Pune. 03 January 2020. There are several institutions which have come up during the tenure of various Commandants of The Bombay Engineer Group & Centre. These can be categorised as administrative, religious, recreational , memorials and residential accommodation. Here ADU is touching upon the prominent ones for our readers. The foundation stone of the Hq Bombay Engineer Group & Centre (BEG) was laid by Lt Gen R K Kochhar, the Quarter Master General, on 23 February 1964. Lt Gen P S Bhagat inaugurated it on 14 April 1967. It houses the Group Headquarters and Records Office.
No. 2 Company of Bombay Sappers and Miners (later 18 Field Company) captured the bell in Burma during the Third Burmese War, 1867-1889. An inscription on the bell reads “U MAUNG GYI OF SANYIT”. Villagers during the golden era of Buddhism dedicated this bell to the memory of the omniscient Lord Buddha – “May the good deed performed by me lead me to Nirvana; May all the inhabitants of the 7 worlds share my merit and say Sadhu (AMEN).It is rightly placed in front of the Hq BEG.
The Bombay Sappers War Memorial stands at the entrance to the Parade Ground. The foundation stone of the War Memorial, in remembrance of 563 Officers and men who sacrificed their lives during the first World War, was laid by Col B B Russel, DSO, RE, on 17 February 1923. Col Russel was Commandant between 1905-09 and came back to india specifically for this event.Built by the men of the Corps, it was unveiled by the Governor of Bombay on 10 September 1924. It consists of a stone cenotaph with inscriptions in English, Urdu, Gurmukhi, and Marathi. In 1973, four post – independence operations were added and inscribed on the satellites of the War Memorial. In 2006 the operations in Srilanka (1987-90), Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir (1999) and Jammu & Kashmir-Punjab-Rajasthan (2001-2002) were inscribed. Earlier, the Bombay Sappers used the Royal Crown which was objected to, post – independence, by the higher authorities. So the War Memorial was selected as the crest for the Bombay Sappers in the early Eighties.
In commemoration of the Pioneers of the 2nd, 12th, 48th, 107th, 121st and 128th Bombay Pioneers who had fallen in World War I, a Pioneer Memorial stands in front of Westmacott Lines. In 1931, this memorial was shifted from Agra to Kirkee, stone by stone, and re-erected in its present location in the Training Battalion 1 Complex. During 1934, it was renovated with
Shahabad stone, pillars, and fencing. A model of this is kept in the foyer on the first floor of the Group Headquarters Building, with the inscriptions on it. In 2001-02, it was provided with a fence backdrop, and Shahabad stone was replaced with Kota stone, and marble was used to pave the steps.
This building, made in the shape of a Victoria Cross, houses the memorabilia of late Lt Gen P S Bhagat, PVSM, VC who was the first Indian Army Officer to be decorated with the Victoria Cross in World War II, reminding us of his outstanding achievements. It is a place of veneration for all Bombay Sappers. The Bhagat Memorial Hall was inaugurated by Mrs Mohini Bhagat on 31 January 1977 (VC Day).
This auditorium is dedicated to the memory of Maj R R Rane who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra during the J&K Operation in 1948. It is a regular venue for all major seminars, conferences and cultural activities of the Centre. It has a seating capacity of 300.
The Gurnam Boys Hostel was established in May 1992 with the aim of providing shelter and education to the children of war widows. The occupants of the hostel comprise children of war
widows, serving and retired personnel of the Bombay Sappers. Presently the hostel has the capacity to accommodate 100 children. The hostel provides free computer education to the children under the guidance of the BEG’ Human Resource Development Centre.
This cinema theatre at Training Battalion 2 at Dighi is named after Spr Laxman Pawar, VrC, of 22 Field Company (103 Engineer Regiment), who sacrificed his life in the Poonch Operation in December 1948, in an enemy minefield. The theatre, 143 metres long and 39 metres wide, has
a 15 metres roof in the centre. The seating capacity is 2500. It was constructed by the Bombay Sappers personnel with indigenous fibre glass sheets fabricated at the Centre at CIW. It was formally inaugurated in 1999.
This open air theatre named Ghazni is a prominent landmark in the Centre with a seating capacity of 5,000. The ascending steps and the descending gallery creates an ambience of a Roman amphitheater. The theatre was inaugurated in 1962 and has been the venue for the premiers of many Bollywood films.
BEG Group Museum houses all the history and data from the time of inception of Bombay Sappers. It is a treasure trove of all the Bombay Sappers. Whenever in doubt of any information one should visit the group museum which will find you a solution.
The BEG Officers’ Mess was originally constructed in 1906 by contributions from the serving Bombay Sapper Officers. A statement to the effect framed in gold is kept in the mess which reads: “We, the undersigned desire to place on record our services as Royal Engineer Officers for the Corps of 3rd Sappers and Miners in that we in 1905 originated a scheme for the construction of an officers Mess at Kirkee, commenced the building in March 1906 and completed it in March 1907 at a cost of Rs 33,000 of which Rs 25,000 was lent by the Government of India. Rs 2,500 was generously subscribed by the Royal Engineer Officers who were past members of the Corps and the balance Rs 5500 was provided at considerable sacrifice of present and pressing needs from Mess Funds.In return for the Government of India loan, we have agreed to forego the Government Mess Allowance of Rs 1,440 per annum and to contribute a further sum by private personal subscription of about Rs 750 per annum for 15 years from Officers borne on
the strength of the Corps on and after 01 April 1906 so that on 01 April 1921, the Mess will be the absolute free and unembarrassed property of the Corps of 3rd Sappers and Miners.For the sake of the two Corps, whose service we have the honor to perform we appeal confidently to our successors to devote the monthly Government Mess Allowance on and after 1 April 1921, to the beautifying of the Interior of the Mess, ceiling, wall, floors and furniture up to a cost of not less than 15000 rupees to complete the work in the commencement of which we on our part have devoted the above mentioned sums and to render the building worthy of the Corps whose
honored name it bears”.
Colonel BB Russel was the Commandant at the time. The loan has since been repaid and the Mess building is now the property of the Centre. It stands as one of the most elegant messes that one would wish for anywhere. A semi- circular arch gives the Mess two identical lounges. Today, the Mess is unique in being the only one in India owned by the Regiment itself and not by the Government as MES property. Another distinct feature of the Officers Mess is the Bawa’s Pool constructed in 1950 and named after Lt Col IBS Bawa. All Officers during dining in/out are required to pass through the pool.
Sylhet an Annexe to the Bombay Sappers Officers’ Mess was established in June 1997. It caters for a number of facilities viz Bar Room, Card Room, TV Room, Dining Hall, Tombola and provides infrastructure for organizing marriage functions for up to 500 persons.
