Battle of Jassar Bridge
| Battle of Jassar Bridge | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Lahore Front | |||||||
 The road and rallroad bndge connectlng Gurdwara Darbar Sahlb at Kartarpur, Paklstan, and Gurdwara Dera Sahlb on the eastem slde of Rlver Ravl eastem slde of Rlver Ravl, was constructed by the Bntlsh (bvernment, around 1927 AD | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Pakistan |
 India | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | As per 115 Brigade's war account, Indians lost 200 men and 16 were taken prisoner. | ||||||
The Battle of Jassar Bridge, also known as the Battle of Jassar Enclave, was a skirmish fought around August 29, 1965, as part of the Lahore front in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. On September 6, 1965, Indian artillery began shelling the Jassar Enclave, disrupting the tranquility of the old colonial bridge and Garrison Camp. The objective was to capture the Chenab River Bridge on the Main Supply Route to Indian troops north of Akhnoor, cutting the main logistics supply line.[1][2][3][4][5] The Pakistani army successfully countered this attack on the Jassar Bridge.[6]
Background
[edit]On August 29, 1965, General Akhtar ordered the Brigade Commanders to attack the Indian forces in Munawer Gap. On September 1, Pakistani 12 Division artillery began Operation Grand Slam, aiming to capture the strategic town of Akhnur and penetrate deeper into Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Western Command, led by Lieutenant General Harbaksh Singh, planned a blitzkrieg operation to capture the Jammu-Srinagar road.
The Garrison Camp, a peacetime accommodation for the unit deployed on border security duty at Jassar Enclave, was resonating with opinions on whether India would violate the international border to relieve pressure on Akhnur. Indian Army Chief General Chaudhuri was given the green light to cross the border, but he was nervous. Under pressure from Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, and assurances from Corps Commanders and Lieutenant General Kashmir Singh Katoch, Chaudhuri launched an offensive across the international border, deeming it a self-defense measure rather than a feint or diversionary attack.[7]
The Indian offensive on Jassar Enclave aimed to counter the threat posed by Pakistan's ability to bring troops across the Chenab River Bridge. General J. S. Dhillon launched the 29 Infantry Brigade to capture the bridge and eliminate the threat from the right flank. The Indians feared a Pakistani breakthrough across the Ravi River via Jassar Enclave, which served as a ready-made bridgehead for Pakistani forces. Despite these fears, India launched an attack on the Jassar Enclave, coordinated with 7 and 15 Divisions' attacks on the Lahore Sector. Gurkhas captured the southeastern exit of the bridge, while Madrassis attacked the flood embankments occupied by Pakistani 3 Punjab's A Company.[8]
Battle
[edit]Pakistani tanks appeared at the far end of the Jassar Bridge, boosting the morale of A and C Companies. On September 6 and 7, India's 2 Madras Battalion made a quick attempt to overrun 3 Punjab's positions but faced heavy resistance. Brigadier Pritam Singh intended to use 2 Rajputana Rifles to reclaim the southern end of the bridge, which had faced multiple Indian offensives. Despite fierce resistance, the southeastern end of the bridge was returned to Indian hands after a three-hour fight. Pakistani 15 Brigade prepared the bridge for demolition under the command of Lieutenant Muhammad Javed, and the first Indian attack fell on two forward platoons of 3 Punjab.[9][10]
Aftermath
[edit]Lieutenant Javed and his team of sappers successfully prepared the Jassar Bridge for demolition within two hours of the initial Indian attack on September 6. Despite heavy enemy shelling and automatic fire, they worked through the night and up to 1600 hours. After a successful counterattack, Lieutenant Javed supervised the final demolition by 0130 hours on September 7. The remaining days of the war saw only artillery duels and occasional airstrikes in the Jassar Enclave.[9][10][6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "1965 War — their finest hour". Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "1965 War — their finest hour". The Express Tribune. 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "The spirit of 1965". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ Malik, Saleem Akhtar (2018-09-06). "The graveyard of Indian tanks: the battles in the Sialkot sector in the 1965 war". Global Village Space. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Battles that Made History – Defstrat". www.defstrat.com. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ a b Chaudhry, Shafqat Hussain (1980). "The UN Strategy for a Cease-Fire in the 1965 War". Strategic Studies. 3 (4): 69–95. ISSN 1029-0990. JSTOR 45181510.
- ^ Raheja, Naveen (2023-09-22). "India-Pakistan War 1965: A Reappraisal". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ Amin, Agha H. (2021-01-01). "What Happened After 420 Feet Length of Jassar Bridge Was Destroyed? A Much Whitewashed, Suppressed, and Downplayed Part of Pakistan Army Military History". Pakistan Military Review.
- ^ a b Chaudhry, Shafqat Hussain (1980). "The UN Strategy for a Cease-Fire in the 1965 War". Strategic Studies. 3 (4): 69–95. ISSN 1029-0990. JSTOR 45181510.
- ^ a b "Col SG Mehdi MC: The Passing Away of a Great Warrior". ProQuest. Retrieved 2023-11-12.