Poems >> Poems of Valour and Sorrow >> The Second Third Spirit

The Second Third Spirit

Lt. Col. A.K. ‘Sam’ Sharma

This battle ballad is based on an real to life episode when Sam was seving with 2/3 G R ( The Victoria Cross paltan, two VCs in WW I) in Delhi’s Red Fort The paltan was on ceremonial duties in the Rashtrapati Bhawan .

This unit is like any other

he thought,

same flaps

same chaos

like in any other;

It was so

Apparently,

only.

Month of May

Heat.

Night & day.

Burning asphalt

And sandstone.

Sentry on post – all alone.

Smart & steady

Apparently?

but giddy

Falls flat on his face yet

ram-rod straight;

Still.

Jeep whizzed by ..

Flurry of drill & arms.

crackling command

“Present arms!”

But late.

Fate.

In righteous anger

Snarled the CO

“How dare you not

Salute?

‘Guilty or Not’? was the demand

of the officer in Command

of Second Third.

‘Not Guilty spluttered the accused NCO’

‘How dare you deny!’

was the cry

of the Tiger

in the Orderly Room.

‘Deprived of the Appointment of Lance Naik.’

March him out.

This is bad;

a trifle sad

This boy would have been

A havildar soon.

Interview.

Let me see his point of view

( and clear my conscience )

at least.

Conclusion

‘You were not wrong’

I shall make up

by posting you out

as with out a doubt

I definitely have clout

with the Centre Commandant;

to another paltan.

‘You will rise again

‘Forget it’ cut in the lad,

“It is bad,

And may be sad,

But we have out pride.”

I’ll take this all in my stride,

I want to stay to the very last day

. of my service as a Rifleman

in Second Battalion of the Third Gorkha Rifles;

for this is where I was born

From this is where I’ll go”

Fabulous spirit

This paltan is different

Now I know

why

France & Flanders, flowered the two

VCs and earned grandeur,

Italy, the charge at I’ll Castello,

8th Army, and the scrap with Afrika Korps;

Pir Kanthi & Uri, begot battle honours and

decorations galore,

and above all fostered

It’s matchless spirit.


Lt. Col A.K. ‘Sam’ Sharma

Sam Sharma is 4/3 Gorkha Officers, who was the original Bronco. This poem, as well as Buzzard Feast are based on exploits of the broncos in the 1965 war with Pakistan; actually a raid on a Pakistani post, on the Line of Control. He is a regular visitor to the site and a great supporter.