Major. C.Desaraj Urs. 4 Hodson's Horse 1965 War.

Major. C . Desraj Urs,   "4 Hodson's Horse" .  1965  war.

This  is  only reference available of an Ursu Officer, who fought in the 1965 War with Pakistan. Here it is summarised, with as musch of  the important facts, as are available.

Rajkumar Chikka Desraj Urs, son of  Rajkumar. P.B.Desaraj Urs and Rajkumari Lakshammanni  Desaraj Urs, was born on 16th June 1928. After his formal education, he did not join Mysore lancers, but,  was commissioned to   the "4th Horse", of the Indian Army

{ 4th Horse was earlier known  as Hodson’s Horse. Hodson's Horse is a cavalry regiment which originated as part of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Brevet Major William Stephen Raikes Hodson during the Indian Freedom Struggle of 1857, and exists today as the 4th Horse Regiment in the Indian Army. The first risala or troop was raised by Risaldar-Major Man Singh.   Hodson’s Horse is also the regiment in which Pakistan’s first dictator president, self-proclaimed Field Marshal, Ayub Khan’s father, Risaldar Major Mir Dad Khan served, way back during its horse cavalry days of First World War.}  

After the various trainings and postings, his last posting was  to Babina  with the tank regiment, from where he  moved to fight in the western sector in 1965.

 He  was the “C’  Squadron Commander  with WW II vintage  Centurian Tanks,  in the  group, along with “A” Squadron,  fighting in the 2nd Pakistan war of 1965, in the  Asal Uttar sector, Phillora area.  They had to battle against a superior tank brigade of   Pakistan  consisting of the latest American Patton Tanks and Recoilless guns.

They saw severe tank to tank  battle, the Indian Centurians  battling the very new American Patton tanks of  Pakistan. In this battle 4 Horse alone destroyed  27 Pakistani Tanks. On 11th September 1965, was the  fierce  tank battle, facing enemy's  artillery and air attack too.  Account  given by the  CO  Lt. Col. (later Brig), M.M. Bakshi, MVC:

 " ..... At first light on 11 September, in the wake of an intense artillery bombardment, C Squadron started its advance as planned. Within minutes the enemy artillery opened up and troops were also subjected to enemy air attack. Maj Desraj Urs, “C” Squadron Commander, was hit by a  shrapnel wounding an eye  and he lost sight  in that eye , but he refused to be evacuated, and gallantly led his squadron  till  Rurki Kalan  was captured. He was evacuated thereafter and the command of  ‘C’ Squadron  fell on the young  shoulders of   2/Lt A.K. Nehra.......   'Hodson's  Horse' was the only regiment in which the commanding officer’s (CO) tank destroyed four enemy tanks despite being hit.  The Regiment got 43 gallantry awards "

The Major  passed away  at age of 59, at  Bangalore on 21st August 1987, leaving behind his wife Rajkumari  Chinnamamba  Devi, ( eldest daughter of Sri Raja Venkata Mahipati Suryarao Bahadur Garu, KIH, of Pithapuram, in the Godavari district of AP, by his first wife, Srimathi Rani Indira Devi Sahiba.)  The couple have , one son (Ahendra Raj Urs) and two daughters ( Aparna Desaraj Urs and  Ila Desaraj Urs).