WW2 veteran from Punjab recalls century of snapshots on 100th birthday
Lance Naik Charan Singh, a WWII veteran, celebrated his 100th birthday with army honors, sharing memories and health tips from his simple village life.
The last time Lance Naik Charan Singh was surrounded by these many uniformed men, he was at the frontline of World War 2 capturing conflict with his treasured camera. The Dekwala-born former British Indian and Indian Army veteran turned 100 this September. To his surprise, the army organised a felicitation event to mark the occasion.
A Brigadier-led team from the Western Command left for Dekwala, a hamlet located just outside of Rupanagar, to visit the centenarian.
Upon arrival, the Brigadier and his accompanying entourage met Charan Singh, who is still fit enough to manoeuvre around a house even if it requires a walking stick. Having joined the Royal British Indian Army as an 18-year-old Lance Naik, he served in World War 2 and was posted in Malay (now Malaysia), Kranji in Singapore of the South-East Asian theatre.
He has vivid recollections of the war, fellow troopers and the enemy. It helps that Singh chose to arm himself with a camera in his youth itself. He was among the rare few who chronicled their time in the war through photographs, many of which he still turns to whenever memory fails him.
Today, Charan Singh, who later served in the Indian Army with postings in Lahore and Yol, leads a simple village life and refuses to be a burden on anyone. On being asked about his health secret, he quips: “Keeping things simple goes a long way.”
The army’s wishes were accompanied by a birthday cake and felicitation messages. “#OurVeteransOurPride #WesternCommand honours L/Nk Charan Singh (Retd),on his #100th Birthday. He joined the British Indian Army in 1942 & served during #WorldWarII. He retired from service in 1959. He lives in #Ropar district of #Punjab with his 2 daughters & 4 sons,” read a post on the Western Command’s official ‘X’ account.
Charan Singh enjoys spending time with his grandchildren. Simply sitting around a bonfire, recollecting stories from the olden days, still brings him joy. “These pictures help me remember my youth, the travel, my entire life and pass whatever knowledge I have onto my children and grandchildren,” he says, before urging the youth to first pay attention to their health so they can turn into upstanding members of society.
