The small village of Asal Uttar in Punjab, meaning ‘a befitting reply,’ witnessed an unparalleled display of valour by Indian troops against the Pakistani forces. This clash in Punjab thwarted Pakistan’s objective to seize Jammu and Kashmir and posed a threat to Delhi. Military historians view it as a pivotal moment in the conflict. Despite being heavily outnumbered and equipped with vintage tanks, our forces successfully crushed the enemy.
Against the backdrop of persistent attempts by Pakistan to annex Jammu and Kashmir, the 1965 war emerged as a response to India’s recovery from the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The conflict unfolded swiftly, with Pakistani forces launching “Op Desert Hawk” attacks in the Rann of Kutch and infiltrating Kashmir.
Captured American Made Pakistani Patton Tank, Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Pakistan’s two-phase strategy began with unrest in Kashmir, leading to “Op Gibraltar” in August 1965. Encouraged by China, infiltrators and the Pak Army sought to exploit the perceived discontent in the region. This was followed by “Op Grand Slam,” an attempt by the Pak Army to cross the international border.
Amid this tumult, the Battle Group of the Pakistan Army, comprising the 1st Armoured Division and 11th Infantry Division, crossed the International Border and captured the Indian town of Khem Karan. The gravity of the situation prompted the GOC, 4 Mountain Division, to order a strategic retreat, assuming a ‘Horse Shoe’ shaped defensive position with Asal Uttar, a few kilometres away from Khemkaran, as its focal point.
India 1965 War: Asal Uttar Map, Image Courtesy: Indian Defence Academy
The Indian Army’s 18 RAJPUTANA RIFLES, 1/9 GORKHA RIFLES, and 4 GRENADIERS covered three axes to Khem Karan, providing depth to 1/9 Gorkha Rifles. In a well-planned tactical move, Indian troops breached the Rohi Canal at night, flooding the sugarcane fields. The following morning, the Pakistani tanks, primarily M47 and M48 Patton tanks, were lured into the trap set by the Indian defence.
As the marshy terrain slowed down the Pakistani tanks, many of which got stuck in the mud, the Indian Army’s 9 DECCAN HORSE, equipped with Shermans, engaged them with impunity, knocking off 11 Pakistani tanks. In total, ninety-seven Pakistani Patton’s, Shermans, and Chaffee’s were destroyed or captured, while the Indian Army lost only 10 tanks.
Despite a successful incursion by two Patton tanks, the Indian defence, cleverly positioned amidst crops, has destroyed 11 enemy tanks. The 4th Grenadiers, including the brave Company Quarter Master Havaldar Abdul Hamid, played a pivotal role, destroying four tanks and turning the tide. Havaldar Abdul Hamid, later awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his unmatched bravery during the Battle of Asal Uttar, was the soldier who took on advanced Patton tanks with his ordinary anti-tank jeep. On September 9, Hamid had destroyed two Patton tanks with the help of his jeep and had essentially become an eyesore for Pakistani soldiers.
On the third day, September 10th, however, Pakistan gained ground, breaching Indian defence lines. At 0800 hours, a battalion of Pakistani Armor supported by Patton tanks attacked the 4th Grenadier positions but was unable to locate the battalion’s defences. Nevertheless, they launched an intense artillery bombardment to soften the target, and by 0900 hours, the enemy tanks had penetrated the forward company positions. Hamid knew that it would all be over if the tanks weren’t taken care of. In a melee, Hamid saw a group of Patton’s heading toward the battalion defences. Without caring for his life, he moved out of the flank with his gun mounted on a jeep. Heavy shelling didn’t deter him, and he continued firing, knocking out three Patton tanks back-to-back before the fourth one killed him.
Abdul Hamid, The Patton Killer Hero of the Battle of Asal Uttar Havaldar Abdul Hamid, later won a Param Vir Chakra for his valour and courage Abdul Hamid’s valiant efforts delayed the enemy’s advance, but he ultimately sacrificed his life to destroy two more tanks in a face-off.
Soldier Abdul Hamid 2000 Stamp of India, Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Simultaneously, Pakistani forces attempting to retreat towards the west faced fierce opposition from Indian cavalry and the Deccan Horse tanks, resulting in their entrapment. General Nasir was injured, and Brigadier Shami, the artillery commander, lost his life, signalling the end of Pakistan’s Khemka ran invasion.
The seventeen-day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides and witnessed the largest engagement of armoured vehicles and the largest tank battle since World War II. Hostilities between the two countries ended after a ceasefire was declared through UNSC Resolution 211 following a diplomatic intervention by the Soviet Union and the United States and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration. Much of the war was fought by the countries’ land forces in Kashmir and along the border between India and Pakistan. This war saw the largest amassing of troops in Kashmir since the Partition of India in 1947, a number that was overshadowed only during the 2001–2002 military standoff between India and Pakistan.
The remnants of the destroyed tanks stood as a testament to Pakistan’s defeat, losing over 97 tanks, including 72 Patton tanks, leading to the establishment of Patton Nagar, commonly referred to as the graveyard of Patton tanks.
In the humble village of Assal-Uttar, amidst the carnage, the Indian Army showcased unwavering courage, proving that bravery prevails even in the face of adversity. Thus, on 8th September annually, commemorated as Asal Uttar Day, it marks the Battle Honour Day of Battalion 9 JAK Rifles (Rudra Shib Nabh), a crucial force in saving Khemkaran. After 59 years, it remains essential to remind future generations of the heroic valour displayed in this significant tank battle.
The indomitable spirit of Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, posthumously honoured with the Param Vir Chakra, is synonymous with the Battle of Asal Uttar. Additionally, the bravery of Lt Teja Singh Dhadwal, later Colonel, in the Rohi Nala battle, where he became the first Vir Chakra recipient of the 4 Mtn Division, further adds to the rich tapestry of heroism woven during this period.
The poignant reminder of this historic conflict is etched in the form of a grave and a war memorial located on the outskirts of Chima Village, along the Khemkaran-Bhikkiwind road in Tarn Taran district, Punjab. The Army’s mini-documentary on Abdul Hamid aptly categorizes the Grenadiers.
Reference:
FP Staff, 2021, Battle of Asal Uttar, {ONLINE] First Post, Available at: https://www.firstpost.com/india/battle-of-asal-uttar-when-indian-troops-took-on-mighty-pattons-of-pakistan-and-won-9953181.html
Neeraj Mahajan, 2022, Battle of Asal Uttar, [ONLINE], Raksha Anirveda, Available at: https://raksha-anirveda.com/battle-of-asal-uttar-the-largest-tank-battle-since-world-war-ii/
2018, 1965 war: When foot soldiers took on the mighty Pattons of Pakistan, [ONLINE], Economic Times, Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/1965-war-when-foot-soldiers-took-on-the-mighty-pattons-of-pakistan/articleshow/49032326.cms?from=mdr
Col Bhaskar Sarkar, 2021, “1965: Battle of Asal Uttar” [ONLINE], Indian Defence Review, Available at: https://www.indiandefencereview.com/1965-war-battle-of-assal-uttar/
Naresh Rastogi, Kiren Doshi, 2019. “How Indian Army Won the Battle of Assal Uttar, [ONLINE], The Print, Available at: https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/how-indian-army-won-the-famous-tank-battle-of-asal-uttar-in-1965-against-pakistan/308091/
Ritu Sharma, 2023, “97 US Tanks ‘Destroyed’ In 2 Days: How India Inflicted Injury To American Ego By Annihilating Its MBTs In 1965
“ [ONLINE], Eurasian Times, Available at:https://www.eurasiantimes.com/india-inflicted-injury-to-american-ego-by-annihilating/#google_vignette
