Published:
December 20, 2024
Gadra Road is located in the Westernmost part of Rajasthan, near the India-Pakistan border, within the Barmer district. It is situated amidst the vast Thar Desert, offering a picturesque and rustic setting. The area held significant strategic importance during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan wars.
11 Infantry Division of the Indian Army’s Southern Command was concentrated in Barmer sector in Rajasthan by Oct 1971. In Rajasthan, the international boundary runs through a desert tract separating the Indian districts of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer from the West Pakistan districts of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanpur and Mirpur Khas. The whole region is a vast expanse of shifting sands with occasional rock exposures.
The division had two brigades, a tank squadron (14 – T-55 Tanks) and a camel mounted Battalion 17 GRENADIERs to protect the flanks and 10 PARA Commando Battlion to conduct raids in Pak Rear Areas. The Division Artillery consisted of one Medium, three Field and one Light Regiment.
11 Infantry Division was tasked to capture NayaChor by advancing along axis Gadra Road-Munabao. Subsidiary attacks were to be made on Khinsar and Chachro.
During the 1971 Indo Pak War, 11 Infantry Division had the distinction of capturing over 9000 square KMs of Pak territory; big catch for a Division with just two brigades.
Operations commenced with the Battle of Gadra City (a small village with a population of about 10,000) fought on the night of 4/5 Dec 1971 by 15 Battalion, the KUMAON Regiment (Indore). The objective was heavily fortified with pill boxes and held by a company minus strength. It was supported by six Artillery guns, eight Medium Machine Guns (MMGs) and six 81 mm Mortars in addition to a large number of Light Machine Guns (LMGs). Gadra City lies in a bowl formed by high sand dunes, the defences were well coordinated and based on dunes and rocks surrounding Gadra.
The assault went on well and soon turned out to be a hand-to-hand slugfest in which the hardy KUMAONIs prevailed over the enemy who was either killed or fled. With the morning sun came a hard-fought victory.
The Battalion was awarded two Vir Chakras (Lance Naik Durga Dutt (Posthumous) and Maj Sunhara Singh (OC Delta Company)), three Sena Medals and three Mentioned in Despatches (including the CO). Lance Naik Durga Datt in face of heavy enemy fire during the assault charged an MMG bunker and lobbed a hand grenade that destroyed the gun and its crew. He then moved to another bunker and was hit in the head by the burst of enemy fire from another automatic weapon. He continued his charge, silenced the second bunker and succumbed to his injuries.
Brave Garhwalis seized Gadra city
The 1 Garhwal Rifles (6 Mechanised Infantry) battalion had moved from Tamalpur in the east to Dharangdhara in Gujarat in July 1965. As the war clouds gathered, the battalion received orders to move to Barmer on September 1 and reached Barmer by last light of September 4. On September 6, the division ordered the battalion to attack and capture the border town of Gadra city, being held by the Indus Rangers. Supported by a squadron of armour, the battalion launched an attack at 3 am on September 6. The enemy put up stiff resistance and brought down heavy volume of mortar and machine gunfire. Gallant Garhwalis mounted the attack with ferocity to force the enemy to abandon their positions. In a bold thrust, the enemy defences were pierced and Gadra city fell by 2 pm on September 6. The qualities of the Garhwalis and exemplary leadership at all levels gave the newly raised Infantry Division its first success.
A week later on September 15, the battalion was ordered to capture Jessa Ka Pat to forestall the enemy preparing for attack from Kaghuba Ki Dhani. The attack was launched on September 16. Under fire from our determined soldiers, the enemy withdrew leaving behind large quantities of equipment and supplies. However, next day, the enemy regrouped to launch a counter attack to recapture Jesse Ke Par, which was beaten back with heavy casualties inflicted. The fiercest battle was fought by B Coy defending Sakarbu once again highlighting the exemplary courage, grit and determination of the battalion.
On November 10, the battalion was placed under direct operational command of the GOC for capture of Myajlar. On November 18, Sangram Force under Lt Col KP Lahiri launched a coordinated attack, taking the enemy by surprise. Our brave troops killed 32 enemy soldiers and captured 70 of them. It was on November 18 at Myajlar that L/Hav Deb Singh Bhandari, while single-handedly silencing an enemy machine gun, made the supreme sacrifice of his life for the nation. The war continued from September to November and the battalion was bestowed the Battle Honour of “Gadra Road” and Theatre Honour Rajasthan.' The roll of honours included seven valiant soldiers killed, two officers and 38 brave Bhullas who were wounded in action.
Barmer Railway Station → Gadra Road
