1965 War BOOK – PAK Comment on Battle of BUTTAR DOGRAN DI 16-17 Sep 1965

Totally impressed, I wanted to congratulate you for penning down your admirable memories, I undertook the daunting task to find your identity as you chose to write under the name of Getafix 7. Considering my basic IT skills, it was one hell of a job tracing you to Brig JS Bhullar and then to Jogi Bhullar. Finally, I came across your facebook last year but found it inoperative since 2013. I hope you are fine and haven’t lost any of your vim or vigor that you displayed in 1965. Saw your pic on Facebook wearing a hat and you look handsome at 74.

Coming to your articles, I would first like to draw your attention to the one describing the battle of Buttar Dogran di on 17 Sept. You write:

“Suddenly a shiver went through the whole company because coming towards us were two Pattons, one behind the other. I was surprised to see them come rather hesitantly and very very slowly.
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Poona Horse was evidently fighting its own battle somewhere and we were on our own. I got Gulab, with his antitank grenades to my command post. I thought of taking the shot myself but thinking that it would be bad for morale if I missed, I coached Gulab who was pretty jittery and forgot to rest his rifle in the corner of the trench.
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As he fired, we saw the grenade take a slow curved flight towards the leading tank. For a split second I thought that my range estimation had been low. But no, the grenade managed to just reach the tank and it hit and burst on the tank tracks. The tank shuddered and came to a dead stop.”

The above tank troop belonged to 25 Cavalry and was commanded by Lt Shamshad Ali Khan who happens to be an internet friend living in Karachi. A couple of days back, I had sent your narration to Major Shamshad who now acknowledges that it was his very tank that was disabled by Gulab that day. But Maj shamshad wasnt really amused to read what was further written as to how the crew of the tank clambered down and ran back to the rear tank. ( LOL).

However, the good part of the story is that both you and shamshad survived that battle and both have written down very interesting narrations of their experiences, and above all both are alive today after 50 years of the conflict. If you want I can email you the writings of Maj Shamshad covering the 17 days conflict.

Secondly, while covering the events of 8 Sept, you describe an ambush laid by a Pak Recce and Support Battalion on the coloumn of 16 Cav before it contacted 25 Cav, where in you describe destruction of a near dozen tanks.

In no way do I doubt what you write, but this major event goes un noticed by most historians of both countries. The reason that I buy you narration is that by the evening of 8 Sept, when 16 Cav accounted for its losses, they found themselves short of 16 tanks.

B Squadron of 25 Cavalry which contacted 16 Cav near Gadgore claims destroying 4 tanks during the first skirmish. C squadron 25 cav did not establish contact with 16 cav and as such has no claim during the first battle. A squadron was in engagement with Poona Horse.

So summing up the losses of 16 Cav on 8 sept, the total figure of 16 appears to be closer to reality, if we take into account the ambush by R&S platoon which according to your narration claimed near 12 tanks.

Bhullar sahib, would you be able to throw some more light on this ambush as a friend of mine who belongs to 13 FF R&S has been claiming this very operation alongwith destruction of a battery of 101 SP regiment near Kingra area perhaps on 8 sept, but many appear to be not impressed. I thought you would be the best person to reverify this.

You have some exceptional writing skills besides fighting skills. Keep them up.