Each year as Remembrance Day looms near, memories of ‘another day’ visit the veterans amidst us and they travel back in time. Most veterans of WWII, now in their nineties, would rather forget – or have learned to forget – what they would rather not remember. General Douglas MacArthur summed it most articulately, “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer the deepest wounds and scars of war.” In spite of being proud of their services there are nightmares and tears as the battle never truly goes away.
While some veterans heal by learning to compartmentalize disturbing memories in a safe box, only to be unlocked on rare occasions, others who are less successful cave under the mental toll. Many find solace and closure by traveling to once enemy lands, honouring fallen comrades, tracing kind hands and forgiving foes. Personal stories of such healing do the rounds and stir hearts.
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic,” claims Arthur Ashe, and I experienced this personally in my encounters with our own WWII veterans. During a recent trip to England, I had the good fortune of meeting Lance Daffadar Muhammad Hussain, who embodies the true dignity of a veteran and carries himself with immense grace. He joined the British Army in 1941 and served in the 6th Lancers in Florence, Italy, from 1943 till the end of the war in 1945. The regiment was then commanded by Lt. Col. F.H.B. Ingall, later brigadier and founding commandant of the Pakistan Military Academy. His pictures have been featured in, The Tiger Triumphs – The Story of the Three Great Divisions by Lt. Col. G.R. Stevens. Daffadar Muhammad Hussain is shown arresting German elite forces along with 6th Lancers’ troops. After Partition, he served in the Pakistan Army in the 6th Lancers and 12th Cavalry, under iconic commanding officers like Lt. Col. Hissam El Effendi and Lt. Col. Sahabzada Yaqub Khan. He migrated to the UK after retirement and over a period of time became the chairman of the Indian Ex-Army Serviceman Association of Undivided India in Berkshire, London.
For this memorable meeting, I am most grateful to Col. (Retd.) Zahid Mumtaz, who is presently writing bibliographic sketches of armoured corps officers, with the zeal that they deserve to keep their legacies alive. The information he sent me, spurred me to connect with Mr. Hussain’s charming grandson and we decided to meet in Woking. His grandfather would be attending a special ceremony to honour all the Muslim soldiers who gave their lives for Britain in both World Wars.
Not being familiar with the area, I was told to reach the Shah Jahan Mosque, which is a well-known landmark in Woking. It was an honour for me to meet living history. Mr. Hussain had traveled from Windsor where he is now settled. He felt touched that someone from his home country had made an effort to meet him. He seemed a gentle giant, whose serene smile captivated me. Here was a man brimming with an eternal spring, completely defying the autumn years of his life. Meeting at Shah Jahan Mosque was fascinating in itself. It is the first purpose-built mosque constructed in the UK in 1889, by the Hungarian Jewish ex-Registrar of Punjab University, Dr. Gottleib Leitner, with financial backing from the then ruler of Bhopal, Begum Shah Jahan. Queen Victoria’s Indian secretary, Abdul Karim, and servants used the mosque when residing at Windsor Castle. Now it is a place of worship as well as a community centre.
From here, the three of us proceeded to Brookwood Cemetery as I had expressed a desire to pay my respects specially at the graves of Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall and Abdullah Yusuf Ali, two luminaries who first translated the Holy Quran into English. Mr. Hussain surprised me by knowing the exact location of the graves in the sprawling cemetery. I marveled at his memory. Finally, we reached the Peace Garden for the ceremony which was made all the more significant as it was held in the midst of the preserved remnants of the past. The military band transported the invitees to ‘another day’.
Situated among tall pine trees with ornate brick walls, the garden has a domed archway entrance and minaret reflecting the design of the nearby Shah Jahan Mosque. Nineteen Muslim Indian soldiers were buried here during WWI and eight more during WWII. In 1969, the bodies were moved to Brookwood Military Cemetery and the burial ground, after a period of disrepair, was restored to its original splendour. The Muslim graves are now looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and are beautifully preserved, honouring the commitment of those who lie there. As a mark of respect for the soldiers once buried there, a Peace Garden was installed. The band stopped. It was quiet and the words of a poem written by Dora Savory and Roisin Fellowes, two students of Woing High School, rang high above the pines.
27 Trees Here Blossom
27 trees
27 lives
27 stories left to blossom
27 trees.
Strong and tall, steadfastly facing the elements
Like soldiers on ships from the East.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
But yet they were here for us.
27 lives.
Buried in the land they fought for,
Intertwined with the roots like they are intertwined with our roots, our lives.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
Torn from their home and left here to lie.
27 stories.
Pages tossed and torn from the shelf to the mud.
Their biographies not ink on paper but blood on land, etchings on stone.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
1.2 million lives
1.2 millions stories
27 trees here blossom
To be remembered with honour is the most laudable tribute. My heart swelled with pride when Mr. Hussain laid wreaths as he has earned the honour to be able to honour his fellow soldiers. He is often the centre of attraction at Armed Forces Memorial Day ceremonies and was the chief guest recently at the National Memorial Arboretum, which commemorated Muslims’ contributions in both the World Wars. He was honoured most recently at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall where the Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were in attendance. I said goodbye to Mr. Hussain most happily, as it had been a pleasure to be in his delightful company. I am most grateful to his grandson, Ejaz Adham. He is an admirable young man who feels, “Serving Dadjaan has been my life’s greatest honour.”
Two veterans, both residing in Karachi, are Lt. Col. (Retd.) Saif ur Rahman, popularly known as Col. Tubby Rahman in the army, and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahanzeb Arbab, fondly nicknamed Gen. Bobby Arbab. Lt. Col. Tubby Rahman served in 4 Hodson Horse and 1 Indian Armoured Brigade, and was in the Middle east during WWII. His family welcomed me into their home and Lt. Col. Tubby very proudly showed me the records of his experiences that he has penned. I enjoyed the company of this seasoned gentleman deeply. Lt. Gen. Arbab was on the British Indian Army inventory as a cadet during WWII. Age has not dimmed this stylish gentleman’s sense of humour.
These charming men lend a unique grace to the world. They are surprising reminders that most soldiers are kind and caring men, who marched into the line of fire to keep it from spreading. They too had families anxiously waiting for their return. Some never returned like their comrades, but we must never forget them. And as for those who are still amongst us, we must continue to honour them. It is our duty to recognize the sacrifices of both.
While some veterans heal by learning to compartmentalize disturbing memories in a safe box, only to be unlocked on rare occasions, others who are less successful cave under the mental toll. Many find solace and closure by traveling to once enemy lands, honouring fallen comrades, tracing kind hands and forgiving foes. Personal stories of such healing do the rounds and stir hearts.
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic,” claims Arthur Ashe, and I experienced this personally in my encounters with our own WWII veterans. During a recent trip to England, I had the good fortune of meeting Lance Daffadar Muhammad Hussain, who embodies the true dignity of a veteran and carries himself with immense grace. He joined the British Army in 1941 and served in the 6th Lancers in Florence, Italy, from 1943 till the end of the war in 1945. The regiment was then commanded by Lt. Col. F.H.B. Ingall, later brigadier and founding commandant of the Pakistan Military Academy. His pictures have been featured in, The Tiger Triumphs – The Story of the Three Great Divisions by Lt. Col. G.R. Stevens. Daffadar Muhammad Hussain is shown arresting German elite forces along with 6th Lancers’ troops. After Partition, he served in the Pakistan Army in the 6th Lancers and 12th Cavalry, under iconic commanding officers like Lt. Col. Hissam El Effendi and Lt. Col. Sahabzada Yaqub Khan. He migrated to the UK after retirement and over a period of time became the chairman of the Indian Ex-Army Serviceman Association of Undivided India in Berkshire, London.
For this memorable meeting, I am most grateful to Col. (Retd.) Zahid Mumtaz, who is presently writing bibliographic sketches of armoured corps officers, with the zeal that they deserve to keep their legacies alive. The information he sent me, spurred me to connect with Mr. Hussain’s charming grandson and we decided to meet in Woking. His grandfather would be attending a special ceremony to honour all the Muslim soldiers who gave their lives for Britain in both World Wars.
Not being familiar with the area, I was told to reach the Shah Jahan Mosque, which is a well-known landmark in Woking. It was an honour for me to meet living history. Mr. Hussain had traveled from Windsor where he is now settled. He felt touched that someone from his home country had made an effort to meet him. He seemed a gentle giant, whose serene smile captivated me. Here was a man brimming with an eternal spring, completely defying the autumn years of his life. Meeting at Shah Jahan Mosque was fascinating in itself. It is the first purpose-built mosque constructed in the UK in 1889, by the Hungarian Jewish ex-Registrar of Punjab University, Dr. Gottleib Leitner, with financial backing from the then ruler of Bhopal, Begum Shah Jahan. Queen Victoria’s Indian secretary, Abdul Karim, and servants used the mosque when residing at Windsor Castle. Now it is a place of worship as well as a community centre.
From here, the three of us proceeded to Brookwood Cemetery as I had expressed a desire to pay my respects specially at the graves of Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall and Abdullah Yusuf Ali, two luminaries who first translated the Holy Quran into English. Mr. Hussain surprised me by knowing the exact location of the graves in the sprawling cemetery. I marveled at his memory. Finally, we reached the Peace Garden for the ceremony which was made all the more significant as it was held in the midst of the preserved remnants of the past. The military band transported the invitees to ‘another day’.
Situated among tall pine trees with ornate brick walls, the garden has a domed archway entrance and minaret reflecting the design of the nearby Shah Jahan Mosque. Nineteen Muslim Indian soldiers were buried here during WWI and eight more during WWII. In 1969, the bodies were moved to Brookwood Military Cemetery and the burial ground, after a period of disrepair, was restored to its original splendour. The Muslim graves are now looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and are beautifully preserved, honouring the commitment of those who lie there. As a mark of respect for the soldiers once buried there, a Peace Garden was installed. The band stopped. It was quiet and the words of a poem written by Dora Savory and Roisin Fellowes, two students of Woing High School, rang high above the pines.
27 Trees Here Blossom
27 trees
27 lives
27 stories left to blossom
27 trees.
Strong and tall, steadfastly facing the elements
Like soldiers on ships from the East.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
But yet they were here for us.
27 lives.
Buried in the land they fought for,
Intertwined with the roots like they are intertwined with our roots, our lives.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
Torn from their home and left here to lie.
27 stories.
Pages tossed and torn from the shelf to the mud.
Their biographies not ink on paper but blood on land, etchings on stone.
Not their country, not their people, not their war.
1.2 million lives
1.2 millions stories
27 trees here blossom
To be remembered with honour is the most laudable tribute. My heart swelled with pride when Mr. Hussain laid wreaths as he has earned the honour to be able to honour his fellow soldiers. He is often the centre of attraction at Armed Forces Memorial Day ceremonies and was the chief guest recently at the National Memorial Arboretum, which commemorated Muslims’ contributions in both the World Wars. He was honoured most recently at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall where the Queen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were in attendance. I said goodbye to Mr. Hussain most happily, as it had been a pleasure to be in his delightful company. I am most grateful to his grandson, Ejaz Adham. He is an admirable young man who feels, “Serving Dadjaan has been my life’s greatest honour.”
Two veterans, both residing in Karachi, are Lt. Col. (Retd.) Saif ur Rahman, popularly known as Col. Tubby Rahman in the army, and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahanzeb Arbab, fondly nicknamed Gen. Bobby Arbab. Lt. Col. Tubby Rahman served in 4 Hodson Horse and 1 Indian Armoured Brigade, and was in the Middle east during WWII. His family welcomed me into their home and Lt. Col. Tubby very proudly showed me the records of his experiences that he has penned. I enjoyed the company of this seasoned gentleman deeply. Lt. Gen. Arbab was on the British Indian Army inventory as a cadet during WWII. Age has not dimmed this stylish gentleman’s sense of humour.
These charming men lend a unique grace to the world. They are surprising reminders that most soldiers are kind and caring men, who marched into the line of fire to keep it from spreading. They too had families anxiously waiting for their return. Some never returned like their comrades, but we must never forget them. And as for those who are still amongst us, we must continue to honour them. It is our duty to recognize the sacrifices of both.