MAJOR SOMNATH SHARMA: THE LAST MAN LAST ROUND

Date of Birth : Jan 31, 1923

Birth Place: Kangra (HP)

Service: Army

Last Rank: Major

Service Years: 1942 - 1947

Unit : 4 Kumaon

Regiment : The Kumaon Regiment

Awards: Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous), Mentioned in Dispatches 

Date of Martyrdom : Nov 03, 1947

Qoutes- "The enemies is only 50 yards from us. We are hopelessly outnumbered. I will not withdraw one inch but fight to the last man last round."

Major Somnath Sharma was born on 31st January 1923 in the Dadh district of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh (then Punjab province). He belonged to a truly military family wherein his father, brothers and sister all served in the Army. His father, Major General Vishwa Nath Sharma was an Army officer, as were his brothers, Lt. General Surindar Nath Sharma and General Vishwa Nath Sharma while his sister, Major Kamla Tewari, was a medical doctor. He went to Sherwood College in Nainital and at the age of ten, enrolled in the Prince of Wales Royal Military College, Dehra Dun before joining the Royal Military Academy. On 22nd February 1942, his military service began, as he was commissioned into the 8th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment (later 4th Battalion Kumaon Regiment) of the British Indian Army, the same regiment his maternal uncle Captain Krishna Dutt Vasudeva had served with.

World War ll :-

  Maj Som Nath Sharma fought in World War II under Colonel K S Thimmayya (later the army chief) in Burma with the British Army. In the very first posting, he was deployed in Arakan and proved his mettle. In Arakan while fighting with the Japanese, one of his soldiers was wounded and despite the gunfire from the enemy, he carried the injured soldier “Bahadur” on his shoulders to a safe place for treatment. He was awarded a ‘Mention in Dispatch’ for this act of courage.

Battle of Badgam-

On 3 November 1947, Major Som Nath Sharma, commanding D Company of 4 KUMAON, led the patrol. The patrol proceeded as planned without incident till the time came for withdrawing from Badgam. Sharma was ordered to fall back one company at a time, one company at 1400 hrs and he along with his company at 1500 hrs. At 1430 hrs, movement of tribals was seen to the West and near Badgam village. Sharma correctly surmised the movement in Badgam village was meant to divert attention while the attack would come in from the west. The lashkar attacked from the West. Sharma's company was soon surrounded by the enemy from three sides and sustained heavy casualties from the ensuing mortar bombardment. Sharma realized the importance of holding onto his position as both the city of Srinagar and the airport would be vulnerable if it were lost. Under heavy fire and outnumbered seven to one,^[4]:27 he urged his company to fight bravely, often exposing himself to danger as he ran from post to post. Despite the forward two platoons falling, Sharma desperately clung to his position with the depth platoon.

While he was busy fighting the enemy, a mortar shell exploded on the ammunition near him. His last message to Brigade HQ received a few moments before he was killed was:^[4]:28

"The enemies is only 50 yards from us. We are hopelessly outnumbered. I will not withdraw one inch but fight to the last man last round."

Brigadier Sen ordered an reorganisation of the defenses. 1 PUNJAB was ordered to vacate Magam immediately and fall back to Srinagar. By nightfall troops of 1 PUNJAB were in Srinagar and detachment sent to approach the Badgam feature. By then the KUMAON position had been long overrun.

 Somi's life story is often qouted in books and Army messes. It is a tale of sheer courage and glory. 

  The example set by him is recounted with a lot of respect and he fondly remembered not only by 4 Kumaon but the entire nation.

Jai hind.

Source- Wikipedia , The Brave