Only Indian to serve Army, Navy, Air Force living legend Col Prithpal Singh Gill turns 100
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
Col Prithpal Singh Gill-this Singh is a real size King, as there are no known examples in the country today of an officer who has served in all three services of the military.
Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill (retd), a World War II veteran, has the unique distinction of having served in the Royal Indian Air Force, Royal Indian Navy and the Indian Army during his career in uniform.
Col Prithpal Singh Gill-added another milestone to his life on Friday, when he turned 100
According to reports, Colonel Gill had done his graduation from Government College, Lahore. He took up flying as a passion at Walton Aerodrome in Lahore from where he earned a flying licence .Gill started his military life as a pilot in the Royal Indian Air force ,under British rule, in the year 1942 as a flight cadet in Karachi.
However, his stint with the Air Force did not last long as his father who was concerned about his safety forced him to leave his flying ambitions.
Next year, at the age of 23 Gill joined the Navy where he served on a mine sweeping ship, INS Teer, which was an escort for cargo ships during World War-II and served as a commissioned officer in the gunnery branch till 1948.
Two years after leaving the Navy, Gill joined the Indian Army soon after Independence and sought placement in 1 Sikh (now 4 Mech) in the Regiment of Artillery and retired as a Colonel in 1970.
Colonel Gill was all smiles as he greeted visitors who dropped by at the residence, in Chandigarh’s Sector 35 to wish him on his birthday.
His wife Preminder Kaur, is 93 and they were married December 24, 1950, will shortly be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
December 11,2020
