Daffadar was the equivalent rank to Sergeant in the cavalry of the British Indian Army, the next rank up from Lance Daffadar. The equivalent in other units was Havildar. Like a British sergeant, a Daffadar wore three rank chevrons.
Third of us daffadars in order of seniority was Anim Singh, a big man, born in the village next my father’s.
He was a naik in the Tirah in ’97 when he came to the rescue of an officer, splitting the skull of an Orakzai, wounding three others, and making prisoner a fourth who sought to interfere.
The remaining two non-commissioned officers were naiks—corporals, as you would say—Surath Singh and Mirath Singh, both rather recently promoted from the ranks and therefore likely to see both sides to a question (whereas a naik should rightly see but one).
At the brigade and division levels signal and sand model exercises were conducted by the division headquarters.
Before we moved out for collective training a daffadar, frustrated by something, threw off his uniform and refused to work, after investigating the case I ordered a summary of evidence and summarily court martialled him, reduced him to the rank of sepoy and dismissed him from service.
In the review the Judge Advocate General's office ruled that the charge had not been correctly framed and over ruled my decision, the daffadar was recalled from his home and reinstated.
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