Battle of Chumb (1965)
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| Battle of Chumb (1965) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and Operation Grand Slam | |||||||||
Top to bottom, left to right:
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| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Pakistan |
 India | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Maj. Gen. Akhtar Hussain Malik | Unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
12th Division 13th Lancers 11th Cavalry 10th Infantry Brigade 102nd Infantry Brigade 4th Artillery Corps No. 7 PAF squadron |
10th Division 20th Lancers 191st Infantry Brigade 161st Field Artillery Regiment 6th Sikh Regiment No. 45 IAF squadron | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
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8,000 troops 90-100 tanks 110 artillery guns 2 fighter jets |
4,000-6,000 troops 20 tanks 20 artillery guns 12 fighter jets | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
75 soldiers killed 2 tanks destroyed 4 artillery guns destroyed |
212 soldiers killed, 49 captured 8 tanks destroyed, 12 captured 7 artillery guns destroyed, 13 captured 4 fighter jets shot down | ||||||||
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The Battle of Chumb was a major battle fought in the early stages of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, during Operation Grand Slam. After brief but fierce fighting, the battle culminated in a decisive victory for Pakistan, and the Indian Army retreated with heavy losses.[1][3][4]
Background[edit]
In May 1965, Pakistan Army drew up plans for an offensive operation to capture the crucial city of Akhnoor in Indian Kashmir,[5] with the aim of severing India's supply lines to Jammu and bringing it to the negotiating table. This operation was dubbed Operation Grand Slam and launched on September 1st 1965, when the Pakistan Army attacked the Chumb sector in the vicinity of Akhnoor. The Pakistani force consisted of 8 infantry battalions, 6 tank squadrons, and 18 artillery batteries, and were commanded by Akhtar Hussain Malik. Indian forces in the region were out-numbered (with only 4 infantry battalions, 1 tank squadron and 3 artillery batteries) and possessed inferior equipment.[1]
Battle[edit]
On September 1st 1965, at about 0330 hours, Pakistan launched artillery strikes on Indian positions at Chumb, Dewa, Mandiala, Munawar and Borjeal, carried out by 9 field, 7 medium and 2 heavy artillery batteries. These strikes lasted till about 0500 hours, when Operation Grand Slam fully commenced and a sizable Pakistani force crossed the line of control, consisting of 8 infantry battalions, 6 tank squadrons and 18 artillery batteries (the numerical equivalent of roughly 8,000 soldiers, 90-100 tanks and 100-120 artillery guns).[1]
Skirmish at Borjeal[edit]
Borjeal, sometimes known as Borajal, was an Indian fortification located on the Line of Control along Azad Kashmir. At an altitude of about 950 feet, it provided a clear view of the Pakistani side. The position consisted of pillboxes arranged in a semi-circle formation, which were connected to each other by underground tunnels. The position was defended by 2 companies of India's 6th Sikh regiment.[1]
Half of Pakistan's 102 Brigade and a squadron of 13 Lancers attacked Borjeal, despite initial plans to bypass the position. The position was overwhelmed within hours despite being well-defended. 14 Indian soldiers were captured in the skirmish, and an unknown number more were killed.[1] Following victory at Borjeal, Pakistan advanced to the city of Chumb.
Fall of Chumb[edit]
The terrain around Chumb was uneven, with a number of ridges and streams that made advances difficult for large armored formations. This benefited the thinly-stretched defenders, who in some cases were able to effectively engage Pakistani tanks such as near the Tawi stream.[1] However, this ultimately failed to curb the Pakistani advance. The Indian forces in the area were outnumbered, possessing only 4 infantry battalions, 1 tank squadron and 3 artillery batteries (about 4,000 men, 15-20 tanks and 20 artillery guns). Additionally the Pakistanis possessed superior equipment in the form of American-made M47 Patton and M48 Patton tanks, which far outclassed the French-made AMX-13 light tanks used by the Indians. Pakistan's 8-inch Howitzers were also superior to anything in Indian use at the time. In Major (retd.) A. H. Amin's opinion, the Indian AMX-13 tanks were no match for the Pakistani Pattons, likened to 'matchboxes'.[1] The Indian forces at Chumb and surrounding areas put up some resistance initially, but were defeated by the Pakistanis after brief but fierce fighting. India's defenses had been caught off-guard, and the Pakistan Army, with its superior equipment, tactics and training, made steady gains.[6] Offensive maneuvers cut off or strained most of India's supply lines in the area. At last, having suffered heavy losses and unable to reinforce their positions, the Indians retreated and the region came under Pakistani control.[1] Roughly 288 square kilometers (111 square miles) in and around Chumb were captured by Pakistan.[7]
Aerial Combat[edit]
On 1 September, the No. 45 Squadron of Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on the advancing Pakistanis using 12 De Havilland Vampire aircraft. While these strikes were somewhat successful in slowing down their advance, the Pakistanis quickly requested aerial assistance. Two F-86 Sabres of the No. 7 Squadron of the Pakistan Air Force engaged the Vampires.[8] In the resulting dogfight, 4 Vampires were shot down, including 3 by the Sabres and 1 by ground fire,[9]while Pakistan lost none of their aircraft. These losses resulted in the Vampires eventually being retired from service by the Indian Air Force.
Casualties[edit]
Indian losses at Chumb were heavy; with 212 killed and 49 captured (14 at Borajal and 35 at Chumb).[3] Their only tank battalion in the area was annihilated,[10] with 8 tanks destroyed and a dozen tanks captured in operational condition (later used by Pakistan against India). 7 artillery guns were also destroyed and 13 more captured,[4] one of which was named 'Chumb di Rani' (Queen of Chumb) by the Pakistani forces. This gun was reportedly used by the Pakistanis against India later in the war. India also lost 4 Vampire fighter jets to Pakistani F-86 Sabres in the aerial clashes above Chumb.[9] Pakistani losses stood at 75 killed, 2 tanks destroyed and 4 artillery guns lost.
Gallantry Awards[edit]
General Akhtar Hussain Malik was awarded the Hilal-i-Jur'at, Pakistan's second-highest military honor, for his valiant leadership and performance during the battle.[11]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Chumb sector was part of Indian-administered Kashmir at the time. The area was made part of Pakistan's Azad Kashmir after it was captured again in 1971
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The 1965 War. A Summary by Major Amin – Brown Pundits". 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ LT COL MUHAMMAD MAJID MIRZA. "50 Years Celebrations of Pakistan's Victory in the Battle of Chhamb". Hilal English.
The veterans visited Haider Minar, right at the center of victorious land of Chhamb. Pakistan Army conquered this land in both 1965 and 1971 wars (288 sq kms and 127 sq kms respectively) and is a real manifestation of valor and courage of Pakistan Army and our valiant nation.
- ^ a b www.webspider.pk, Web Spider (pvt) Ltd. "Glorious September: 1965 War". www.hilal.gov.pk. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ a b "PAK INDIA 1965 WAR". www.pakistanarmy.biz.tc. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ Gates, Scott; Roy, Kaushik (2014). Unconventional warfare in South Asia: shadow warriors and counterinsurgency. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. ISBN 978-1-4724-0579-1.
- ^ "SECOND INDIA–PAKISTAN WAR". HISTORYMAPS.
- ^ www.webspider.pk, Web Spider (pvt) Ltd. "50 Years Celebrations of Pakistan's Victory in the Battle of Chhamb". www.hilal.gov.pk. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ Joshi, Sameer (2020-03-31). "'For just a bloody cannon': How a MiG-21 nearly took down a PAF Sabre on debut for IAF in 1965". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ a b "Pakistani Air-to-Air Victories". web.archive.org. 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ "1965 Indo-Pak War [www.bharat-rakshak.com]". www.bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ "Non-Muslim Heroes of the Armed Forces: Representing the White Portion of Pakistan's Flag - Shaharyar Ahmed - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.