Service No : 2681831

Place of birth : Udampur Dist (J&K)

Service : Army

Last Rank : Grenadier

Unit : 18 Grenadiers

Arm/Regt : The Grenadiers

Operation : Op Vijay ( Kargil )

Awards : Mention-in- Dispatches

Martyrdom : July 5, 1999

Grenadier Rattan Chand

Grenadier Rattan Chand hailed from Garhi village of Udhampur district in Jammu & Kashmir. He joined the army on 17 August 1981 after completing his initial education. He was recruited into the 18 Grenadiers Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment, an infantry regiment known for its intrepid soldiers and many battle honors. After serving for a few years, he married Ms. Sushma Devi. By 1999, Gdr Rattan Chand had served over seventeen years in various challenging operational areas.

 

Battle of Tiger Hill (Kargil War): 04/05 July 1999

 

During the Kargil War, specifically on the night of 4/5 July 1999, Gdr Rattan Chand's unit, 18 Grenadiers, was deployed in Jammu & Kashmir along the Line of Control (LOC). The 18 Grenadiers Battalion, under the command of Col Kushal Thakur, was inducted into the Drass area by the third week of May 1999. The battalion was functioning under the command of 56 Mountain Brigade, with overall operational control being exercised by 8 Mountain Division under Maj Gen Mohinder Puri. After capturing Tololing, the next task was to capture Pt 4875 and Tiger Hill. The 192 Mountain Brigade was tasked with capturing the Tiger Hill feature with the 18 Grenadiers Battalion and a company of the 8 Sikh Battalion.

 

The Tiger Hill complex was one of the most dominating features in the Drass sector.Pakistani soldiers occupying Tiger Hill were using artillery to control large tracts of National Highway 1A, making it urgent and necessary to evict them. The Tiger Hill complex was divided into several smaller objectives. The peak from the southern side was called 'Top,' prominent cuts on the east and west were named 'Tooth' and 'V' cut;the western spur was further divided into parts: India Gate, Helmet, and Rocky Knob; and the southeast side was called Tongue. The terrain was extremely rugged, with gradients running up to 70-80 degrees.To completely isolate the enemy on Tiger Hill, Col Kushal Thakur decided to launch a multidirectional attack, with the majority of the forces assaulting from unexpected directions. The attack on Tiger Hill commenced on 3 July 1999 at 2030 hours. By 0400 hours on 5 July 1999, 18 Grenadiers and 8 Sikh had captured several important features of Tiger Hill, successfully isolating the enemy at the top.

 

On the night of 4/5 July 1999, Gdr Rattan Chand's section was assigned to capture the eastern flank of Tiger Hill under Hav Madan Lal as the section commander. The success of the company's forthcoming attack depended on this section's ability to capture and hold the top position. Despite heavy obstacles, the team established a 'Fire Support Base' and, with fearless determination, attacked the summit using mountaineering equipment under precise enemy fire. At an altitude of 16,500 feet, facing severe enemy fire, Gdr Rattan Chand and his comrades reached the summit in six hours. This daring approach from an unexpected direction disoriented the enemy, causing them to retreat. However, during intense firing, Gdr Rattan Chand was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries. Besides Gdr Rattan Chand, six other soldiers of the 18 Grenadiers were martyred during this operation: Hav Madan Lal, Naik Devraj, Gdr Anant Ram, Gdr Udhayaman Singh, Gdr YS Yadav, and Gdr Naresh Kumar. Gdr Rattan Chand's courageous and unwavering attack enabled his section to capture two bunkers on the top position, aiding in the eventual capture of Tiger Hill. Gdr Rattan Chand was a gallant and gritty soldier who laid down his life in the service of the nation.

 

Grenadier Rattan Chand was awarded "Mention-in-Dispatches" (MD) for his commendable gallantry, devotion to duty, camaraderie, and supreme sacrifice. Grenadier Rattan Chand is survived by his wife, Smt. Sushma Devi.

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