HT This Day: April 14, 1946 -- Netaji’s thrilling journey from Berlin to Sumatra in 1943

A thrilling account of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s journey from Berlin to Sumatra was given here yesterday at a Press conference by Major Abid Hassan, who was personal secretary to Netaji and travelled with him during the journey in 1943.

A thrilling account of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s journey from Berlin to Sumatra was given here yesterday at a Press conference by Major Abid Hassan, who was personal secretary to Netaji and travelled with him during the journey in 1943.

“It took us three full months.” he said, “to travel from Berlin to Sumatra, every minute of which was full of dangers. We were taken in two submarines, one arranged by the Germans and the other by the Japanese. The long time taken for the journey was due to the fact that we had to remain submerged throughout the day and could only travel at night, as all along we were going through dangerous zones.

“We had a narrow escape in the Atlantic Ocean when one day the submarine was on the surface through mistake and was detected by an enemy surface rider. It came full speed towards our submarine with a view to ramming it. It took some time before our vessel could go down. Fortunately, however, when the enemy was a few yards away we submerged and thus escaped disaster. The rest of the journey was uneventful.”

Major N. G. Swami, Personal Staff Officer of Intelligence who was a student in Berlin and was also closely connected with Netaji Bose said that he knew Netaji since the latter visited Germany in 1934 for treatment. When Netaji arrived in Berlin in 1941, he called the Indian students and Indian prisoners of war from Africa and other places. He explained to them his plan and all of them gladly decided to join him.

There were no coercion or allurements from any quarters, but these men joined of their own will, declared Major Swami emphatically. In all about 4,000 Indians were in training there. After about two years stay in Berlin Netaji Bose along with Major Hassan left for Sumatra, while Major Swami and a few others left a day later.

Asked about Mr Uttam Chand’s account of Mr Bose’s escape from India through Kabul both Major Hassan and Major Swamy said that they had heard nothing about it. As a matter of fact, they had never asked Netaji about it.

Netaji Must Be Alive

Major Hussain strongly believed that Netaji was alive. The hand of God, he said, had been protecting Netaji till now and they were sure that it would protect him till his goal of complete independence for India was achieved.

Continuing, he said that circumstantial evidence was also in favour of his being alive. He added: ‘On the surrender of the Japanese, when Netaji decided to leave for Tokyo for consultations he called me and Major Swami and asked us to accompany him. We all went to Saigon. At Saigon we were informed that a special plane was leaving immediately for Tokyo, but unfortunately Netaji could be given only two seats in that plane. So Netaji took Col. Habibur Rahman, his Deputy Chief of Staff and left for Tokyo. We were delayed for two days at Saigon. Later on we got a plane and landed in Hanoi, where we were told that no transport was available for us there. Within a day or two we heard the death of our Netaji. We tried to confirm the report but failed.

Of the activities of the Indian National Army, Major Hassan and Major Swami said: “The confidence with which we waged our war and the spirit of sacrifice with which three million Indians outside the motherland were prepared to offer their all were sure guarantees that our effort would at least be understood by our brothers and sisters at home.

The remembered the words with which Netaji called us in arms in Singapore. He said: “I am a fakir. I can only offer you hunger, long marches and death.”