The Cantonment Ghosts and Other Stories

'In the third volume of his acclaimed Military Tales series, following The Crossover Girl and Other Stories and Black Horse Down and Other Stories, Ashok Ahlawat returns with a captivating collection that traverses the spectrum of military life.The titular story, ‘Of Col Roberts and Some Other Cantonment Ghosts,’ sets the tone for this remarkable collection with its atmospheric exploration of the supernatural within military spaces. Through a gathering of officers sharing their encounters with the paranormal—from the cigar-smoking ghost of Col Roberts in a Lansdowne mess to protective spirits that save soldiers from ambushes in Kashmir—Ahlawat weaves together military folklore with authentic regimental culture, revealing how the boundaries between past and present blur in India's historic cantonments.But this collection ranges far beyond the ghostly. The prose moves effortlessly from the poignant—such as ‘The Improvement of Memory,’—to the humorous, as in ‘The Fall of Dana Fells.’ The centrepiece, ‘Stories from the Battle of Chamb, 1971,’ offers raw, unvarnished accounts from tank crews and infantrymen in one of the most challenging battles of the 1971 war.The author’s distinctive voice—earthy, observant, and laced with military vernacular—brings authenticity to every page. His stories are populated with memorable characters: ambitious officers navigating the labyrinth of military bureaucracy, resourceful NCOs, devoted buddies (orderlies), and strong military wives who form the backbone of regimental communities. The Cantonment Ghosts and Other Stories confirms Ahlawat's position as a singular chronicler of the Indian military experience.