Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon
Encyclopedia
Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon (March 18, 1914 – February 6, 2006) was an officer in the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...

 who was charged with "waging war against His Majesty the King Emperor". Along with Shah Nawaz Khan
Shah Nawaz Khan
Shah Nawaz Khan may refer to:* Shah Nawaz Khan , Pakistani judge* Shah Nawaz Khan , Indian army officer and politician* Shah Nawaz Khan , representative from Ghazni to the Meshrano Jirga...

 and Prem Kumar Sahgal, he was tried by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 in the INA trials
INA trials
The INA trials or the Red Fort Trials refer to the courts martial of a number of officers of the Indian National Army between November 1945 and May 1946 variously for treason, torture, murder and abetment to murder....

 that began on November 5, 1945 at Red Fort. Dhillon also played an important role in the Indian independence negotiations.

Childhood

Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon was born at Algon on 18 March 1914, the fourth child of Sardar Takhar Singh, a verterinary surgeon in the 8th King George's Own light cavalry. His father and mother were descendants of the Dhillon and Dhariwal
Dhariwal
Dhariwal are a clan of Jats found in both India and Pakistan.- History :One branch of the Mudgals was called Dharan. Later on, these people were known as Dhariwals....

 Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

 Jat
Jat people
The Jat people are a community of traditionally non-elite tillers and herders in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and subsequently into the Delhi Territory,...

 clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...

s, respectively. His childhood name was Bakshi.

Education

Dhillon's early education was at Changa Manga
Changa Manga
The Changa Manga is a planted forest and a wildlife park in Lahore District, Punjab, Pakistan.-Forestry:The forest is entered from a road from off the N-5 Highway near Bhai Pheru. The forest covers an area of and is one of the largest man-made forests on the planet...

, a government primary school. After passing 4th class he went on to a number of other schools, namely, Government High School, Chunian
Chunian
Chunian is an historic city of Punjab, Pakistan. It is located at 30° 58' 0N 73° 58' 60E. The is located at an elevations of 177 metres , and lies about 70 km south of Lahore, the Punjab capital. It is the headquarters of a tehsil or revenue sub-division of the same name in Kasur District...

 in Lahore district; Government High School, Dipalpore in Montgomery
Sahiwal
Sahiwal is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the administrative centre of Sahiwal District and Sahiwal Division. Sahiwal is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and is the city between Lahore and Multan...

 district; Vernacular Middle School, Raiwind
Raiwind
Raiwind is a town in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is part of the Nishter Town subdivision of Lahore District and is located at 31°15'16N 74°13'4E with an altitude of 203 metres and lies about 25 km from Lahore, the capital of the Punjab...

 in Lahore district; Victoria Dalip High School, Solan
Solan
Solan is a town and a municipal council in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located south of state capital Shimla. The place is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini devi. Solan was the capital of erstwhile princely state, Bhagat...

 in Baghat
Baghat
Baghat was a princely state of the British Raj, located in modern-day Himachal Pradesh. It constituted one of the Simla Hill States. It consisted of three separate parts which were almost entirely surrounded by the larger Patiala territory. The largest part comprised approximately , extending...

; Dayanand Anglo Vernacular High School, Montgomery, and lastly Gordon Mission College, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...

.

His exposure to many different religions during this time made him into a secular person. He was a member of the Boy Scout Association. He spoke Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...

 and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

.

In 1931, he graduated from Dayanand Anglo Vernacular High School, Montgomery, and joined the faculty of science in Gordon Mission College, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...

. He failed to qualify for an F.Sc. at Punjab University in 1933, ending his dream of becoming a doctor. Early that year, his father had retired from service, and after matriculation, he was unable to get a job.

Army enlistment

J.F.L. Taylor, a friend of his father, suggested that Dhillon join the Indian Army as a sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...

 and further improve his education. He joined the Training Battalion of the 10/14th Punjab Regiment
14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....

 on May 29, 1933, receiving pay of fifteen rupees per month. He completed his training in the first week of March 1934.

During June 1936, he was selected for training at Kitchner College, Nowgong
Nowgong
Nowgong can refer to:* Naogaon District, Bangladesh* Nagaon - a city in Nagaon district, Assam, India*Nowgong, Chhatarpur - a city and former military center, Chattarpur District, Madhya Pradesh, India...

 as a prospective candidate for the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...

. From Nowgong, he was sent to his parent unit, and from there to Dehradun. At the IMA, he was considered an average cadet. The start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 cut short his training in the Academy by one term and he graduated in March 1940. He was posted to the 1st Battalion of the 14th Punjab Regiment, which was called "Sher Dil Paltan". He joined this battalion on the last day of March 1940 at Lahore, in the same barracks where he had been a sepoy. His battalion moved from Lahore to Secunderabad in September 1940.

Overseas move

In February 1941, Dhillon and his battalion were ordered to move overseas. They left Secunderabad on 3 March 1941 for Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

 Island and from there to Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....

, north of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

 in British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...

. After about two months at Ipoh, the battalion moved to Sungei Pattani
Pattani
Pattani may refer to* Pattani Province, in southern Thailand* Pattani , in southern Thailand* Pattani , which includes the above province** Pattani Kingdom, a former semi-independent kingdom...

 in South Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...

 as a part of the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade under Brigadier Garrett.

The 3rd Cavalry was allotted the defence of Penang. Dhillon disembarked at Singapore and reported at the 7th Mixed Reinforcement Camp at Bidadari. From Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 he was sent to Jitra
Jitra
Jitra is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. It is located in the Kubang Pasu district.It is the fourth largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim....

, situated on the main road to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, 16 miles (25.7 km) south of the border. He arrived at Jitra on December 5, 1941.

World War II

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

 and the bombing of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 on the early morning of 7 December 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. The Japanese forces completely destroyed the squadrons of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 at Sungei, Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...

, and Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...

 airfields. On December 11, 1941, 1/14th Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment may refer to the following existing units:*Punjab Regiment *Punjab Regiment From 1922 to 1947, the British Indian Army included 6 numbered Punjab Regiments:*1st Punjab Regiment*2nd Punjab Regiment*8th Punjab Regiment...

 fought a pitched battle at Changlun near the Thai frontier. Dhillon commanded the Headquarters Company with his C.O. Colonel Fitzpatrick. The Battle of Changlun
Battle of Jitra
The Battle of Jitra was a major engagement fought between the invading Japanese and Allied forces during the Malayan Campaign of the Second World War. The battle lasted from 11-13 December 1941...

 went on for eight hours, before ending in defeat. The Alor Star had also fallen.

On December 13, 1941 Dhillon arrived at Miami Beach near Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

. The unit was ordered to evacuate Penang, and guard a railway bridge at Nibong Tabol. They guarded the bridge for another two days until the arrival of Japanese. Then they were then ordered to withdraw to Ipoh, where Dhillon contracted malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...

. He was hospitalized and sent to Singapore.

By the dawn of 9 February 1941, almost two divisions of the Japanese had landed on Singapore. On February 10, 1941, 7 MRC was moved to Raffles Square, a business area. By that time it was apparent that the surrender of Singapore was imminent. On February 13, 1941, Raffles Square was bombed. 7 MRC suffered heavily, with about 300 killed and many more wounded. Dhillon, together with the second-in-command of the unit, an English major, had a difficult job disposing of the corpses, dropping them in the ocean. Singapore capitulated on February 15, 1941 and British Forces surrendered unconditionally to the Japanese.

The defeated and demoralized Indian soldiers collected themselves at Farrer Park
Farrer Park
Farrer Park is a historic neighbourhood in the central part of Singapore, located at the end of Little India. Farrer Park is defined by the boundary formed by Dorset Road, Hampshire Road and Northumberland Road.-Etymology:...

 in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. Major Fujiwara, addressing the POWs, expressed that it was his firm belief that world peace and the liberation of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 could not be achieved and maintained without a free and independent India. He further said that if Indian POWs in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...

 were prepared to fight British imperialism for the noble cause of achieving the independence of their motherland, the Imperial Japanese government would provide all out support. He suggested the formation of an Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...

, and handed over all the POWs in Malaya to Captain Mohan Singh.

Formation of Indian National Army

At the stage on Farrer Park, Mohan Singh addressed the POWs that were to be the nucleus of the Indian National Army. The army was to fight under its own leadership, with, it was argued, a real and just cause to wage war.

Mohan Singh was from the same unit as Dhillon, and was a close friend. On February 17, 1942, Dhillon decided to join the Indian National Army and took a vow not to drink until India became free. Next morning Singh issued orders to for all the units of various camps on the island to march to their new allotted accommodation. Dhillon’s unit was to proceed to Neesoon Camp, located in a village situated 13 miles (20.9 km) away from main town of Singapore. This camp was the former regimental centre of the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and Singapore Royal Artillery.

The Japanese had asked the Supreme Headquarters to provide 200 officers to guard the British and Australian prisoners of war at Changi Camp. Dhillon volunteered his services for this unpleasant task. At Changi Camp, Dhillon and other Indians were asked by the Japanese to give up the British drill and words of command and adopt Japanese ones. Here they kept the Allied POWs in five separate Camps – Australian Camp, Hospital area, 9th Indian Division Camp, 11th Indian Division Camp, and 18th British Camp. Each camp was commanded by its own officer, usually a general residing in the Camp. Changi was under the military control of the Japanese. After some time at Changi Camp, Dhillon fell seriously ill. He was released from the command of the Changi garrison, sent to Seletar Camp, and admitted to a POW hospital.

Shaping Indian National Army

Dhillon’s health improved at Seletar
Seletar
Seletar is an area of Singapore within its North-East Region. Seletar commonly refers to the areas south of Yishun and west of Sungei Punggol, covering Yio Chu Kang near Jalan Kayu , the Lower Seletar Reservoir and part of Upper Thomson .The Seletar Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the...

 Camp. Along with over thirty important senior officers from among the Indian POWs, he attended the Bidadari conference called by Mohan Singh on 24 April 1942. The resolutions of this conference, which came to be known as the "Bidadari Resolutions", formed the backbone the INA. As resolved at the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 Conference, a representative conference of the Indians met at Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

 on 15 June 1942, and continued for ten days, and resulted in the Bangkok Resolution. Thirty INA volunteers nominated by Mohan Singh from among the Indian prisoners of war attended the conference. Dhillon received his commission on 1 September 1942, and was posted as a major on the 10 September 1942. He was still ill, and so was attached to the Reinforcement Group.

Dhillon attended the first review of the INA, held at Padaung
Padaung
Padaung is a river village in Homalin Township in Hkamti District in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma. It is located on the bank of the Chindwin River next to Maungkan.-External links:*...

 in front of the municipal buildings on October 2, 1942, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...

. Because of his continued poor health, he was recommended a month’s leave and sent to Penang. He returned to Singapore in the middle of November 1942. The Japanese had not yet ratified the Bangkok Resolutions, nor recognized the INA as an independent army. In early December 1942, the Japanese asked the INA Headquarters to dispatch an advance party to move to Burma to prepare camps and accommodation for the main body of the army. Meanwhile, differences developed between Mohan Singh and the Japanese, and Singh was arrested on December 29, 1942. On the advice of Rash Behari Bose
Rash Behari Bose
Rashbehari Bose was a revolutionary leader against the British Raj in India and was one of the key organisers of the Ghadar conspiracy and later, the Indian National Army.-Early life:...

, Dhillon continued in the INA despite the resulting crisis of command, and also encouraged others to remain.

Meanwhile Subhas Chandra Bose was trying to come to the East. In anticipation of Netaji’s arrival, the revived INA was reorganized under its new headquarters, the Directorate of Military Bureau (DMB), with Colonel J.K. Bhonsle as the director. Dhillon was appointed as Deputy Quartermaster General in the "Q" Branch at Army Headquarters. He was to look after the Technical Branch, and was also responsible for accommodation. The Army Headquarters was organized by the middle of March 1943, and gazetted on April 17, 1943. On appointment, Dhillon collected the kit and clothing of those personnel who had decided to leave the INA. When Netaji arrived on July 2, 1943, the Army was enlarged, and Dhillon was transferred to the 5th Guerilla Regiment.

The 5th Guerrilla Regiment

Dhillon was appointed second-in-command to Major J.W. Rodrigues in December 1943. Rodrigues raised the 5th Guerrilla Regiment at Bidadari in Singapore. Apart from helping in raising the regiment, Dhillon was responsible for training, discipline, morale, and welfare of the troops. The 5th Guerrilla Regiment was formed as part of the 2nd INA Division, which was organized under the command of Colonel N.S. Bhagat, after the 1st Division’s move to the front.

On March 30, 1944, the 5th Guerrilla Regiment moved to Ipoh in Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...

. Dhillon proceeded with the advance party to make necessary arrangements for the regiment.

Move to Burma

Dhillon was sent to the front at Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...

. On July 15, 1944, he left Jitra for the journey Kawashi, Mergui
Mergui
Myeik is a city in Tanintharyi Division in Myanmar , located in the extreme south of the country on the coast of an island on the Andaman Sea. the estimated population was over 209,000. The area inland from the city is a major smuggling corridor into Thailand.-History:Myeik was the southernmost...

, and Tavoy
Dawei
-Transport:Only recently Dawei was connected to the rest of Myanmar by road and rail. There are plans to construct a deepwater port in Dawei. In November 2010, the Myanmar Port Authority signed a USD $8.6 billion deal with Italian-Thai Development to develop a deep sea port at Dawei...

 through Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, and then to Moulmein and Rangoon in Burma. From Bangkok, they flew on August 21, 1944 to Rangoon on Netaji’s personal aircraft, the "Azad Hind". They were billeted at Mingaladon Camp about 14 miles (22.5 km) from Rangoon. Dhillon officiated as the Deputy Adjutant General and also the Deputy Quartermaster General in the Divisional headquarters at the first anniversary of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind. As part of the celebrations of the anniversary, a review of the 2nd Division of the INA was arranged at Mingaladon. Dhillon made arrangements and issued orders for the ceremonial parade, which was held on 18 October 1944.

The Nehru Brigade

Dhillon met Subhas Chandra Bose on October 15, 1944 at his residence in Rangoon, and on October 26, was promoted to commander of the Nehru Brigade. Towards the end of 1943, "The Nehru" had been placed under the First Division, and it has moved to Mandala
Mandala
Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point...

 in Burma in early 1944. The Nehru Brigade was to hold the Irrawaddy River
Ayeyarwady River
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Burma . It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through...

 from Nyaungu in the north to Pangan in the south. In mid December 1944, the Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...

 Commander General S. Katamura visited The Nehru Brigade along with Colonel I. Fujiwara, a Japanese supporter of the INA.

Dhillon formed an advance party from the 9th Battalion and left for Pagan on December 29, 1944. Dhillon ordered the battalions to leave Myingyan by February 4, 1945, so as to be in their respective positions by February 8, 1945. The Nehru Brigade held the Irrawaddy as planned, and Dhillon kept his headquarters at Tetthe throughout the operation.

On February 12, 1945 enemy planes saturation bombed the INA defences. The following night, the enemy launched an assault on the 8th battalion deployed at Pagon. These assaults failed and the enemy had to withdraw. The Nehru Brigade continued to hold the Irrawaddy, in what was to become the INA's first military victory. After the failure at Pagan, the British tried another assault opposite Nyaungu, using outboard motors and rubber boats. This assault also failed, and hundreds of soldiers were killed, forcing the survivors to retreat. However, the INA's victories could not be sustained, and, when it eventually withdrew, Dhillon had to proceed to Pagan.

Dhillon reached Pagan on February 17, 1945. On February 23, 1945, General Shah Nawaz visited the Commander of Khanjo Butai and discussed co-ordination of Indo-Japanese operations in the Popa
Popa
-People:Popa is a common family name in Romania. Persons named Popa include:*Celestina Popa, Romanian, artistic gymnast*Constantin Popa, Romanian-Israeli basketball player*Gabriel Popa, Romanian painter*Loredan Popa, Romanian canoer...

 and Kyauk Padaung area. Colonel Sahgal was ordered to prepare Popa as a strong base for future attacks. Dhillon’s regiment, the 4th Guerrilla, was ordered to check the enemy advance on to Kyauk Padaung from the west, where the British had established a strong bridgehead at Nyaungu. This was to be achieved by carrying out extensive and persistent guerrilla warfare in the area between Popa and Kyauk Padaung, to deny the enemy the use of the Nyaungu-Kyauk-Padaullg-Meiktila road. Shah Nawaz arrived at Popa on 12 March 1945, and relieved Dhillon to join his regiment.

On April 4, 1945 his division commander, Colonel Shah Nawaz Khan, ordered Dhillon to return from Khabok to Popa. By then, the 4th Guerrilla regiment had been in the area for over five weeks. Mount Popa and Kyaukpadaung was one pocket of resistance, which had so far defied all British attacks. Under constant raids by the INA, the British forces were forced to use longer routes that caused the them loss of time, greater consumption of fuel, and frequent breakdowns of their vehicles.

From early April 1945, the strategic situation began to change rapidly. The British launched a three-pronged attack on Mount Popa and Kyaukpadaung. On 5 April 1945, Dhillon was allotted the defence of Kyaukpadaung, south of Popa. In the second week of April, the area suffered daily bombing, and the British forces advanced in heavy tanks and armoured vehicles. Sustaining heavy casualties, the INA could not organize any defence, and the 2nd Division withdrew to Magwe
Magwe
-Burma:*Magway, Burma, the capital city of Magway Division of Burma *Magway Division *Magway District in Magway Division*Magway Township in Magway District*Magway University in Magwe, Burma...

, 100 miles (160.9 km) to the south.

After withdrawing from Magwe, they came to a village called Kanni. By this time, Burma had declared war on Japan, and so the villagers did not co-operate with INA. Their retreat was under the control of General Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....

’s People’s National Army, which had established a parallel government controlling around fifty villages. They crossed the Irrawaddy at Kama, and reached Prome on May 1, 1945. Most of the INA officers and men could not cross the river and were stranded on the east bank. It was apparent by then that they had lost the war, and Rangoon had already been evacuated.

From Prome, they retreated southeast through the jungles of the Pegu Yomas. Eleven days after leaving Prome, they reached a village called Wata about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Pegu, and learned that Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 had recently surrendered, and Japan was suffering heavy bombing. The British forces had already occupied Pegu, and Rangoon fell during the last week of April. The surviving forces of INA decided to surrender to the British.

Surrender

On the 17th May, 1945, the British encircled the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...

, which surrendered without any formal ceremony. The POWs were sent to Pegu, and Shah Nawaz and Dhillon were taken to No. 3 Field Interrogation Centre under the command of Major C. Ore on May 18, 1945. On May 31, Dhillon was sent to Rangoon Central Jail, where he was joined by Shah Nawaz on June 9.

On July 1, 1945, Dhillon was brought to Calcutta by plane and from there, sent to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

 by train. On July 6 he was sent to the Red Fort and interrogated by a man named Bannerjee from the Central Intelligence Department. The interrogation was concluded by the third week of July. On the August 6, 1945, Shah Nawaz, Sahgal, and Dhillon were jointly summoned to the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre
Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre
The term Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre was used for facilities in the UK, the continent between 1942 and 1947, the Middle East, and South Asia. They were run by the British War Office on a joint basis involving the British Army and various intelligence agencies, notably MI5 and...

 for a trial of the INA. On September 17, 1945, the trio were charged with waging war against the King. The news of the trial was made public through the press and All India Radio.

The Red Fort trial


The trial began on November 5, 1945, while a mass demonstration was going on outside the Red Fort. People gave voice to their resentment on the trials by shouting:

Lal Qile se aaee awaz,

Sahgal Dhillon Shah Nawaz,

Teenon ki ho umar daraz

(Meaning – Sahgal, Dhillon, Shah Nawaz, comes the voice from the Red Fort. May the trio live long)


The trial concluded on December 31, and Dhillon, along with the other two defendants, became a symbol of the ongoing struggle for Indian independence. The verdict came the following day. All three were found guilty of waging war against the King Emperor, and the court was bound to sentence the accused either to death or to deportation for life. However, the Commander-in-Chief, Claude Auchinleck
Claude Auchinleck
Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...

, taking into consideration the prevailing circumstances, decided to remit the sentences, and all three defendants were later released.

The release was of momentous significance at a national level, because the unprecedented publicity in the national papers and other media during the proceedings had enhanced the credibility and legitimacy of the freedom struggle by the Indian National Army. On the day after the release, January 4, the whole of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

gathered to participate in a rally.

Recognition

  • K.R. Narayanan, the president of India
    President of India
    The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...

    , awarded a Padma Bhushan
    Padma Bhushan
    The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...

     Dhillon on 12 April 1998.
  • The Indian Postal Department issued a stamp in 1997, in memory of Dhillon’s contribution to the liberation of India.

Writing

Dhillon wrote an autobiography, From my Bones, in which he has recorded his experiences of the INA and the Red Fort trial. Dhillon also published some poetry, and, though not prolific in this field, his poems vividly capture some of the momentous events of recent history.

Personal life

Dhillon married Basant Kaur at the age of fourteen in 1928. Their first child, Amrita, was born on 15 April 1947 at Simla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...

. Amrita studied at Banasthali Vidyapith
Banasthali Vidyapith
Banasthali Vidyapith is an all woman's university located in the Tonk district of Rajasthan, India, 72 km from Jaipur. Banasthali has developed into a national centre for women's education. It is one of the five universities in India exclusively for women...

 for eleven years, and later became a doctor. Dhillon he had two sons, Amarjit and Sarvjit, both of whom settled at Shivpuri
Shivpuri
Shivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...

. His wife died on 19 March 1968 at Shivpuri.

Death

Dhillon was living in "Dhillon’s Den" at the village of Hatod in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

during his last days of life. He died on February 6, 2006 in the intensive care unit of the J.A. Hospital, Gwalior, following a cardiac arrest after a prolonged illness. He was cremated with full military honours at Azad Hind Park in Shivpuri, on February 8, 2006.

At the first anniversary of his death, a large number of people from different sections of society attended a memorial service at the park.

External links

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