96-year-old World War-II veteran honoured

Chandigarh, October 12, 2013-A 96-year-old World War-II veteran, Narinder Singh, who had remained incarcerated for four year as a prisoner-of-war, was honoured at Mohali and given a lifelong monthly financial assistance by a non-government organisation.
Even as his has sought judicial intervention for grant of financial benefits for his service, Bangalore-based Flags of Honour Foundation has started paying in Rs 3,000 per month. The first check was handed over to him by Brig Abhay Bhargava, director of the foundation’s northern region.
Another check of Rs 25,000 was given to him by Brig Manjit Singh, Director Sainik Welfare Punjab, as a welfare grant. Narinder Also spoke about his experiences of the war on the occasion. A large number of ex-servicemen were also present on the occasion.
Narinder is presently residing in Mohali and has no source of income, medical benefits of canteen facilities from the army. His case came into limelight after he filed a writ petition before the Armed Forces Tribunal last month, seeking grant of benefits for services rendered during the War as are being paid to similarly placed World War–II veterans belonging to Kerala.

Narindar had been recruited into the Royal Indian Army Service Corps in May 1939 and served in Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Libya with the British forces. In 1951, along with other British troops, he was captured by the Germans in Libya and remained a prisoner-of-war till 1945 in various places including temporary prisoners’ barracks in Greece, camps in Italy and then Germany. He, along with other troops, was freed by the US Army and was moved to France and then to England before returning home.
The nation has nothing to offer Sepoy Narinder Singh, a 96-year-old World War II veteran from Mohali, who was recruited into the then British Indian Army to fight for the Empire. Singh was recruited in the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC) during WW-II and was trained at Rawalpindi. He later served for seven years and spent four years as a Prisoner of War (PoW).
Recalling his days, the war veteran said, "After six months of training at Rawalpindi, the commander recruited me as an Instructor. Later, I was deployed in Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Libya with the British forces". Sepoy Narinder Singh and his troops were in Libya when the German forces captured and incarcerated them for four years as PoW.
"During our first month, German forces kept us at Benghazi camp in Libya. We were kept at a place where there was a desert on one side and a sea on the other. The Germans deprived us of water and food for a month," he said. The war veteran said it was easy to die rather than live life as a PoW, while adding that life during those four years was no less than hell.
"After a month the Germans planned to take us to Greece. Later, they kept us at various places including temporary prisoners barracks in Greece, camps in Italy and then Germany from 1941-45. In the name of food, they gave us a loaf of bread that we consumed for seven days and they served us bitter soup every morning," he recalled.
The PoWs were released in 1946 after WW-II ended. Talking about the journey after their release, he said.  "We were taken to France by the American Forces. From France we were taken to Belgium and then to England. The Queen of England welcomed us and we reached Bombay and reported to our unit in Lucknow." However, Singh's difficulties do not end here.
The war veteran has not been given any benefit by the central or state governments. He does not have any ECHS card, nor he is aware of the procedure.
Narinder Singh has now sought monthly financial assistance as is being paid to World War II veterans from Kerala.
 The WW-II veteran was honoured at an event, organised by Ex-Serviceman Joint Action Front and Sanjha Morcha, where he was presented Rs 25,000 by Director Brigadier Manjit Singh (Punjab Parman Patra awardee) and a Life Time Grant of Rs 3,000 per month by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP.