Randomizer -> RE: Scenario for Testing - Longewala, 1971 (12/30/2015 7:07:25 PM)
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Only 32-Medium regiments... I would certainly echo that Sheeesh! Not sure about retaining the two-troop system as it was specialist and equipment intensive. The additional aiming circles, plotters, field phones, land-line and radios, guns and vehicles and the other duplicated gear required many more trained communicators, techs, surveyors, tiffies and drivers in addition to more officers per battery. These were probably drawn from the relatively limited pool of literate, educated, urbanized recruits available to the India of that time and that may have been competing for the Air Force or Navy rather than the combat arms. I have read anecdotal accounts where the RA provided personal to Indian divisions in North Africa and Burma, presumably these would have been of a technical nature. I did find one charming WW2 photo of a battery of Indian 4.5" howitzers using oxen as the prime movers and it was six-guns only; presumably parading as a single fire unit. The assumption that the six-gun battery was the norm during the 1971 war is pure speculation though but most of the images that I found appear to indicate six-gun fire units for both India and Pakistan during this period. Hopefully somebody with some direct knowledge can chime in with the DS answer. -C
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