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THE CHARM OF 20 th CENTURY CE MECHANISED INFANTRY FROM SANDS OF THAR TO THE VANNI JUNGLES “ Ole soldiers ne’er die, they just fade into the sunset, A distant memory in the minds of their loved ones And their erstwhile comrades in arms, They are the living legends of an era gone by, When they were strong and could do no wrong …” – Col RS Sidhu Training for War “… We were all wet, exhausted and shivering with cold. Suddenly we sensed ground vibrations under our feet and a thundering crescendo of sound enveloped the bridging site. It seemed to emanate from all the cardinal directions of the horizon. We forgot our physical discomfort. With the launch of our bridge successful, the leading Combat Groups of the famed Indian Strike Corps were already homing onto the bridge, in a finely orchestrated manoeuvre, to carry the battle deep into ‘enemy’ territory. The satisfaction of we being the leading elements in setting the stage for the commencement ...