Battle
The Battle of Longewala (Hindi: लोंगेवाला की लड़ाई, Urdu: لوںگیوالا کی لڑائی) (D4 - 5 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 the Rajasthan state in India.
The Indian infantry company (reinforced) was left with the choices of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from a mechanised infantry Pakistani force, choosing the former. The company officer commanding ensured that all his assets were correctly employed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics. He was also fortunate in that an Indian Air Force forward air controller was able to secure and direct aircraft in support of the post's defense until reinforcements arrived six hours later.
The Pakistani commanders made several bad decisions, including failure of strategic intelligence to foresee availability of Indian strike aircraft in the Longewala area, exercising operational mobility with little or no route reconnaissance, and conducting a tactical frontal assault with no engineer reconnaissance. This led to the Pakistani brigade group being left extremely vulnerable to air attack, vehicles becoming bogged in ground surface not suitable for movement of armored vehicles as they tried to deploy off a single track, these being more susceptible to enemy fire by using external fuel storage in tactical combat, attempting to execute a night attack over unfamiliar terrain, and infantry being surprised by obstacles to troop movement causing confusion and stalling the attack during the crucial hours of darkness when the assaulting infantry still had a measure of concealment from Indian small arms and infantry support weapons fire.
It was difficult for Indian infantry to hold the Pakistani Force for a long time and the Indian Air force base based in Rajasthan was having the Hawker hunter aircraft that time. which was not capable for night fighting. They can only fight in the day light. But the Heroes of Indian army hold the Pakistani Force for whole night and did not allow them to put a single step forward into our respective country INDIA. On the other side India air force's Hawker Hunter fighter jet got ready for face to face combat with Pakistani Tanks regiment. And with the first light of the morning Indian Hawker Hunters take off for the battle field. Six Hawker Hunters was participating in this mission under the command of Air Marshal M. S. Bawa. And Pakistani tank was burst like pluck chickens after Indian Fighter Air Crafts Came on them. These were the main heroes of that battle.
And after facing a huge army thrust in Longewala our army won that historical war after performing the great courageous role. and they celebrate their winning moments like this you can see..................
Gallant soldiers of 23 Punjab Regiment performing bhangra on a captured Pakistani T-59 tank at Longewala. Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, who was the commander of the post, is standing with his back to camera.
by.. Lakhvinder Singh
