Battle of Chunj
| Battle of Chunj | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948 | |||||||||
  Chunj
Chunj feature on a map | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Gen. K. S Thimayya Brig. Harbaksh Singh Brig. J. C. Katoch |
Lt. Nausherwan Khan Capt. Rao Farman Ali Maj. A. M. Sloan †[b] Maj. Ghulam Rasul | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
163 Brigade 1 Sikh 1 Madras 3 Royal GR |
4/16 Punjab 3/12 FF | ||||||||
The Battle of Chunj, or the Chunj Operation, was a military campaign from 25 June – 9 July, 1948 between Pakistani and Indian forces, during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948.[3] The 163rd Brigade first advanced from Handwara to Tithwal and from Uri to Urusa. The 163rd Brigade then launched an offensive from Tithwal, raising a threat to Pakistani-held Muzaffarabad. The move caused much panic in the Pakistani high command.[5] The capture of Domel[c] was the main objective of the Indian offensive. Domel, only eighteen miles from Tithwal, was a key position for the Pakistan Army to hold at Muzaffarabad.[5]
The 10th Brigade of the Pakistan Army, under Brigadier Haji Iftikhar Ahmad, was tasked to stop the Indian advance, and defend Muzaffarabad at all costs.[6] The Pakistani high command also consider it necessary to drive out the Indian troops from the heights of the Chunj range and push the Indian troops back into the left bank of the Neelum River, also known as the Kishanganga River.[7] With the evacuation of all the advanced positions across the river, the Indian command considered it a major loss.[8]
The Indian forces had gained success by capturing Tithwal earlier, but with the fall of the Chunj to Pakistan, the summer offensive of the Indian army from Tithwal to Muzaffarabad failed.[9] The Pakistani advance added a huge area to the Pakistani controlled side on the left bank of the Neelum River.[10] Major Alan Macfarlane Sloan, a British engineer office and professional soldier fighting for the Pakistanis, was praised for his actions which led to the capture of crucial peaks in the Tithwal area in July 1948.[11] The Pakistani forces switched their focus towards the Chakothi area after achieving victory in Tithwal. Later, another victory in Pandu by the Pakistanis pushed the Indians out of the Pandu feature, a commanding position over other nearby features, a noteworthy achievement in the conflict.[12] Stalemate ensued afterwards in this sector until ceasefires took effect on 1 January 1949.[13]
Background
[edit]In May 1948,[6] the Indian 163 Brigade launched an offensive in Tithwal sector which raised the threat to Muzaffarabad after the force's advanced from Handwara to Tithwal and from Uri to Urusa. The advance caused much panic and desperation in the Pakistani high command.[5][6] The capture of Domel was the main objective of the Indian offensive. Domel, only eighteen miles from Tithwal, is a neighborhood in Muzaffarabad and a formidable key position for the Pakistani command to defend and hold.[5]
The 10th Brigade of the Pakistan Army under Brigadier Haji Iftikhar Ahmad, was tasked to stop the Indian advance, and defend Muzaffarabad at all costs.[6] The Pakistani high command also considered it necessary to drive out the Indian troops from the heights of Chunj range and push the Indian troops back into the left bank of the Neelum River.[7] The regular troops of India and Pakistan fought each other from May onward.[14]
Plan
[edit]Pakistani Colonel Nausherwan Khan and his battalion acquainted themselves with their routes and their aims.[7] The plan was made to capture the Chunj feature (Point 9444) which was the preliminary objective explained to all of the soldiers of 4/16 Punjab on 25 June. The following step was to drive out the Indian forces from Point 7229 and Point 6953, which were high peaks and dominated the main track along the Neelum.[3]
Battle
[edit]All bridges between Tithwal and Keran were eliminated by Indian troops to stop Pakistani troops from accessing the west of the Neelum River while the concentration of the Pakistan forces continued.[15] The Indian positions beyond the Neelum at the ring contour and Point 7229 were attacked by two groups of Pakistani forces covertly through the smoke coming out of mortar fire on June 24, but the attack was repulsed.[15] On Tithwal, the shelling increased on Indian positions after this engagement including the ring contour from Point 9444 and the 1 Madras Headquarters for the whole day.[15]
Colonel Khan organized the force for driving Indian troops away from the Chunj Heights.[7] Khan called a session with the troops, the engineers, and the gunners, who agreed to bring a 3.7 inch howitzer gun, given the nickname Shahzadi[d], to Point 9444 for gunfire assistance. A track was created for mules for 25 miles from Muzaffarabad since no proper track existed.[7][16] A sling and pulley was used to dismantle the gun and boxes full of ammunition that were brought beyond the Kahori River across the Neelum.[7][17] Once the gun reached the point, it was put together and the engineers then removed the Indian mines and built tracks beside other river.[16] The bridge was completed in a short time, and the artillery piece, Shahzadi, was brought across with the help of 70 porters.[3] By June 30, the entire battalion had moved and concentrated in the Ban Forest area.[3]
Attack on Point 6953 and Capture of Point 4207
[edit]On 25 June, an officer with platoon strength was sent by the Pakistanis to clear and take control of area Point 4207. The Indian force launched their defense with all of their available artillery and machine guns, but due to darkness, Pakistani forces went unharmed.[3] Leaving two dead and a significant amount of ammunition and equipment behind, the Indian troops ultimately withdrew from the area.[3]
On 8 July 1948 Pakistani troops took their positions at Ban Forest undetected. The 3 Madras, a new, recently-inducted Indian unit, in the defense was unaware of the movement of the Pakistani troops who had reached their forming-up place. The Pakistani dispatch rider kept his motorbike on to make it appear as tanks were present.[3] These early actions facilitated the subsequent attack. In early morning the first wave of the assault commenced.[18] The assault on Point 6953, descending from Point 9444, took place along a narrow ridgeline. This made a conventional two-company frontal attack impossible. Instead, the A Company led the attack but faced a delay. Several Indian bunkers were destroyed with direct hits from Pakistani artillery early in the engagement.[3]
After shelling Point 7229 and the ring contour for thirty minutes, Major Ghulam Rasul, whose advance was hindered by a single Indian machine gun position, decided to approach the enemy from the southwest, targeting their rear from the direction of the village of Chilean.[3] The move took several hours to arrange. Meanwhile, the A Company managed to capture part of the Indian defenses.[3] By night time, the Pakistani B company reached the Indian positions. After intense hand-to-hand combat and heavy Indian casualties, the Pakistanis captured Point 6953. The Indian force abandoned their defensive positions, leaving behind 30 dead and 13 prisoners. With no fire support from their deeper positions, the remaining Indian troops forces surrendered.[18][3]
Capture of Point 7229
[edit]An Indian platoon, ordered to backup the ring contour, was engaged with Pakistani troops and shelling. Meanwhile, the Indian machine gun section at Point 7229 gave cover to the force which retreated to false crest.[18] Pakistani forces used deception successfully to capitalize on Indian concerns about an impending counterattack on the Keran position.[18] Two companies of Indian forces were given orders to attack Shardi on 7 July and set off for this mission on 8 July. After they were informed of the ring contour being captured, they returned to their position by 9 July.[18]
On July 9, D and C Companies advanced to initiate the second phase of the Pakistani operation. Orders were given which indicated that Point 7229 was unoccupied and both companies were to advance immediately. The Indian forces, in a state of panic, blew up the bridge located at Tithwal while retreating across the Neelum. The Pakistani unit requested permission to pursue the retreating Indian troops across the river, but the request was denied. The Indian forces planned a counter-attack to retake ring contour and requested an airstrike on the Pakistani position. However, the airstrike never took place.[19]
The Indian brigade commander instructed the troops to withdraw and also to blow up the bridge beyond the river.[19] The Indian troops had withdrawn along with their equipment and heavy arms from the Neelum after facing attacks. The Pakistani troops then captured Point 7229 after they saw it unoccupied.[19]
Indian forces retreat
[edit]At the Neelum, eight Indian Platoons were spread throughout including the group at false crest and were engaged with Pakistani troops during the retreat.[19] At Tithwal ridge all of the machine guns were assembled and the Indian forces withdrew under the cover of an IAF jet which bombarded the Pakistani troops for 20 minutes. Meanwhile the Indian sappers prepared to destroy the bridge and it was destroyed after two attempts.[19] Two Indian platoons were ordered to collect ammunition which was stored close to the Neelum and Jarara.[20] Pakistani troops shelled these platoons and they drew back.[20] The IAF jets again bombarded the Pakistani positions and the Indian troops made their way back while another party destroyed the track at the junction.[20]
North of Tithwal an Indian picket was attacked, and all the positions there were deserted. Following this, the Pakistani 3/12 Frontier Force was ordered to move immediately and occupy the Pir Sahaba feature.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]With the evacuation of all the advanced positions across the Neelum River, the Indian command considered the operation to be a major loss.[8] The commanding officer of 1 Madras considered the brigade headquarters to have made tactical errors and obstacles including not occupying Point 9444. The major of Brigade 163 disputed the allegations and insisted that the troops were demoralized, which caused the loss. General Thimmya therefore held no one accountable for the failure.[8]
The Indian forces had gained success by capturing Tithwal before the Battle of Chunj but with the fall of the Chunj feature to Pakistan, the summer offensive of the Indian army failed to advance Muzaffarabad and was forced back beyond their starting position.[9] the subsequent campaign added a huge area to the Pakistani controlled side on the left bank of the Neelum River.[10] The Pakistani forces switched their focus towards the Chakothi area after achieving remarkable victory in Tithwal which later also included another victory in Pandu by pushing out 2 Bihar from the Pandu feature, which overlooked the other features, a noteworthy operation.[12] Stalemate ensued in this sector until the ceasefire occurred on 1 January 1949.[13]
For the present, however, we had to accept the fact that the weather, the terrain and Pakistan’s fresh reinforcements had prevented us from reaching our goal Domel. Yet our gains had been substantial and in this respect we had got the better of the enemy.[21]
— Sinha, Operation Rescue military operations in Jammu & Kashmir 1947-49, Pg 78
Military honours
[edit]Major Sloan was leading his soldiers during a mine clearing operation, during which he lost his footing and fell down a slope, triggering a tripwire which blew up a mine. The Major received serious injuries, along with another Pakistani soldier, Lance Naik Aman Khan. Sloan's injuries in the line of duty later proved to be fatal. Major Sloan died on the 10th of July 1948.[22] Major Sloan was praised for his actions which led to the capture of crucial peaks in the Tithwal sector in July 1948.[11] His body was taken to the British Cemetery in Abbottabad and buried there with full military honours. He remains, as of December 2024, the only British soldier to die in action, for Pakistan.[22]
See also
[edit]- Tithwal
- Battle of Shalateng
- Battle of Pandu
- Battle of Badgam
- Battle of Rawalakot
- Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948
References
[edit]Notes
- ^ Point 7229, Point 4207, Point 6953, Entire Pir Sahaba and Ring Contour
- ^ Alan Macfarlane Sloan was a British soldier, who later joined the Pakistan Army and was killed at Chunj
- ^ Domel, also spelt as Domail, is a neighborhood in Muzaffarabad city
- ^ Shahzadi means princess; it was called princess since it was handled with care
Citations
- ^ Prasad (1987), pp. 196–199
- ^ Prasad (1987), p. 202
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Shahbaz, Muhammad (November 2018). "Chunj Operation: Kashmir War 1948". hilal.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Prasad (1987), pp. 196–199
- ^ a b c d Sinha (1977), p. 75
- ^ a b c d Ali (2022), p. 28
- ^ a b c d e f Saraf (2015), p. 236
- ^ a b c Prasad (1987), p. 199
- ^ a b Ali (2022), p. 1 : Ankit (2010), p. 54 :Saraf (2015), p. 238
- ^ a b Saraf (2015), p. 238
- ^ a b Ali (2022), p. 1
- ^ a b Prasad (1987), p. 202
- ^ a b Suharwardy (1983), p. 189 : Cheema (2014), p. 48
- ^ Ankit (2010), p. 54
- ^ a b c Prasad (1987), p. 196
- ^ a b Ali (2022), p. 29
- ^ Bajwa, Lt Gen JS. Indian Defence Review (Oct-Dec 2018) Vol 33.4. Lancer Publishers LLC. ISBN 978-1-940988-41-2.
- ^ a b c d e Prasad (1987), p. 197
- ^ a b c d e Prasad (1987), p. 198
- ^ a b c Prasad (1987), p. 199
- ^ Sinha (1977)
- ^ a b Historical Section, GS Branch GHQ, The Kashmir Campaign 1947-48 (Rawalpindi: Historical Section, 1970), 159.
Works Cited
- Sinha, S.K. (1977). Operation Rescue Military Operations in Jammu & Kashmir, 1947-49. Vision Books. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021.
- Prasad, Sri Nandan (1987). History of Operations in Jammu & Kashmir, 1947-48. History Division, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Archived from the original on 17 January 2017.
- Saraf, Muhammad Yusuf (2015) [first published 1979 by Ferozsons], Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2, Mirpur: National Institute Kashmir Studies, archived from the original on 29 March 2021
- Ali, Ahmad (2022). "Major Sloan in Kashmir (Story of a British officer serving with the Pakistan Army, killed in action during the Kashmir Liberation War, 1947-48)". 9-Bugle-Trumpet-Summer-2023.PDF. IV. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024 – via Aimh.gov (Army Website).
- Ankit, Rakesh (2010). "1948: The Crucial Year in the History of Jammu and Kashmir". Economic and Political Weekly. 45 (11): 49–58. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 25664224 – via JSTOR.
- Suharwardy, Abdul Haq (1983), Tragedy in Kashmir, Wajidalis
- Cheema, Amar (2014). The Crimson Chinar the Kashmir Conflict : a Politico Military Perspective. United Service Institution of India. ISBN 9788170623014. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
Further Reading
[edit]- Sen, L. P. (1994). Slender was the Thread: Kashmir Confrontation 1947-1948. Sangam Books Limited. ISBN 9780861316922.
- Riza, Shaukat (1997). The Pakistan Army 1947-1949. natraj publishers. ISBN 978-8185019635.
