Impact of artillery fire on tanks according to colonel effendi then DQ changez force on 8 December the enemy made a bold attempt to breach the minefield ...a blaze of 90 mm gun fire greeted the Indian trawls one managed to get through but the crew abandoned it with the engine running.....the second trawl was hit and stopped dead.... and the third one stayed without risking a cross But then something inexplicable happened, the infantry element (not 13 Punjab) sharing the same ridge with with C Squadron were unnerved by the sight of the three tanks, equipped with trawls rushing forward, and as a result they panicked and left their trenches and moved rearwards. The enemy tanks covering the mine breaching operation started engaging our M-47s on the ridge, as a result two tanks were hit and the troop leader, a JCO , also lost his nerve and started pulling out, the neighboring troop also started following suit. The squadron commander on seeing a fiasco developing, tried to stop the rot,but the order he gave was misinterpreted: -- Apne, apne purane position mein wapis jao (go back to your original position).This was understood by some to return to their original location near Shakargarh town that they had occupied prior to 5 December,this resulted in a stampede , as the squadron went out of control,the wireless network got jammed and the squadron commander watched helplessly as order and discipline crumbled around him.However one of his troops, on the extreme right flank,commanded by Captain Kazim, stood firm at Nathlan Kalan. A Squadron 20 Lancers , located close by , witnessed the rout, and the squadron commander reported the situation to Lt. Col Tufail”. Effendi went on and described the crisis of confusion in C Squadron 33 Cavalry in following words :-- “ We had barely reached our HQ when a telephone call from 20 Lancers broke the news.It was stunning.Fortunately for us the unseemly withdrawal was not seen by the enemy, as it had occurred on a reverse slope and out of his view.In the meantime Tufail arrived black as thunder.Brigadier Nisar ordered him to go and personally check the position on the ground, and I was to accompany him as the squadron commanders representative.As we were driving on the main track , we saw an oncoming jeep,with Lt Col Abdur Rahman and his elegant second in command as the occupants.On seeing us ,the jeep stopped next to us and Lt Col Abdur Rahman shouted : - Everything is under control ,it was only a minor mishap, and we are reocc

2. according to colonel effendi then DQ
changez force on 8 December the
enemy made a bold attempt to breach
the minefield ...a blaze of 90 mm gun
fire greeted the Indian trawls one
managed to get through but the crew
abandoned it with the engine
running.....the second trawl was hit
and stopped dead.... and the third one
stayed without risking a cross But
then something inexplicable
happened, the infantry element (not
13 Punjab) sharing the same ridge
with with C Squadron were unnerved
by the sight of the three tanks,
equipped with trawls rushing forward,
and as a result they panicked and left
their trenches and moved rearwards.

3. The enemy tanks covering the mine
breaching operation started engaging
our M-47s on the ridge, as a result two
tanks were hit and the troop leader, a
JCO , also lost his nerve and started
pulling out, the neighboring troop also
started following suit.
The squadron commander on seeing a
fiasco developing, tried to stop the
rot,but the order he gave was
misinterpreted: --
Apne, apne purane position mein
wapis jao (go back to your original
position).This was understood by
some to return to their original
location near Shakargarh town that
they had occupied prior to 5
December,this resulted in a stampede

4. , as the squadron went out of
control,the wireless network got
jammed and the squadron commander
watched helplessly as order and
discipline crumbled around
him.However one of his troops, on the
extreme right flank,commanded by
Captain Kazim, stood firm at Nathlan
Kalan.
A Squadron 20 Lancers , located close
by , witnessed the rout, and the
squadron commander reported the
situation to Lt. Col Tufail”.
Effendi went on and described the
crisis of confusion in C Squadron 33
Cavalry in following words :--
“ We had barely reached our HQ when
a telephone call from 20 Lancers

5. broke the news.It was
stunning.Fortunately for us the
unseemly withdrawal was not seen by
the enemy, as it had occurred on a
reverse slope and out of his view.In
the meantime Tufail arrived black as
thunder.Brigadier Nisar ordered him to
go and personally check the position
on the ground, and I was to
accompany him as the squadron
commanders representative.As we
were driving on the main track , we
saw an oncoming jeep,with Lt Col
Abdur Rahman and his elegant second
in command as the occupants.On
seeing us ,the jeep stopped next to us
and Lt Col Abdur Rahman shouted : -
Everything is under control ,it was
only a minor mishap, and we are
reoccupying those positions”.

6. Lt Col Tufail looked at me and said “
since he says so we should accept his
words , and since you are the
commanders representative , you
should have the fonal say”.
I felt extremely uncomfortable
doubting Lt Col Abdur Rahman,
considering the fact I held him in high
esteem, so we decided to return to
Tola,where we briefed the commander
who took a sigh of relief and said to
me he would take a little nap.By now
it was dark.Things settled down in the
bubker and I prepared for a long night
vigil.”

7. Sadly the situation did not end here .
Effendi stated further “ It was around
midnight when in walked Lt Col Abdur
Rahman followed by his second in
command. “ Effendi , things have not
turned out as they should have,the
squadron is scattered and we have
failed to reoccupy our position”.He
stumbled over every word, and I
shared his embarrassment.
He further continued : “ Please GET
the 20 Lancer Squadron to occupy the
position”.
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