The forgotten Subedar B.M.Uthaiah. 1st Bn, Mysore Infantry. WW2.

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Balatikalanda Medappa Uthaiah  (13 Nov 1908-25 Sep 1978)  1 Bn, Mysore Infantry WW2

In an earlier post in this blogspot, I had  written  about  Naik R.S.Srikantaraj Urs, of 1st Bn, Mysore Infantry, who was also a PoW of the Japanese forces, and NEVER came back to his motherland. Here is a case of another warrior of  the same Battalion of Mysore Infantry, and this  PoW has come back to India to his family and the British Army's exhaustive questioning and quarantine at Bangalore, was a nightmare. They wanted to know about the influence of INA of Subhash Bose on this Subedar. He came out successful.

 

Uthaiah  was born at Virajpet ,Coorg. After passing SSLC examination, he joined a Cooperative Society in Mysore. He was a brilliant hockey player. This was noticed by the Mysore Infantry Officers and  they offered  him the post of Havaldar in 1st Battalion of Mysore Infantry in 1932. Jamedar Uthaiah married Miss K.M. Dottey Thangmma in April 1940 and at the time when the Second World War had started. Jamedar B.M. Uthaiah became part of First Battalion, Mysore Infantry which merged with the British Indian Army.

In Dec. 1940 , Jamedar Uthaiah proceeded to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh for additional training  for participation in the World War-II.  After their group completed training, they were not even given time to meet their families, but, were sent to Malaya via Bombay. The group saw heavy fighting with the large Japanese forces, and finally the entire battalion was taken captive including Uthaiah. The entire  battalion as Prisoners of War,  was taken to Japan to be put in a camp resembling a Concentration Camp of the Germans. The PoWs were tortured by the Japanese, and no communication with their families was permitted.  Jamedar Uthaiah was subjected to severe torture and ill treatment by the POW camp authorities who were well known for their ruthless brutal treatment to their prisoners.  Since the prisoners were not permitted to communicate with any one outside the camp, Jamedar Uthaiah’s whereabouts were not known to any one in India including his Army Unit. His father Balatikalanda Medappa passed away 1n 1943. Mrs Thangamma was suggested for a remarriage, but, she had strong belief in her husband's safe return, and visited many temples and kept praying.

Even after the end of WW2, still information was not there. After a gap of 5 years, during October 1945, the family was informed that Jemadar Uthaiah has arrived at Bangalore. He was put to quarantine, questioning, and trial  by the British Forces,  doubting  his involvement with the Indian National Army of Subhash Chandra Bose. After this "agnipariksha", he was cleared and allowed to meet his family in Decmeber 1945 Thangamma was sick of the long separation. Uthaiah was posted to Bangalore  till about 1947.  Subedar Uthaiah was asked to proceed to Hyderabad for its liberation in 1948, with his unit which they successfully completed.  Inspite of his sacrifices and  sufferings, he was frustrated by the British Army treatment, and opted for voluntary retirement in 1950. He settled in Coorg with his family. He passed away in September 1978 at 69 years of age. Thangamma lived beyond 93 years of age at Virajpet.

 

 Thagamma Uthaiah                          Air Marshal Chengappa getting PVSM

Late Subedar Uthaiah’s sufferings as a combatant soldier and a POW at Malaya for five long years during and after World War – II did not demoralize him in his life and he never thought ill of careers in Armed Forces when his son decided to join the Indian Air Force. True to the tradition of Coorgs ,  he encouraged his son who was born after he returned to India from Malaya, to join the Armed Forces in independent India. His son an Engineering graduate who took commission in the Indian Air Force and went on to become a highly decorated Air Marshal in Indian Air Force.

Late Subedar Uthaiah’s son Air Marshal Baltikalanda Uthaiah Chengappa, PVSM, AVSM, VSM retired early 2000. Before his retirement he held the appointment as Air Officer Commanding, Maintenance Command IAF. Like father so is the son. A real chip of the old block,  Air Marshal Chengappa went on to prove that Coorg in Karnataka is really a cradle of mighty Generals, Air Marshals and Valiant soldiers.

( all information from Internet pages )