Page 242 - Leadership in the Indian Army

Prem tried to be alone with Mohini, or asked her out for a dance, her father
refused permission. After Prem was ordered to proceed to Africa for the
War, he made one last attempt. It was his last night in Poona and Prem had

gone to the club. He was with some British officers and had been drinking
rather heavily. When he saw Mohini and her mother, he walked over to their
table and requested Mrs Bhandari’s permission to dance with her daughter.
Before she could reply, Colonel Bhandari appeared on the scene and Prem
beat a hasty retreat. However, before he left India, he did manage to obtain
permission to write to Mohini, arguing that the morale of soldiers on the
battle front depended to a large extent on letters from home and those not

directly involved had a duty in this respect, like rolling bandages and
visiting the sick and wounded. Colonel Bhandari could not refute this
argument and reluctantly gave his consent.
In September 1940, 21 Field Company was sent to East Africa with 5
Indian Division. Prem sailed from Bombay on 23 September 1940 on the
SS ‘Devonshire’. His brother Tutu and ‘Bimbo’ Bhatia were posted in 7

Infantry Brigade Signal Section, and sailed in the same convoy. After a long
voyage lasting almost a month, they arrived at Port Suez. 7 Infantry Brigade
disembarked and was sent to Egypt, while 10 and 11 Infantry Brigades
carried on, disembarking at Port Sudan. They became part of the Sudan
Defence Forces under the command of Lieutenant General W. Platt. 21
Field Company was part of 10 Infantry Brigade, then being commanded by
Brigadier W.J. Slim. It was located near Gallabat, which was held by the

Italians. Captain (later Lieutenant General) R.N. Batra was commanding 10
Infantry Brigade Signal Section, and this was the beginning of a long
association between Raj and Prem.
On 6 November 1940, Slim’s brigade launched an attack on Gallabat. The
assault was spearheaded by 3 Royal Garhwal Rifles, commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel S.E. Taylor. No. 2 Section of Prem’s company was

placed to support the battalion launching the attack. Prem himself was
travelling in one of the bren carriers with the section. After a spirited attack,
Gallabat fort was captured, but had to be relinquished because of a fierce
counter-attack. A withdrawal was ordered, and the Sappers were given the
task of road denial, to prevent the enemy from following too closely.
During this operation, two derelict tanks were filled with explosives and
jammed on a narrow culvert to cause a bottleneck. The charges were fired,

but one of the tanks failed to blow up and the culvert did not break. The