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GENESIS

             Pre - Independence Reunion



                   he  Indian  Mountain  Artillery  in  the  March  of  1933                 Finally, 230 Indian officers and about 1200 pensioners
             T  consisted of nineteen batteries. Ambala station had three           were  invited.  Every facility  by  road  and  rail  was  offered  and
             artillery  regimental  headquarters  including  a  Mountain              eventually some 152 Indian officers and 750 other ranks turned
             Artillery, a Medium Brigade as well as the Mountain Artillery          up. Admirable arrangements were made by Lieutenant Colonel

             Training  Centre.  The  officers  of  the  Mountain  Artillery  had    Little, the Centre Commandant and his staff. A large camp was
             long  planned  a  Reunion,  the  first  of  its  kind.  Move  of  the   pitched and the young soldiers of the Centre organised to wait
             Mountain Artillery Training Centre from Lucknow to Ambala,             and  take  care  of  the  old.  Lieutenant  General  Sir  George

             a central location in Punjab in 1931 made it possible.                 Mac Munn, KCB, KCSI, DSO, Colonel Commandant Royal
                                                                                    Artillery  arrived  on  the  day  of  the  assembly.  The  functions
                    In  the  beginning  of  1933,  there  were  perhaps  6000        included sports, displays and spectacles and open air cinemas.
             non-effectives of the Indian ranks of the Mountain Artillery. It       All  arrangements  worked  admirably  and  the  gathering  was  a
             was  arranged  that  each  of  the  six  mountain  artillery  brigades   scene of romance and fidelity beyond description.

             submit  200  names  of  men  to  be  invited  to  a  Reunion  and
                                                                                                 th
             further publicity was given in the Fauji Akbhar.                              On 16  March 1933, in the morning, Field Marshal Sir
                                                                                    Philip  Chetwode,  the  Commander-in-Chief  arrived  and  with

                                                                                    him  the  Quartermaster-General,  Sir  Alexande  Wardrop,
                                                                                    Colonel  Commandant  Royal  Artillery,  Lieutenant  General
                                                                                    Kirwan, the Master General of the Ordnance, Major General
                                                                                    Newcome,  the  Inspector  of  Artillery,  Brigadier  A.  H.
                                                                                    Moberley,  commanding  the  Artillery  of  the  Northern

                                                                                    Command,  and  Colonel  Farfan,  commanding  the  Artillery
                                                                                    School at Kakul.


                                                                                           The Chief interacted with the veteran officers and men
                                                                                    and  was  astounded  to  see  the  medals  and  decoration
                                                                                    representing years of loyal and staunch service.


             Camel Pack Artillery, Bikaner State Forces at the Reunion
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