The Independent Mission by Brig Jagdev Singh. Avsm

The story is set in the latter part of 1948, in the tortuous hills of Jammu and Kashmir, when the Indian Army was engaged in evicting the Pakistanis from that part of the state which they had deceptively occupied. it is an account of the fighting by an infantry company on an independent mission, ordered, firstly, to secure a narrow defile sitting astride the enemy supply line, and then prevent an enemy reinforcing column from strengthening its brigade plus strong defences further north, which had been attacked by an Indian division. It is also an account of their bravery, cowardice, treachery, sacrifice, love, hate, humour, depression. Althought by taking the defile they had secured an advantage in terrain, but against an enemy eminently superior in numbers and weapons, they had to put up a tough fight, requiring their ultimate in grit, guts and determination.