Army's Western Command celebrates 72nd anniversary

The Western Command of the Army on Sunday celebrated its 72nd Raising Day with a solemn wreath laying ceremony.

Lt Gen R P Singh, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, laid a wreath at the 'Veer Smriti' to pay homage to the gallant heroes of the Command, a defence release said.

The Command was raised in 1947 as Delhi and East Punjab Command and subsequently re-designated as 'Western Command' in January 1948, it said.

In 1954, the headquarter of the Command moved to Shimla. After the Indo-Pak conflict of 1971, Northern Command was carved out of Western Command to assume operational responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir.

Finally in 1985, headquarters of the Western Command moved to its present location at Chandimandir.

With "Ever Westwards" being its clarion call, the Western Army was instrumental in blunting the Pakistani aggression in 1947, 1965 and 1971.

"Western Command has also time and again, provided succour to the civilian population. Be it during natural calamities, undertaking counter terrorist operations or participating in nation building activities, troops of the Western Command have always been in the fore front in providing aid to civil authorities," it said.

A fine example of its commitment is the exemplary performance of its troops during the recent flood relief operations in Punjab.

"Western Army will continue to maintain the highest standards of training, administration and motivation and is ever ready for its assigned role in the varied contours of national security," it said.