and enjoy the beaches of sunny Seychelles instead. Taking part in the operation was a matter of honor for him. He would have no face to show his mates if he returned to his regiment with only small head injury to show for his efforts. He was released. The covert operation was successful. His Regiment had won the honors.