Battle Of Barki


Book Description

1965: Indian Army is preparing for a full-fledged war on its western border. After the Pakistan army’s infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army decides to threaten Lahore to divert Pakistani forces from J&K towards Lahore. The Pakistani town of Barki, only twenty odd kilometres from Lahore, acts as the strongest defensive position for the Pakistan army. Therefore, its capture, though almost impossible, is crucial. 4 SIKH, commanded by Lt Col Anant Singh, is assigned the task of capturing Barki. 4 SIKH faces fierce resistance from the entrenched enemy soldiers. As casualties rise and the unit gets pinned down by heavy enemy fire, all hopes of taking over the Barki police station now rest on young Lt Kanwaljit Singh. In the face of heavy odds, Lt Kanwaljit leads his brave men to victory in the iconic BATTLE OF BARKI. After six days of continuous battle, 4 SIKH is ordered to press forward towards Khemkaran, not knowing that they will be taken Prisoners of War. Witness the finest blend of human emotions and undaunted soldiering against heavy odds that leads a young officer to discover the true meaning of naam, namak and nishaan.




1965


Book Description

On 1 September 1965, Pakistan invaded Chamb district in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering a series of tank battles, operations and counter-operations. It was only the bravery and well-executed strategic decisions of the soldiers of the Indian Army that countered the very real threat of losing Kashmir to Pakistan. Recounting the battles fought by five different regiments, the narrative reconstructs the events of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, outlining details never revealed before, and remembers its unsung heroes.




War Despatches: Indo–Pak Conflict 1965


Book Description

The conflict was short and limited, packed with intense activity, major movement, heavy fighting and crucial decisions. The initiative rested with Pakistan to commence hostilities, which they did with a mix of irregular and regular troops and tactics. This is a story of anticipation, of impending actions, of virtual equality of forces engaged in a savage battle of attrition in which no quarters were given or asked. The author, GOC-in-C Western Command during those fateful days provided an unflappable presence under whose command the Army imposed unacceptable levels of losses on the enemy, first toning down their rhetoric, then their confidence, and lastly their ability to sustain very high levels of material losses. There is very little material or records to draw upon for our military studies of warfare in and around the Indian subcontinent. War Despatches narrates for the first time the inside story through original despatches field by the Army Commander from the war zone. To maintain the authenticity of the Despatches, the military style of writing has been followed in the text as far as possible.




The India-Pakistan War of 1965


Book Description

For the first time, the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, has made public the official documents and reports of the Indian government of India's war with Pakistan in 1965. The book contains information from war diaries, first-hand interviews, and reports of the units who served in the war. The book is extremely useful for anyone which is interested in military history and relations between India and Pakistan.




The Monsoon War


Book Description

The Monsoon War is an honest and gritty eye-witness account of the 1965 war, as it happened, retold by men who fought it. Their no-holds-barred narrative brings to life the various battles fought, and the human stories of the many brave soldiers who fought for both countries.




1965 War, the Inside Story


Book Description

1965 War Was The First All-Out Clash Between The Two Nations India And Pakistan, After The Partition In 1947.Y.B. Chavan, India S Former Defence Minister, Recorded In His Own Hand The 22-Day War. The Inside Story Reveals:" Utter Failure Of Intelligence On Timing Of Pak Attack." How And Why Chavan Ordered Iaf To Launch Attack Without Even Informing The Pm." Why India Attacked Across The International Border? Reasons As Per Chavan Recording, If We Fail And I Cannot Even Imagine Of It The Nation Fails ." How A Division Commander Bolted From The Theatre Of Operation. " How The Army Commander Sacrificed Over 300 Men For The Greater Glory Of His Regiment . " Why The Indian Army Did Not March Into Lahore." Occasions When The Army Chief Almost Lost His Nerve." How The Defence Minister, The Army And Air Chiefs Worked As Team." How Pm Kept His Cool And Emerged As A Great Leader In War." Was It A Futile War? Did India Lose In Tashkent What Was Won On Battle-Fields." Finally, How The Political Leadership Re-Established Its Proper Relationship With The Defence Forces Leadership And Wiped Out Bitter Memories Of The 1962 India-China War.The Book Is A Tribute To The Iaf That Was Deployed In War For The First Time After The Independence. Also To India S Armoured Regiments That Fought Valiantly And Destroyed Myth Of Superiority Of The Pattons.




Brave Men of War


Book Description

The ancient Greek poet Pindar once wrote, 'Unsung, the noblest deed will die.' Brave Men of War- from the heights of Kargil to the plains of Punjab-sets out to record acts of valour and tell the stories of the brave men, some of whom unflinchingly paid theprice of victory with the ultimate sacrifice of their lives during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Pakistan's defeat in the war, marked the coming of age of the Indian army. There are stories of countless young men who lost their lives, fighting until they 'd drawn their last breath but all too often their stories were either forgotten or reduced to footnotes in the larger volumes of history. This book recounts the heroic and fearless acts of bravery demonstrated by our men in Olive. The list includes Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh, the military leader who planned, directed and commanded the operations and actions, Lt Col Desmond Hayde, the hero of Dograi, Lt Col AB Tarapore and Lt Col MMS Bakshi and many others. Without glamorising war, this is an attempt to preserve the stories of heroism and sacrifice of some fearless men, so that they may become role models for the youth of India and never be forgotten.




Saragarhi Battalion: Ashes to Glory


Book Description

Ashes to Glory is a fascinating account of the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment (XXXVI SIKH). Written and compiled by two officers of the Battalion who have been brought up in its traditions, the book recalls how, time and again, it has rallied to the call and risen to even greater glory. The Battalion suffered over 600 casualties within three hours at Hai during World War I and was overrun by Rommel’s Panzer division in the burning sands of EI Alamien during World War II. Again, in 1962 and 1965 it faced major reverses, yet emerged unscathed. Tracing the Battalion’s trials and tribulations, triumph and glory, the book recounts how, within four years of its raising, it earned its first Battle Honour in Manipur. However, it is in the NWFP on 12 September 1897, while defending the post of Saragarhi, that it achieved undying glory. Havildar Ishar Singh and twenty-one other ranks laid down their lives fighting, refusing to surrender to thousands of Orakazi tribesmen surrounding their post. All twenty-one of them were awarded the Indian Order of Merit, the then highest award given to an Indian. Ever since then it has been known as the Saragarhi Battalion. The Battalion went on to win twenty-two Battle Honours, thereby establishing its claim as not only one of the most decorated units of the Indian Army, but also a widely travelled one. These pages contain a fascinating account of the Battalion’s operations in China during the Boxer Rebellion; NWFP and Aden between the two World Wars, Abysinnia, Ethiopia, Eriteria, Egypt and Italy during World War II. The Battalion also has the honour of having participated in all the four operations since Independence, including the 1947 Kashmir Operations when it was air lifted into the valley. This is not only the story of the Battalion of the Sikh Regiment but in a way that of soldiering in the Indian Army, for it brings out the resilience of the Indian Soldier when pitched against insurmountable odds. Written on the eve of the centenary of the Battalion, it makes compelling reading.




1965


Book Description

In 1965, while India was still licking its wounds from the disastrous war against the Chinese in 1962, the belligerent Pakistanis decided to wrest Kashmir from India. To test the waters, they launched their first military probes into the Rann of Kutch between February and May; India responded. By the end of July, India gave in to the dictates of the UN and stood down the troops it had mobilized in the Punjab and Kargil sectors in response to the Rann of Kutch skirmishes. Pakistan then launched i




21 Kesaris


Book Description

10,000 Afghans. 21 Sikh soldiers. One epic battle. On 12 September 1897, 21 soldiers of 36th Sikh regiment stood undeterred as they guarded the post of Saragarhi against the onslaught of almost 10,000 Afghan tribesmen – a battle for the ages that ended in them laying down their lives in a final hand-to-hand combat. The unparalleled heroics of these 21 men have, however, been long forgotten by history. What led to the Battle of Saragarhi? What was the socio-political scenario at the time? Who were these tribesmen and why did they attack an outpost in such great numbers? Who were the 21 soldiers and how were they able to keep the enemy at bay against all odds? Based on colonial era records and information provided by the 4th Sikh battalion, the legatee unit of 36th Sikhs, 21 Kesaris attempts to answer these questions while paying homage to the brave soldiers who defended the 'kesari' flag – depicting their Khalsa heritage – with their last breaths.