No matter what, this victory became one of the greatest Indian army victories. The Battle of Longewala was one of the first and decisive engagements in the western sector of the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Baba Harbhajan Singh, Army Regiment like no other “Sikkim Scouts- Guardians of Honour” – God of Small Thing, Can India implement the Uniform Civil Code in India? The GOC ordered them to capture Longewala. At around 7.30 a.m. the IAF sent some HF-24 Maruts and Hawker Hunter at the post. Brigadier Mir’s reluctance made GOC realize that capturing Ramgarh- Jaisalmer was out of his reach. The post commander, Major Chandpuri kept his nerve and so did his commanding officer, Lt Col Khursheed Hussain at Sadhewala. On first light the Hunters did come but since Friend OR Foe Tanks cannot be recognised from the air, they were ordered to fire at any tank in sight . Plan your dream Golden Triangle India Tour with Leisure India Holidays Golden Triangle Tour of India is the most-opted and, We cover content from more than 30 categories for which the users need to switch from one website to another making Godofsmallthing a platform for users who like to read diverse content. They had to abandon some of the tanks that required engine replacements. He engaged in an unequal combat against four enemy aircraft. This battle was part of the India-Pakistan war of 1971 in which ... Every participant has his version, and undoubtedly each one speaks the truth as he saw it. But the IAF’s Hunters kept attacking furiously. Views are personal. Also read: Indian diplomacy and defence were always two steps ahead of Pakistan in 1971 war. I am curious to know whether the Indian Army did attack RYK and with what result. A reconnaissance platoon led by Lt. Dharamveer Singh of the 23rd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment detects noises coming from across the international border, suggesting a large number of armoured vehicles approaching Longewala. The war led to the liberation of Eastern Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). I watched the movie “Border” with great interest and must say that it was one of the best war movies ever produced in Bollywood. Consequently, the war came to an end when the UN intervened declaring a ceasefire. It wanted to neutralize the airbases at Jaisalmer. Required fields are marked *, Scarlett Johansson is a total fighter; her character Black Widow, in the Marvel movies, has proved her skills as an. The Indian army has fought some major battles in the past and has been active since forever to date. Looking for Who won the IPL in a particular season? Longewala. It also managed to advance into Lahore. I want you to remember three things. One battery of the 170 Field Regiment, which I subsequently commanded, was deployed at Sadhewala to provide fire support to 23 PUNJAB that had company at Longewala, sans artillery support. And neither of them secured a clear cut military advantage over the other. Pak lost 5,800 troops and India lost 2,682. THE VERSIONS The battle of Longewala had many high moments and they have been told and retold in military journals. The Hindi movie border was based on thi India salutes the valor and fearlessness of one of its forever immortal heroes – ‘Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri’. Real army men participated in the shooting of the movie. The Pak army of around 3000 soldiers had outnumbered the Indian Army there. The enemy outnumbered the Indian Army there. We were asked to veer west from our assembly area north of Tanot and head for Longewala. In terms of territory, India won 1500 sq miles while Pakistan won just 50 sq miles. Dennis Kux (retired American diplomat) believed that both the countries lost a lot in terms of manpower. GOC ordered a general withdrawal. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his exceptional leadership. In the annals of the history of Indian Military, the Battle of Longewala is a unique event where all the advances of the enemy were thwarted by the bravery of few men on the ground supported and thwarted by the Air Power. The time: The night of December 4, 1971. New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) Attacking the Opposition, Union minister Mukhtar … Moreover, the enemy outnumbered the Indian side in terms of men, weapons, and tanks. Circles show destroyed Pakistani tanksDate4–7 December … Landscape version of the Flipboard logo. Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah 3 December, 2019 9:00 am IST. Since the Indians were able to use the defenders advantage, they managed to inflict heavy losses on the Pakistanis. Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram, Why news media is in crisis & How you can fix it. Battle of Longewala: Pak's Plan was brilliant but IAF's ground attack halted Pak's thrust, says IAF chief As India is celebrating the 50th anniversary year of the country's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war while commenting on the infamous Battle of Longewala, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria said that Pakistan's plan of a deep armored thrust was brilliant, but it didn't factor India''s air power. Hence, there will be no effective opposition from the Indian side. The Sadhewala and Longewala posts protected the western flanks of the division. Email. Decent account, but “ambivalent light ” is a bit surprising . Even the post was not armed adequately to stand an enemy attack. Based on all these assumptions, Pakistan was all set to launch a fully packed attack on India in the Battle of Longewala. John Keay (English Historian) admitted that both sides claim the win. Log in; Home; Battle of ''communal vote bank owners'' vs ''inclusive development practitioners'': Naqvi on polls; Battle of ''communal vote bank owners'' vs ''inclusive development practitioners'': Naqvi on polls. Ltd. All rights reserved. Thanks to the movie it is now one of the most well known battles of the 1971 Indo Pak war. It would have taken take us seven days of hard riding to travel from our location in Bikaner, where we were stabled, to our operational location in Jaisalmer. What you referred to as the largest tank battle after ww2, was the battle of chawinda fought between 1st armoured division of IA and the 6th armored div. The director JP Dutta had dedicated the movie to his deceased brother who was an IAF pilot. But most of their tanks and vehicles either broke down or got stuck in the desert. It began with Pakistan launching covert operations across the ceasefire line in India Occupied Kashmir. This goes far beyond the commenting! You have entered an incorrect email address! Many of you must have seen the famous Bollywood movie ‘Border’, the event in the movie was actually based on a fierce battle. Apart from this, India took 9300 soldiers as Prisoners of War from East Pakistan. As India emerged victoriously, Pakistan publicly signed the Instrument of Surrender. Sustaining journalism of this quality needs smart and thinking people like you to pay for it. Let us look at how genuine the reel depiction of the Battle of Longewala, one of the greatest Indian army victories, was; Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was the hero who led India towards victory in the Battle of Longewala. According to military tradition, the Commander on the spot gets credit for victory but must also bear the ignominy of defeat. India lost its jeep-mounted recoil-less gun.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'godofsmallthing_com-leader-3','ezslot_11',115,'0','0'])); As India emerged victorious in the Battle of Longewala of the 1971 Indo Pak war, there were strategic failures from both sides. #1. Pakistani losses were 200 soldiers killed. Just to add a few facts about the historic battle of Longewala as being talked about in various discussion groups. I am glad you liked it. Recalling the decisive Battle of Longewala, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria on Thursday said the plan of armoured thrust by the Pakistan army … Sir may I add that the image showing “The Role of IAF in the Battle of Longewala”, is actually a picture of Sabre F-86 Fighters of the PAF doing Target practice with Nepalm Bombs. Your work doesn’t seem like a Wikipedia copy-paste to me, though. More debt, From next week, troops at LoC and LAC to get new & more lethal Israeli Light Machine Guns, IAF chief flies Mirage 2000, force shows capabilities of Spice 2000 used in Balakot strike, Why Pakistan Army chief is sermonising on peace and talking mutual respect, US blocking raw materials will delay our vaccines, Adar Poonawalla complains to WHO, Single dose of Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccines effective, work against UK variant too — Study, IIT-Madras, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Kharagpur make it to top 50 in QS World Rankings by Subject. It is this precise reason that the Pakistanis did not suffer human casualties in teh aerial attacks by teh Hunters, It was the resultant utter confusion which forced General Jacob and Maj Gen Khambatta to scrap their attack on Rahimyar Khan. if you visit jaisalmer pls take time & visit the Longewala war memorial its a 2 hr drive, pay your homage to the brave soldiers who defended this post during 1971 war. On December 5, two jeep borne 106mm recoilless guns and three AMX light tanks also arrived to aid them. For several months, we had been rehearsing our role of breaking through the Pakistani defences with our objective being the town of Rahim Yar Khan, a rail and road communication centre in Pakistan. The destruction of the Pakistani armoured regiment gave us respite and it took another two days for us to stabilise the situation. In 2018, he died from cancer at the age of 78. New Delhi, November 27, 2013. Battle of Longewala: Indo Pak War 1971. The BSF had laid it to keep their camels from wandering off. James Hatter compared the Battle of Longewala as to Battle of Thermopylae in his article Taking on the enemy at Longewala describing it as the deciding moment of the 1971 war. Btw, could you recommend a book or something on Indian history or politics to read during the quarantine lockdown? There were 3000 soldiers, dozens of armed personnel, around 60 Chinese T-59 tanks and more than 500 trucks and vehicles. In spite of the huge difference Indian army was able to defeat Pakistani Army. Nice and a fairly balanced article OP, but you need to work on that last section about the 1965 war. Pakistan also claims to have won the war. The Pakistani armour had overshot its infantry elements, a cardinal error in warfare, and paused awaiting their arrival. Amidst all these troubles, he did not let his men lose their calm. India lost 97 tanks while Pakistan lost 450. When the battle began, they did not receive warnings of the surprise attack from the Indian Intelligence. Weapons like the Bren Machine Guns were used. Every aspirant should have some knowledge about these events. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'godofsmallthing_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_3',113,'0','0'])); When the Pakistani army reached further closer, the Indian Army used its jeep-mounted 106mm M40 recoilless rifle to combat the enemy’s tank-laden troops. All the three wings- the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy valiantly fought in the war. But different authors hold different views about the winner; Battle of Longewala fought during the 1971 Indo Pak war was one of the greatest Indian army victories. These were the same aircraft that the IAF used during the actual Battle of Longewala. This is the spot of the battle of Longewala in 1971 between India and Pakistan, on which the movie "Border" is based. The IAF provided aircraft like MiG-21s. Pakistan lost over 200 soldiers, 34 tanks, and hundreds of armoured vehicles and trucks. Open in app; Sign up. His story will give you goosebumps! He was not verbose. Maj Gen Khambatta had been frantically pleading with the Hunters wing at Jaisalmeer during the night to attack the Pakistani Tanks. The General has very aptly and straightforwardly explained the Indians never expected Pakistani Armour attack from the Flanks. It is also the last point up to which civilians are allowed, just 12 km from Pakistan. Victory must be ensured. But they surprised us by taking it and surrounded our post on the night of 3/4 December 1971. From its technical details to the reel life portrayal of the battle in Sunny Deol starer Border, we will discuss everything further in the article. Read latest breaking news, updates, and headlines. The movie was a tribute to the heroism displayed by the sons of Mother India during the Battle of Longewala fought during the 1971 Indo Pak war. Another braveheart, Major General Ian Cardozo lost his leg having stepped on a mine. The battle of Longewala saw heavy Pakistani losses and low Indian losses. At least 37 Pakistani tanks and 138 vehicles/machinery were destroyed or abandoned in the battle. With the first light of the dawn of December 5, 22 Cavalry with 38 Baluch had surrounded the Longewala post. I moved with the remaining Regiment and deployed in support of the post by noon. He is survived by his wife and three sons. The false impression of a minefield also made the enemy reluctant to carry out the actual assault. At first, India provided refuge support to the Bangladeshis who had fled the atrocities. During the battle, the BSF had vacated the post and a company of 120 men of Indian Army’s 23 Battalion of the Punjab Regiment took over. To overcome these shortcomings, they strapped each tank with an additional fuel drum. I am really impressed if you did. An Army Air Observation Post aircraft confirmed the entry. India put up a vigorous fight against the enemy for two weeks during the 1971 Indo Pak war. But the real story always lies somewhere in between. T here’s hardly anyone who hasn’t seen the famous Bollywood blockbuster “Border” released in 1997, set to the story of the Battle of Longewala. It was a trip down memory lane after almost half a century. There was an exchange of fire that kept both sides engaged. More than 1,00,000 Indian troops fought against 60,000 troops of Pakistan. It was fought in the Western Sector of India. The bulk of Indian fleet consisted of the older ww2 era M4 sherman tanks. Longewala: In one hour, I was at Longewala. Our ammunition replenishment column was on its way from Jodhpur that night and reached us with great difficulty. They were also, probably, inhibited by the wire fence which they mistook as markers of a minefield. Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri along with his men defended their post with consistent firing all alone. of the pak army. It asked Brigadier Mir to guide and provide fire support. Hence they laid an anti-tank minefield in a hurry. Our camels had been replaced by vehicles as camels in modern warfare were an incongruity. And the credit for the def goes to Company Commander Maj Chandpuri as the retd senior officer himself accepted. The Pakistani divisional commander, 18 Infantry division, was reportedly sacked. How many Indian soldiers died in the war of 1971? Being the first engagement in the western sector, and a humiliating defeat for Pakistan, the battle of Longewala proved to be a turning point in the 1971 war. Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri called for help from the battalion headquarters. At the time of the attack, it gave the enemy a false impression that the actual minefield surrounded the post. His speech was succinct and left no doubts in our minds. The single arterial road was clogged and we were sitting ducks for the Pakistani Air Force. On the other hand, Pakistan did not make a substantial gain. The Pakistani plan was bold and audacious. I think as Brave soldiers we must acknowledge the achivements and daring of the enemy as well.The Pakistani attack in the direction of Jaisalmeer was no doubt audicious and daring though foolhardy as we may consider. Suspecting a tank battle, they sent the 51 Bde and 22 Cavalry with its better tank state to Ramgarh. In addition, one Indian jeep mounted Recoilless rifle was knocked out. Your writing is amazing! It deployed only 120 men of the Indian Army at the Longewala post. It took a lot of convincing , dismay and much to the consternation of General SAM Manekshaw to approve cancellation of the plan of attack on Rahimyar Khan since there was a grave danger of exposing the flanks to Superior Pakistani Armour. The only thing that later proved advantageous was the single strand wire. Have you heard of Baba Harbhajan Singh? The Battle Axe Division was concentrated further east at Tanot, preparing for a divisional thrust on 4 December 1971. But India crushed Pakistan’s attempt to take over Kashmir. Apart from this, army jeep and other vehicles. However despite of Pakistani forces were 2000 men strong and equipped with 40+ tanks they still failed to even scratch the small post guarded by just 120 Indian soldiers. –Here’s Everything Related to Uniform Civil Code in India52SHARESShareTweetSubscribe. Considering this was one company which was under attack. He had incomparable charisma which is a strange alchemy of inner spirit, energy, fire, radiance, enthusiasm and spontaneity. Everyone grows up hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I will definitely work on everything that you said about the writing. The Battle of Longewala (4–7 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan state in … Major Hoshiar Singh was another martyr from the Shakargarh sector. On the other hand, India also failed to analyze all the probabilities of attack. Feel free to contact us. They, however, made the cardinal error, in execution, by allowing their armour to overshoot the Infantry and not allocating enough air resources for their thrust to Longewala. For example, in reality, the Indian Army lost two of its soldiers in the Battle of Longewala. Battle of Longewala. Also read: Before Balakot, a pilot-navigator duo of IAF’s bomber fleet showed up Pakistan in 1971 war, In late October 1971, several hundred officers, including me, of the Battle Axe Division, were seated on tarpaulin sheets on the desert sands in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer sector awaiting the address of then-Chief of Army Staff General (later Field Marshal) Sam Manekshaw. And yes I typed it myself. The movie was shot at the actual locations of the Battle of Longewala in the deserts of Bikaner. The Battle of Longewala was one of the remarkable battles fought during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. This was unfair and challenged by our armed forces personnel, who were in the know of actualities. The Pakistani armour, comprising Chinese Type 59 tanks of 22 Armoured Regiment, surrounded the Longewala post. Pakistan also suffered a loss of around 34 tanks- most of them were either destroyed or abandoned. But this could not be a long term solution. The war lasted for 17 days. Once, after I had given him a demonstration of Camel-Mounted Artillery, in order to impress him, he asked me if there was any terrain which modern mechanical transport could not traverse. Pakistan failed the execution of a rather bold plan. NEW DELHI: Recalling the decisive Battle of Longewala, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria on Thursday said the plan of armoured thrust by the Pakistan … Authentic Hawker Hunters aircraft were used in the making of the film. Lt. Singh informed Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri about the enemy’s entry across the IB. By afternoon, however, the GOC realized that things have gone out of control. A group of eight Army veterans and four wives of soldiers posted in 185 Light regiment (Camel Pack) visited the battlefield of Longewala on 23 November where my regiment had fought a pitched battle in the 1971 India-Pakistan war from 3-6 December. Wing Commander Andy Bawa led the IAF at the Longewala post. 206 Bde would follow and capture the Longewala battalion. –, 50+ Inspirational Cricket Quotes by cricketers with Images, Can we implement Uniform Civil Code in India? This had been preceded by massive preemptive strikes on our airfields in the west, including Jodhpur. Have you heard of Sikkim Scouts? However, there appeared to be a major gap in the story. Moreover, it felt that India had not activated Jaisalmer’s airbase. The attack killed 4 soldiers, wounded another four and destroyed 5 tanks.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'godofsmallthing_com-leader-1','ezslot_1',114,'0','0'])); When the Hunters departed, the Pak troops tried attacking the post again. Battle of Longewala - 5th and 6th December Details Category: The Bangladesh War 1971 Last Updated: Monday, 12 June 2017 21:48 Written by Wg Cdr Kukke Suresh Hits: 14304 Wg Cdr Suresh was one of the pilots who flew in the Longewala battle. 6,163 soldiers were wounded and 2,163 went missing.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'godofsmallthing_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_5',117,'0','0'])); One of the men that we lost, was Flying Commander Nirmaljeet Singh Sekhon who defended the Srinagar airfield. Some scenes were also shot in Jodhpur. Baba Harbhajan Singh. The Battle of Longewala was among the first engagements during the Indo Pakistani War of 1971. 34 Pakistani tanks were destroyed or abandoned. It also underestimated the challenges put up by the desert terrain. Hence, he believes that India has gained more. In military matters,it is imperative that truth MUST prevail. A Soldier Protecting The Border’s Even After Death!! Similarly, Field Marshal R.M. The International Border (IB) is situated 18kms away from the BSF Post of Longewala. Indian casualties in the battle were 2 soldiers. 1 share outlookindia.com • Now. So much for ‘Cold Start’. The Pakistanis took the gamble and surprised Jacob’s Corps by utter surprise. Their plan was indeed bold. Both India and Pakistan believed that the deserts of Rajasthan and Sindh were not conducive to any major operations. He challenged me to find one where his jeep, fitted with ‘balloon’ tyres, could not traverse. They planned to outflank us and head for Jaisalmer, their objective. It planned to capture Rahimyar Khan (Pakistan) and disrupt Lahore- Karachi rail-road link. The GOC gave the task to the 206 Infantry Brigade. Fought from 4 – 7 December 1971, a company of the Indian Army’s 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, commanded by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri defeated a much bigger contingent of the Pakistani Army. While in the movie, the casualties were exaggerated. The Battle of Longewala has become now an inspiring history and tale of grit, courage, determination, and valor to the people of India whose mere mention fills our hearts with a sense of pride and Superbia. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'godofsmallthing_com-leader-2','ezslot_10',119,'0','0'])); With so many structural changes in the country, A question has always been coming up from time and now. He led all his 120 men with extreme patience. Drawbacks that Pakistan faced during the war, The Role of IAF in the Battle of Longewala, Indian Army Heroic Battles: The 1971 Battle Of Longewala. A second airstrike this time caused more casualties and destroyed 6 tanks. It was a spark that ignited the fire within us. The International Border (IB) is situated 18kms away from the BSF Post of Longewala. There have been brutal layoffs and pay-cuts. Despite this, he admitted that India had an upper hand to inflict grave damage on Pak. They sent the 38 Group Cavalry to Jaisalmer. the 23rd battalion of In… Stanley Wolpert (American author) believed that the war was a draw. We began receiving new vehicles, reservists and ammunition, the markings on which we could not decipher. Thankyou so much! They also used the unit logos while shooting. It was the famous battleground of 1971 war, that became a graveyard of Pakistani Tanks, other vehicles and supported machineries. It was really meant to keep out dogs and stray cattle. NEW DELHI: Recalling the decisive Battle of Longewala, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria on Thursday said the plan of armoured thrust by the Pakistan army was “brilliant” and could have changed the course of the 1971 war, but the only thing it … Recalling the decisive Battle of Longewala, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria on Thursday said the plan of armoured thrust by the Pakistan army was “brilliant” and could have changed the course of the 1971 war, but the only thing it probably forgot to factor, was India’s air power. Atul. Battlelog is a free social platform that ties into Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 3 and lets you socialize, track stats, plan your next game, and more from your web browser! This, however, proved extremely fatal when the IAF attacked the tanks later. We visited the Longewala post and the gun positions we had occupied to provide fire support to the beleaguered post commanded by Major (later Brigadier) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. Facebook. Now, I am patriotic as much as the next guy, but when you put aside those idealised notions of brave Indian soldiers for a while Op, you’ll realise the same thing:better tactics and equipment=Victory. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrepal fought till his last breath while fighting the enemy at Jarpal, Shakargarh. The Battle of Longewala (4–7 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan state in … The Pak Air Force could provide them air cover only from the next day.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'godofsmallthing_com-banner-1','ezslot_12',112,'0','0'])); But Pak made major flaws while implementing the plan during the Battle of Longewala. But the news media is in a crisis of its own. Twitter. But lunch is often neglected. Bhadauria released Retired Air Marshal Bharat Kumar's book 'The Epic Battle of Longewala'. The museum has been constructed right on the spot of the battle,and is … Hence, he decided to prepare his men for the soon to be historic Battle of Longewala. During the battle, the BSF had vacated the post and a company of 120 men of Indian Army’s 23 Battalion of the Punjab Regiment took over.