Lionel Protip Sen

Lieutenant-General Lionel Protip "Bogey" Sen DSO (20 October 1910 – 17 September 1981) was a decorated Indian Army general. He commanded the Eastern Command during the Sino-Indian War of 1962.

Lieutenant-General Lionel Protip Sen DSO
Nickname(s)	Bogey
Born	20 October 1910[1] Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Kolkata, West Bengal, India)[2]
Died	17 September 1981 (aged 70)
Allegiance	British India (1931-1947)  India (1947-1965)
Service/branch	British Indian Army  Indian Army
Years of service	1931–1965
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Service number	AI-77
Unit	16/10 Baloch Regiment 8th Gorkha Rifles
Commands held	GOC-in-C, Southern Command GOC-in-C, Eastern Command 161st Indian Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars	World War II Burma Campaign Battle of Hill 170 Indo-Pakistan War of 1947 Sino-Indian War
Awards	Distinguished Service Order

Career

A King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO), Sen attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army on 27 August 1931.[3] He was formally appointed to the Indian Army as an officer with the 10th Baloch Regiment on 26 October 1932 (seniority from 29 January 1931).[4] He was promoted lieutenant on 29 April 1933,[5] and to captain on 29 January 1939.[6]

During the Second World War, Sen fought in the Burma Campaign with the 16th Battalion of 10 Baloch. In early 1945, his battalion took a prominent role in the Battle of Hill 170, during which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[7] The citation recommending Sen for the DSO (which was not published) noted:[2]

...In spite of the greatest difficulties Lt-Col Sen held firmly on to his precarious positions, and the final success of the whole operation was in no small measure due to his dashing assault and tenacious defence. Throughout, he has proved himself a gallant leader of a gallant Battalion and an inspiration to every officer and man under his command.

As the Baloch Regiment, Sen's parent regiment, was among those regiments allotted to Pakistan following Indian independence, Sen transferred to the 8th Gorkha Rifles. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, he was promoted to acting brigadier and commanded the 161st Indian Infantry Brigade, receiving a mention in dispatches.[8] On 16 March 1955, Sen was promoted acting major-general and appointed Director of Military Training (DMT).[9] He was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) on 8 May 1957,[10] and was further appointed Colonel-Commandant of the Army Physical Training Corps on 26 September.[11]

Sen was promoted to acting lieutenant-general on 1 August 1958,[12] and to the substantive rank on 29 January 1959.[13] On 8 May 1961, he was appointed GOC-in-C, Eastern Command,[14] in which capacity he served during the Sino-Indian War the following year. After the conflict, Sen was appointed GOC-in-C, Southern Command, on 10 May 1963.[15] He retired from this posting on 8 May 1965, after nearly 34 years of service.[16]

Sen died in 1981.[17]

Awards and Decorations

General Service Medal 1947		Indian Independence Medal
Distinguished Service Order	1939–1945 Star	Burma Star	War Medal 1939–1945

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	British Indian Army	27 August 1931 (seniority from 29 January 1931)
	Lieutenant	British Indian Army	29 April 1933[5]
	Captain	British Indian Army	29 January 1939[6]
	Major	British Indian Army	25 August 1940 (acting)[1] 25 November 1940 (temporary)[1] 1 July 1946 (substantive)[18]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	British Indian Army	22 November 1944 (acting)[1]
	Major	Indian Army	15 August 1947[note 1][19]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	1947 (temporary)[note 1][20]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1947 (acting)[note 1][21]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1947 (temporary) 1 January 1950 (substantive, with seniority from 29 January 1949)[note 1][20]
	Colonel	Indian Army	26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[19]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	29 January 1952 (substantive)
	Major General	Indian Army	16 March 1955 (acting)[9] 29 January 1956 (substantive)[22]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	1 August 1958 (acting)[12] 29 January 1959 (substantive)[13]

Notes

1. Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star ("pip"), was retained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."

References

1. Indian Army List for October 1945 (Part I). Government of India Press. 1945. pp. 167–168.
2. "Recommendation for Award for Sen, Lionel Protip. Rank: Sub Captain, Temporary Major, Acting Lieutenant Colonel". The National Archives (UK). UK Government. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
3. "No. 33748". The London Gazette. 28 August 1931. p. 5624.
4. "No. 33924". The London Gazette. 24 March 1933. p. 2043.
5. "No. 33948". The London Gazette. 9 June 1933. p. 3877.
6. "No. 34610". The London Gazette. 24 March 1939. p. 2013.
7. "No. 37349". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 November 1945. p. 5574.
8. "Defence-Press Note" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 April 1948. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
9. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 April 1955. p. 86.
10. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 25 May 1957. p. 129.
11. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 9 November 1957. p. 280.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 13 December 1958. p. 278.
13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 16 May 1959. p. 115.
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 20 May 1961. p. 128.
15. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 June 1963. p. 209.
16. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 June 1965. p. 306.
17. "Indian Army - List of Family Pensioners (AI, EC, RC, TC)". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
18. "No. 38069". The London Gazette. 12 September 1947. p. 4286.
19. "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
20. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 24 June 1950. p. 70.
21. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 24 June 1950. p. 70.
22. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 25 February 1956. p. 36.