Graduation, Kings Commission and 1st Punjab Regiment

Chetwode Hall - Ansari's hallowed haunt as a Cadet

Next day I shifted to B Company in Collins Block and was posted to No 5 Platoon. My Platoon Commandant was Captain Griffiths, F.F. Rifles. He was a jovial type. I was as known to him since he was our football in-charge and I had represented IMA as a fullback in quite a few matches. I settled down very quickly in the new platoon.

As mentioned earlier, I was afraid of darkness and was always haunted by the fear of ghosts. It was near the end of our training when we had gone out on our last tactical exercise in jungle warfare. A Gurkha battalion dressed like Japanese acted as ‘enemy’ against us. It was the last night of the exercise and I was called upon to do the duty of Sentry which was from 3 to 5 a.m. It had rained the whole night. About 5 minutes to 3 a.m., my Section Commander (ordered me) to the sentry post and relieve the previous sentry.

Being all alone I climbed a nearby tree and made myself as comfortable as possible. Suddenly I saw something white, fairly tall and felt it was moving its hand as if calling me. I had a rifle in hand but only blank cartridges. With that I would make noise but could not (kill) the Ghost. I kept on reciting ‘Kalma’, praying hard that it should not come near me. All sense of time had left me and (I) felt that the daylight would not appear again. Suddenly I heard some noise down below. I looked down but could not see anything. When I again looked up to see the ‘object’ which caused so much worry, I found that it had stopped movements. After careful scrutiny I burst out laughing, for the ‘object’ was a banana tree, which was due to rain, and the moonlight gave off a white shine and since there was a mild breeze (it was) causing the leaves to move!

It was officially announced that Saturday the 20th August 1944 would be our Passing out Parade for 16th Course. Monday that week Company Commander called the cadets one at a time and told them which Regiment or Corps they would be going after Commission. I waited anxious till the end but was not sent for. When I reported to my Platoon Commander he took me to the Company Commander, who looked through the list and rushed to the Commandant for he felt that there was some mistake. After sometime he returned and assured me not to worry and a special messenger was being dispatched to GHQ New Delhi to amend the mistake. I made necessary preparation for the Parade but with a heavy heart and apprehension. We returned all our stores and pamphlets which we had borrowed for the duration of our course. We received our advance of pay and balance outfit allowance, which was nearly a thousand rupees. On Thursday we had our final rehearsal. Till then the Special Messenger had not returned from New Delhi. Next day Friday, we had holiday to prepare for the next day. I was not in proper mood, so had a sleepless night consequently was late in getting up in the morning. When I woke up I was just lying down and thinking about my fate and future.

At that time G.C. Rebello rushed in and congratulated me for seeing my name in the list which had been hung up outside Company Commanders Office. I almost ran to the office where I saw my name at the top – NO 1627 GC ABU TAHER KHAIRUL HAQUE, 1ST PUNJAB REGIMENT. I thanked Allah Pak for his mercy and expressed my gratitude to him. I was the only one going to this seniour most Regiment of the Indian Army out of my course.

Due to War the traditional graduation parade was cut down to minimum at the I.M.A. We had the normal ceremonial parade, followed by lunch at the mess and the day was rounded up with a Grand Gala Dance in Chetwode Hall. Thus on 20th August 1944, officially not 20 years at that time, I was granted Emergency King’s Commission in His Majesty’s Indian Land Forces as and 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st PUNJAB Regiment. The Regiment had many battle honours and heroes and produced many world famous military leaders; amongst them were the then Commander-In-Chief, Indian Army, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinlek. This Regiment is now in Pakistan Army and grouped with the Punjab Regiment.

After Commission we were granted 10 days joining leave and then to report to our respective Regimental Centre. Since I got the order about my Commission rather late – as mentioned earlier I could not inform my brothers. So I decided to give them a surprise. On reaching Howrah at 4 p.m. I hired a taxi and reached Lillooah at about 4.30 p.m. everyone was happy to see me as an officer and there was all around shouts of joy.

We talked for sometime and I felt like having a cigarette. Since I did not smoke before them. I went to the bathroom to have a few puffs. There I discovered to my horror that the cigarette case together with my identity card, which I had placed inside, was missing. I rushed out like a mad person and searched my bush shirt pockets but it was not there. Seeing me in that state they enquired as to what had happened told them that my identity card which I had kept in my trouser pocket inside a silver case (a lie) – was missing. Noquika suggested that it might have slipped out in the taxi in which I came. I rushed to the Howrah Railway Station Taxi stand, though I did not note the number nor could I remember the face of the driver. Only thing I could recollect was that it was a green taxi but none of the drivers would recognise me. I stayed there till 9:30 p.m. but without any luck. When I returned home all were anxiously waiting and seeing my face, realised that I was not successful. Noquika suggested that it the taxi was from Howrah I could find it early morning before the arrival of the first train at 5 a.m. He advised me to take another chance in the morning.