I S Gill | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1922-01-16)16 January 1922[1][2] |
| Died | 30 May 2001(2001-05-30) (aged 79)[3] |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom British India India |
| Branch |  British Army British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1979[5] |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Service number | 229329 (British Army)[6] IC-1641 (Br. Indian/Indian Army)[7] |
| Unit | |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
Lieutenant GeneralInderjit Singh Gill,PVSM,MC (16 January 1922 – 30 May 2001)[3] was ageneral officer in theIndian Army. He was the officiating Director of Military Operations (DMO)[2] of theIndian Army during theBangladesh Liberation War. He retired in 1979 after serving as theWestern Army Commander.
Gill was born in 1922 in aJat Sikh family ofLieutenant Colonel Gurdial Singh Gill of theIndian Medical Service and his Scottish wife, Rena Lister.[10] Having done his schooling in India, he was studying engineering at theUniversity of Edinburgh when thesecond world war broke out, and in 1941 he dropped out to enlist in theBlack Watch.[2]
He was commissioned into theCorps of Royal Engineers as aSecond Lieutenant on 5 April 1942. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 5 October 1942.
The BritishSpecial Operations Executive plannedOperation Animals to deceive the Axis Powers into believing that Greece was the target of an Allied amphibious landing, instead of Sicily. Gill served in this operation, for which he was awarded theMilitary Cross in theLondon Gazette on 3 February 1944 as a Lieutenant (acting Captain). His citation (which was not made public) read:
"Capt. Gill proceeded in mufti with Maj. Barker on a reconnaissance of the railway on the South edge of the Thessaly Plain between 14 and 18 June. This reconnaissance necessitated a night journey across the Plain on horseback, and, due to enemy patrolling, for the reconnaissance to be carried out in mufti. Four days later he returned with explosives and one Andarti assistant and successfully demolished a bridge to the south of Proerna. During the reconnaissance and during the actual operation he showed the greatest coolness and courage and complete disregard for personal danger. Due to the proximity of German patrols on the railway, he was at all times in grave risk of being discovered. The successful achievement of this operation was entirely due to his personal gallantry.
During the past three months Capt. Gill's work has been of the very highest order. He has consistently worked unsparingly and his work has been an inspiration to the Andartis with him."
(TNA WO 373/46, 20 September 1943. A note at the bottom said:Should this award be approved, it is requested that no details should be made public or communicated to the press)[11]
He was alsomentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette of 6 April 1944 for services in the Middle East.
Just prior toIndia's independence, Gill relinquished his British commission and joined the Indian Army.[12] On 7 May 1947, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the British Indian Army (seniority from 5 July 1944) and with seniority in his former rank of second lieutenant from 5 January 1943.[13] He was promoted tocaptain in the newly re-designated Indian Army on 5 January 1949.[14]
Gill attended theDefence Services Staff College in 1954. In 1955, he took over command of the 1st battalionThe Parachute regiment (1 Para), and was promoted tomajor on 5 January 1956.[15] After Brigade and Division level commands, he was appointed the Director Military Training (DMT). He was the officiating Director Military Operations (DMO) during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971.[citation needed]
Gill was awarded theParam Vishisht Seva Medal as aMajor General in 1967 and was awarded thePadma Bhushan in 1972[16] for his role as the officiating Director of Military Operations in the1971 Indo-Pak War.[17]
After the war, Gill was promoted to lieutenant-general on 1 April 1974.[18] He commanded a Corps in theeastern theater. Upon promotion to Army Commander, he served as the General Officer Commanding-in-ChiefWestern Command, and retired on 1 June 1979.[5]
Upon retirement, Gill chose to reside in Chennai, where he was a trustee of various institutions set up by his father. He died on 30 May 2001.[3][19]
| Insignia | Rank | Component | Date of rank |
|---|---|---|---|
_OF-1a.svg) | Second Lieutenant | British Army | 5 April 1942 (emergency)[6][20] |
_OF-1b.svg) | Lieutenant | British Army | 5 October 1942 (war-substantive)[20] |
_OF-2.svg) | Captain | British Army | 21 March 1945 (temporary)[20] |
| Lieutenant | British Indian Army | 7 May 1947 (seniority from 5 July 1944)[13][note 1] |
| Lieutenant | Indian Army | 15 August 1947[note 2][21] |
| Captain | Indian Army | 5 January 1949[14][note 2][21] |
 | Captain | Indian Army | 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[21][22] |
 | Major | Indian Army | 5 January 1956[15] |
 | Lieutenant-Colonel | Indian Army | 5 January 1959 |
 | Colonel | Indian Army | 25 November 1965[23] |
 | Brigadier | Indian Army | 27 August 1964 (acting)[24] 1 May 1967 (substantive)[25] |
 | Major General | Indian Army | 2 June 1969 (substantive)[26] |
| Lieutenant-General | Indian Army | 22 October 1973 (acting)[27] 1 April 1974 (substantive)[18] |