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Jul

July 23: Gen. Dyer's Death Anniversary

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A Heartless, Insensitive killer of Humanity

Prof Pradeep Mathur

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New Delhi | Tuesday | 23 July 2024

Nehru has written in his autobiography about General Dyer the villain of Jallianwala Bagh. "In the last days of 1919, I was returning to Delhi from Amritsar by night train. A man sitting on my upper berth was speaking in an aggressive and triumphant tone, I immediately came to know that he was General Dyer, the villain of Jallianwala. He was describing his Amritsar experiences. He pointed out how he had the whole town at his mercy and he had felt like reducing the rebellious city to a heap of ashes, but he took pity on it and refrained. He was coming back from Lahore after giving his evidence before the Hunter Commission of inquiry. I was greatly shocked to hear his conversations and to observe his callous manner. He descended at Delhi in pyjamas of bright pink stripes and a dressing gown."

The 55- year- old Brigadier General Reginal Dyer was the G.O.C. of Western command. He had a handsome personality and was a chair smoker. His every pocket was full of cigarette packets. He was born as the 8th child of his parents on 9th October 1864 in Murry (Punjab) and was educated in Simla. After the report of the Hunter Commission, the services of Dyer were terminated and the House of Commons severely condemned him. But some members of the Nobility in the House of Lords supported him.The House of Lords supported him and the 'Morning Post' collected £ 26317 for him and presented it to him.The Statesman and The Pioneer from India also sent Rs.20,000 and Rs.10,000 respectively. Both were owned by Britishers British Prime Minister Gladstone sent £ 100, Duke of West Minister £ 100 and wife of writer Rudyard Kipling also contributed £10 towards this fund. Many members of the royal family also joined them.

 

Article at a Glance
General  Dyer, the infamous commander responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, is remembered as a villain in Indian history. In his autobiography, Jawaharlal Nehru recounts a chance encounter with Dyer on a train, where the general boasted about his actions in Amritsar, describing how he had spared the city from destruction. Despite his brutal actions, Dyer was supported by some members of the British nobility, who collected funds for him and praised his actions.
However, Dyer was widely condemned by the British masses and Indians alike. He was eventually forced to resign from the army, although he was allowed to retain his pension and benefits. The British Parliament, including Winston Churchill, severely criticized Dyer's actions, and he became a recluse, dying of paralysis in 1927.
Dyer's upbringing and education played a significant role in shaping his worldview. Born in Punjab, India, to a conservative English family, he was taught that Englishmen had a divine right to rule. He was known for his aggressive behavior, even as a child, and was punished several times for fighting with Indian boys.
As an adult, Dyer served in the British army, participating in various military campaigns, including the First World War. His actions in Amritsar, where he ordered the massacre of unarmed civilians, remain a dark stain on his legacy. Despite his later years being marked by criticism and isolation, Dyer remained unrepentant, believing that his actions were justified and necessary to maintain British rule in India.

 

Despite all this General Dyer was hated by Indians and looked down upon by British Masses as a man of i11 repute. His servants also hated him. No visitor came to him. A 16-year-old volunteer serving water at Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 swore at the very moment that he would kill the murderer. But Dyer had died before he could reach London. To fulfil his promise he killed Sir Michel O Dyer, the governor of Punjab at the time of Jallianwala.

 

The father of General Dyer was the owner of Dyer Meakin Breweries. His name was Edward. He was a conservative Englishman. But his mother was more conservative. Once his father lighted the cigar of a Burmese girl, his mother took reception it, as a day of diluting English blood. She did not allow children to mix up with Indian servants. Very few persons are aware that along with the Punjabi Brigade he received 'Saropa' at Golden Temple Amritsar. Besides Punjab, he knew other India Languages.

 

In his childhood, he was taught that Englishmen have a divine right to rule. In the school, he used to fight with Indian boys. He was punished several times for fighting among the soldiers.

 

In Middleton College also he studied in a similar environment. In 1885 he passed out from Sanders Military Academy and joined the army. He fought in the Burmese war in 1886-87. He was promoted to Captain in 1893. He fell in love with Anne the daughter of his colonel and he married her, notwithstanding the opposition of his mother.

 

In the First World War, he served as a colonel against tinbols of the border. In 1916 he was promoted to the post of temporary Brigadier General of the 45 Punjab Brigade. In April 1919 he was Brigade Commander in Jullundur when serious nots broke out in Punjab against British rule. Martial Law was enforced and General Dyer was sent for at Amritsar. Punjab Governor Sir Michel O’dwyer gave him a free hand. People were so excited by the arrest of their leaders that the agitated crowd beat many Europeans. A missionary teacher Miss. Sherwood was dragged unconscious in a lane. She was later on protected by Hindus.

 

General Dyer decided to teach a lesson to the whole of Punjab on 13 April a large gathering collected at Jallianwala Bagh to Protest against the arrest of their leaders. He took 50 riflemen and 40 Gurkhas and closed all doors of escape.Some 1650 rounds were fired 1516 persons were fired at and 1516 persons were either killed or seriously injured. He also resorted to other cruel methods. He asked everyone to crawl on the same lane when Miss. Sherwood had been thrown. This lane is still known as the crawling lane.

 

The Hunter Commission asked him "Did you fire in frightfulness"? He replied "No it was not. It may be a possible duty I had to perform. I think it was a merciful thing. I thought that I should shoot well and shoot strong so that I or anybody else would not have to shoot again. I think it was quite possible I could have disposed of the crowd without firing, but they would come back again and laugh and I would have made what I consider to be a fool of myself".

 

He wrote in an English Magazine 'Globe' that "Swaraj will be like suicide for India. If our politicians commit the mistake of granting Swaraj they will be guilty of abetment of suicide. Indian people do not understand the meaning of Swaraj. If it is granted there will be much bloodshed. Gandhi and his followers will be killed.

Indian people cannot rule themselves for centuries".

 

His statement before the Hunter Commission came under bitter criticism. He was forced to resign from the army but he was allowed to get all the benefits including a full pension.

 

The British Parliament took him to task. The then-war minister Churchill bitterly condemned him. The English press disapproved of his action except a few nobles who supported him. He was so broken by this all-round criticism that he became a victim of paralysis in the village of Ashton (Bristol) and he died on 23rd July 1927. His wife and daughter-in-law were with him during his last moment. Even till his last moments he was so firm in his views that he said if he got another opportunity he would order the firing in the same manner.

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