Bangalore:
They were one of the earliest settlers who made Bangalore Cantonment their home. The Madras Sappers came here in 1834 and this year, the Madras Engineer Group & Centre is celebrating its 232 years since raising and 178 years in Bangalore.
As you walk into the campus of the MEG & Centre on the banks of Ulsoor Lake, you can spot the series of milestones that make its evolution. From battles in Egypt in the early 17{+t}{+h} century to the Seringapatnam battle, Sappers have had a wide reach.
They took ‘Bangalore’ to the world much before IT happened. The city became a common word among World War I and II when Sappers invented the Bangalore torpedo. These were long tubes filled with explosives which could clear minefields and enemy barbwires.
During the Kargil conflict, Sappers scaled hostile heights and cleared the ground littered with mine and other obstacles for other troops.
They played a pioneering role in Bangalore’s development. They built many buildings in Cantonment, including the Oriental Building and BRV Theatre. They still desilt Ulsoor Lake regularly and play a prominent role in preserving the water body.
“As Sappers, we are primarily combat engineers. Our job is to ensure the momentum and mobility of our own troops and to delay and restrict advance of our adversary. From the era of handling and planting explosives, constructing bridges quickly, over the years we have graduated to modern warfare where nations are strengthening their nuclear capabilities,” said Lt Col Sanjay Sharma, who looks after training at MEG & Centre.
“A recruit is made to undergo rigorous training and the overall development as a combat engineer and an intellectual warrior is monitored with precision. On successful completion of training here, a Sapper could be posted anywhere in the country — from the highest battlefield in the world, Siachen, the desert of Rajasthan or jungles of North-East India,” he added.
Distinctive headgear
In the early days, Madras Sappers comprised soldiers mostly from South India and the men were referred to as ‘Thambi’ (younger brother in Tamil). “Over the years, we’ve had people from North India too but even a man from Punjab or Rajasthan is called a Thambi,” said an officer of the regiment.
The Sappers’ headgear is a gift from the Cheshire Regiment during the battle of Meanee in 1743. They adopted the headgear since then.
Filed by: Arun/ Cleared by: S Prasad/es
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Bangalore / TNN, by Arun Dev / September 28th, 2012