HOW THE ADSO BECAME THE DSO

 

HOW THE ADSO BECAME THE DSO

By
Maj Gen VK Singh

 

The article titled FOR DSOs ONLY (ADSOs in the days gone by) was published in the Signalman in Oct 1972. Recently, I circulated the article in various WhatsApp groups comprising veterans from Signals. This generated a lot of interest and several veterans shared their experiences as ADSOs. I think it is time to share some bits of history about how and why the ADSO became the DSO. It may come as a surprise to many that the person responsible for the change in the designation of this appointment was an Infantry officer – Major General IS Gill. 

 

After the YOs course, I was posted to 17 Mountain Divisional Signal Regiment in November 1965. I served in the unit up to July 1968 when I proceeded to CME for the SODE course. When I joined the unit, the Divisional HQ was located at MS 9 on the Gangtok – Nathula Road. Shortly afterwards it moved down to Gangtok. The GOC was Maj Gen Sagat Singh. After the skirmishes at Nathula and Chola in Sep-Oct 1967, the HQ was moved up to Kyangnosla or MS 17. Unlike the barracks at Gangtok, here we had make do with tin sheds. This was shade better than MS 9 where everyone was in tents except the signal centre and the officers’ mess. Of course, there were no bukharies in the tents and neither was there any snow clothing. By this time, Maj Gen IS Gill had taken over as the GOC. In February 1968 I was sent on the PWO course along with NC Gupta, who had played a stellar role in the Nathula operations. On my return from the course in May 1968, I was assigned the duties of DSO.

 

One day, at about 2200 hrs I got a call from the exchange informing me that the GOC wanted to talk to me. I was surprised and wondered why the GOC wanted to talk to me, instead of the CO or the 2ic. Anyway, I asked the exchange to put me through. When Gen Gill came on the line he asked “Are you the duty signal officer?” After I replied in the affirmative, he asked me my name. I told him that I was Captain VK Singh. He then said that he wanted a call to Delhi. I said “Certainly Sir. Please tell me the number”. He replied, “Don’t worry, Son, I will book the call with the exchange. I only wanted your permission, since it is a private call.” I was literally flabbergasted.   

 

Of course, the call was put through after some time. Next morning, I informed the OC 1 company who in turn informed the CO. I was told that the GOC was only adhering to the orders that private calls should not be booked on Miltrunks, except in an emergency. This was the first time I had heard of the GOC of a division taking permission for booking a trunk call. I also wondered why he called me instead of the ADSO. The mystery was solved many years later, when I began writing Volume III of the Corps History, covering the period 1947 -1972. Volume II covering the period 1939-1947 was published in 2006. The task of writing the next volume was assigned to me only after a year or so and work began on Volume III only in 2008.

 

Apart from operations, the history of various units was also covered in brief. I requested inputs from the large number of serving as well as retired officers who had served during the period 1947-72. I am giving below an extract from Chapter 9 of the Corps History.

 

Extract

 

Lieutenant Colonel M. Sathesan, who served in 1 Army HQ Signal Regiment from 1969 to 1971, relates an interesting incident, which was probably responsible for the redesignation of the appointments of Assistant Duty Signal Officer (ADSO) and Duty Signal officer (DSO). He writes: -

Sometime in late 1969 while I was carrying out the duties of Duty Signal Officer (now Officer-in-Charge Signal Centre) of INDARMY Signal Centre I got a ring at about 10 PM from Maj Gen IS Gill then General Officer Commanding 17 Mountain Division and on leave at Delhi. He asked me for some information about certain office numbers and I replied that I shall check up and ring him back. He rang me again at 1030 PM and at 11 PM asking for additional info and I had to, on each occasion reply that “I would check up and let you know”. When I gave him the final information at about 1115 PM he asked me whether I was in the office or at home. When I told him that I was at home he wanted to know why the Duty Signal Officer was not on duty. I replied that the term Duty Signal Officer is a misnomer and it is the Assistant Duty Signal Officer who remains on duty in shifts all the time. Gen Gill accepted my explanation at that time but next day wrote a note to his friend Maj Gen EG Pettengell (then Deputy SO-in-C) asking why we have a name, that is Duty Signal Officer, which is a misnomer. In pursuance of his note the Signals Directorate asked all concerned for their views for a more suitable name for Duty Signal Officer. Through Commandant Army HQ Signals I had recommended that the only suitable name was OIC (Signal Centre).

I do not know if others also recommended the same name. Later vide AO 81/72 the name of the Duty Signal Officer was changed to OIC Signal Centre and that of Assistant Duty Signal Officer to Duty Signal Officer.

 

After reading the above write up, the reason for the call from Maj Gen Gill to me in 1968 became clear. He had naturally assumed that the duty signal officer is the one who remains on duty in the signal centre. In way, his observation was based on logical reasoning and ultimately resulted in the change in designation of the ADSO to DSO.