Kamptee Club

Fcebook Group on Kamptee.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391970817737169/

Kamptee Club was where we had all the fun. It was a daily haunt after school.

We had facilities for various sports, there were movies screened, and we made up our own games.

The movies were screened in an open-air ground on a white screen. When we were not allowed to watch certain movies, we simply sat on the other side of the screen and quickly ran home before the movie ended and our parents got home.

Kamptee club has also not changed at all in 43 years. When I visited there was absolutely no one, except some workers in the club. I walked about freely in every room without anyone approaching me.

The club main soft drink was Vimto and a Mango juice. Vimto is similar to Coke but also tastes nothing like Coke.

The Club secretary was Mr James and we would trouble him for old Tennis Balls.

Besides the club were Orange and Starfruit orchards belonging to Ramnath Lohia. We loved stealing the fruits from his Orchard. We ate the starfruits whole and I did not know at that time that when you slice the starfruit it has the shape of a star.

The Tennis court where my Mom and Dad played which is not used anymore. Ok, this has changed.

The main entrance of Kamptee Club.

Our Indoor Badminton Court and Hall with real wooden floor. In the far end is a stage where my brother Sydney and sister Carol acted in the play "The Bishops Candlesticks". Sydney was the Bishop, and Carol his sister. I also did a Bhangra dance over here. We used to have regular lotto (Also called Housie, Tambola, Bingo etc.) and Badminton and Table Tennis Tournaments.

We would collect the used shuttles and Mom would carefully take the good feathers from one and replace the broken ones on the other, before stitching it up. Viola! Brand new Shuttles, stronger than the original. 4 good shuttles from 6 discarded ones.

The corridors on the side which was also part of our made-up games. The corridor on the other side housed the billiards room. There was still a fine Billiards room when I visited.

The Gazebo in the background of the club and river beyond that.

View of the Club from the Gazebo

View of the Kannan River from the club.

Madhav Ghat - Kannan River, Kamptee

Kannan River, Kamptee.

 

Kamptee Army Area

Facebook group on Kamptee

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391970817737169/

The Army Cantonment area in Kamptee was a beautiful place and so remains after all these years years. 

The Army Postal Service grounds where I had my first formal race which I won with my older participants. It was here that I discovered my sprinting abilities and talent football talent. My father was a Major in the Army Postal Service.

Another ground of APS, where the football team practiced. APS had a very good football team which inspired us all.

Officers Mess of the Guards, my brother, Sydney's regiment.

Another picture of the Guards officers Mess.

Brigade of the Guards museum. The indoor movie The indoor movie hall of EME Centre, is also close by. I remember patiently waiting to see the movie Dr Zhivago, which was to be screened in a few months. I found it to be the most boring movie I had seen, because of my age. When I saw it again after I was older I loved the movie

LANCE NAIK ALBERT EKKA 14 GUARDS (NO 4239746) Lance Naik Albert Ekka was in the left forward company of a battalion of the Brigade of Guards during their attack on the enemy defences at Gangasagar on the Eastern front. This was a well-fortified position held in strength by the enemy. The assaulting troops were subjected to intense shelling and heavy small-arms fire, but they charged onto the objective and were locked in bitter hand-to-hand combat. Lance Naik Albert Ekka noticed an enemy light machine-gun (LMG) inflicting heavy casualties on his company. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he charged the enemy bunker, bayoneted two enemy soldiers and silenced the LMG. Though seriously wounded in this encounter, he continued to fight alongside his comrades through the mile deep objective, clearing bunker after bunker with undaunted courage. Towards the northern end of the objective one enemy medium machine-gun (MMG) opened up from the second storey of a well-fortified building inflicting heavy casualties and holding up the attack. Once again this gallant soldier, without a thought for his personal safety, despite his serious injury and the heavy volume of enemy fire, crawled forward till he reached the building and lobbed a grenade into the bunker killing one enemy soldier and injuring the other. The MMG however continued to fire. With outstanding courage and determination Lance Naik Albert Ekka scaled a side wall and entering the bunker, bayoneted the enemy soldier who was still firing and thus silenced the machine-gun, saving further casualties to his company and ensuring the success of the attack. In this process however, he received serious injuries and succumbed to them after the capture of the objective.
In this action, Lance Naik Albert Ekka displayed the most conspicuous valour and determination and made the supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Army. (Source: Wikipedia)

Kamptee Hospital

Facebook group on Kamptee

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Kamptee Military Hospital was perhaps my most visited place after my house and school. I would land up almost every other day with an injury

When injured I would go straight to the hospital and get myself bandaged up and my Mom would only know after that.

Me in front of the Accident and Emergency. They should give me an award for the most visits. The doctors and nurses loved having me around. Don't know why?

I hated any tablets or liquid medicines but did not mind injections which surprised them, as I was around 8 years then. I still hate liquid medicines though have learnt to take tablets without choking to death.

Military Hospital Kamptee, Nagpur

Spent a few nights here too in fact quite a few. The doctors did not know what was wrong, and the nurses liked having me there so I was kept here more than necessary.

I would land up with a high fever whenever close friends or relatives stayed with us and then left.

The Dental centre also unchanged after all these years. Same method of cooking gas delivery after all these years.