“Lt Col Tarapore was a tough and brave opponent, who inspired and led the 17th Poona Horse bravely throughout the Battle.” –Maj Aga H Amin and Maj Shamshad, Pakistan Army, in their article on Battle of Phillora and Chawinda

The Battle of Phillora was one of the largest tank battles fought during the Indo-Pak War of 1965. It was the first major engagement between the two nations in the Sialkot sector and coincided with the Battle of Asal Uttar in Punjab. The battle started on 10 September, when Indian troops launched a massive assault with 1 Armoured Division (four armoured regiments). Pakistan’s 6 Armoured Division contested the Indian thrust at every stage. During this historic battle, Major General Rajindar Singh ‘Sparrow’ led his formation into battle against numerically superior and better equipped enemy armoured forces with alacrity; he was always with the leading troops controlling, coordinating and directing the battle. Inspired by his tactical genius and leadership, his troops inflicted heavy tank casualties on the enemy. It was also here that Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzarji Tarapore led his regiment 17 HORSE (POONA HORSE) with great acumen and bravery despite severe injuries and knocked out many enemy tanks in the march to Phillora. The actions of these men and the troops that they led exploded the myth of the superiority of the Patton tank, whilst at the same time instilling in the enemy a sense of awe and fear of the Centurion.

Once the decision to launch operations in the Sialkot Sector was final, 1 Armoured Division moved from Jalandhar to Ramgarh and completed its concentration on the night of 6/7 September. The initial objective of the formation consisting of four armoured regiments and supported by a lorried brigade was to capture Phillora. It was deployed in the concentration area as under:-

• 1 Armoured Brigade on the axis Ramgarh Rangre Sabzkot  Chobra  Phillora.
• 43 Lorried Infantry Brigade on the axis Deoli Sabzpur Cross Road  Mastpur  Bhagowal.
• 4 HORSE and Company ex 9 DOGRA Regiment to be the General Officer Commanding’s Reserve.
• Left Flank Guard to be provided by a Squadron of 62 LIGHT CAVALRY.
• Two Self Propelled and One medium regiment of Artillery placed in Direct Support of the Attack.

1 Armoured Division crossed the International Border (IB) at 0600 H on 8 September with 43 Lorried Brigade on the left and 1 Armoured Brigade on the right. The advance of the Armoured Brigade was slowed down due to rain; the going was slow due to boggy paddy fields and intermittent shelling. The first encounter took place soon and 1 Armoured Division tasted early blood with over a dozen tanks and some Recoilless Guns of the enemy destroyed. The enemy’s response was intense and a few readjustments were enforced to counter the enemy’s resistance. 35 Infantry Brigade and a battalion from 116 Infantry Brigade were placed under command to provide the firm base and 6 Artillery Brigade and a Mountain Regiment Artillery were placed in support. 1 Armoured Brigade was tasked to maneuver to the east and draw maximum enemy armour west of the road Chobra  Phillora. 35 Infantry Brigade and 43 Lorried Brigade were to establish firm bases in support of the Armoured Brigade operations. The enemy responded with ferocity and 1 Armoured Division spent 9 and 10 September reorganizing, replenishing and consolidating its gains.

In his appreciation, the enemy anticipated the attack to come from either the Zafarwal  Phillora or Chobora  Phillora axis and had prepared his defences accordingly. The wily General Sparrow instead chose a more direct and difficult cross country route full of paddy and sugar cane fields thus taking the most difficult and unexpected route; the plan was supported by a well coordinated deception. The deception involved creating a concentration in general area of Sazpur strengthening the enemy’s belief that the assault will follow the Chobra  Phillora axis.

“The arrow shot by the archer may or may not kill a single person. But stratagems devised by wise men can kill even babes in the womb.” – Kautilya

For its main assault, the Armoured Division concentrated in Gen Area Kalol – Rurki Kalan under the cover of tall sugarcane fields and by the first light of 11 September, 4 HORSE had advanced beyond the village of Rurki Kalan with 17 HORSE taking the right flank. The aim was to encircle Phillora from both the directions in a pincer movement. The enemy was to be split into smaller groups and destroyed piecemeal. The frontage of advance was very narrow, being approximately 2000 yards per Regiment and the move had to be with one squadron up. 16 CAVALRY established a road block in area Kakhanwali and 62 CAVALRY moved to area Bhagowal cross roads to protect the western flank of the division.

4 HORSE soon captured Rurki Kalan and commenced encirclement of Phillora. It eliminated all opposition claiming 29 tanks against only one of their own; surprise had indeed been achieved. Major Bhupinder Singh, B Squadron Commander, displayed exemplary courage and was successful in cutting off the retreating enemy along the Gadgor-Phillora road; the piecemeal dissemination of the enemy had begun. Later he was seriously injured and breathed his last on the battlefield. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

17 HORSE was tasked to attack Phillora. C Squadron acting as the vanguard established a pivot in area Libbe to Khananwali to support the assault. The regiment commenced advance at 0800 H and soon faced intense enemy fire from Libbe. C Squadron handed  over the firm base to B Squadron and moved on towards Phillora. With cavalier dash, it occupied the high ground dominating Phillora from the North East. On the reverse slope, 400 yards away, were seven Patton tanks; both sides suffered a nasty surprise and a quick draw encounter took place. Two Patton tanks were destroyed, whilst the remainder withdrew under cover of the built up area towards Chawinda. Meanwhile 5/9 Gorkha Rifles, under covering fire provided by C Squadron, proceeded to clear Phillora which had fallen by 1530 H.

B Squadron was soon facing a threat from the direction of Alhar; an intense tank to tank battle ensued. Lieutenant Colonel AB Tarapore, CO 17 HORSE led from the front though under continuous enemy tank and artillery fire Tarapore remained unperturbed throughout the operation. While the attack by C Squadron on Phillora was in progress, B Squadron was moved to cover Phillora from the North West, and A Squadron deployed to cover the Libbe approach.

At about the time Phillora was being secured, a counter-attack developed from the direction of Alhar on to B Squadron. While B Squadron quickly changed direction and took on the counter attacking force, A Squadron engaged other tanks in the area. Captain Gurdial Singh of A Squadron, suddenly found Tarapore’s tank next to him. Tarapore destroyed two Patton Tanks in this encounter. Five tanks of B Squadron were hit, the crews bailing out to safety. Between themselves, A and B Squadrons destroyed six Pattons and broke up the counter-attack. In the same encounter, Tarapore was wounded in the arm by a shell splinter. Captain Gurdial, concerned about his safety, requested his Commanding Officer to move back from the line of fire. “Gordy, I will not leave you. If we have to die, we die together” was Tarapore curt reply. When Gurdial insisted again, Tarapore snapped: “Young man, dont tell me what to do!” On 14 September 1965, though still wounded, he again led his regiment to capture Wazirali. Such was his grit and determination that unmindful of his injury, he again gallantly led the regiment and captured Jassoran and Butur-Dograndi in the battle of Chawinda on 16 September. His own tank was hit several times, but despite the odds he maintained his pivots in both these places and thereby allowed the supporting infantry to attack. Inspired by his leadership, the regiment fiercely attacked the enemy heavy armour destroying approximately 60 enemy tanks at a cost of only nine tank casualties. So inspired were they that even when Lieutenant Colonel A B Tarapore was mortally wounded, the regiment continued to destroy the enemy. The valour displayed by Lieutenant Colonel AB Tarapore in this heroic action, which lasted six days, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Army.

The enemy Pattons were out gunned and outmaneuvered by the skilful handling of 4 and 17 HORSE, the enemy was soon defeated and the strong crust of Phillora lay shattered. 43 Brigade Lorried was launched to exploit the situation with two battalions up (5/9 Gorkhs Rifles and 5 JAT Regiment). The objective including the cross roads was secured by 1530 H and the battle of Phillora won successfully. On September 12, 1965, the tank battle at Phillora ended in an important decisive victory for the Indian Army with the Pakistani forces retreating and regrouping to put up a last stand at Chawinda. The continued thrust by the Indian Army into Pakistani territory finally culminated in the Battle of Chawinda, On 22 September when the cease fire was declared, India retained almost 518 square kilometres of Pakistan territory in the Sialkot sector including the villages of Phillora, Pagowal, Maharajke, Gadgor, Bajagrahi etc which was returned to Pakistan after the Tashkent Declaration.

16 and 62 LIGHT CAVALRY Regiments also performed with credit and prevented any enemy interference and counter attack against the main thrust. Ex Pakistan Army Major and Military historian A.H Amin summed up the failure of the Pakistani armour in the battle of Phillora as “….6 Armoured Division ordered Guides(10th) Cavalry and 14 FF to mount an attack from Bhagowal – Bhureshah area against the right flank of the Indians aimed at area Libbe -Chahr at 1130 hours on 11 September with an aim to relieve pressure on 11 Cavalry holding Phillora. The Guides had a severe firefight with 16 LIGHT CAVALRY losing many tanks as well as destroying some enemy tanks but was unable to make any impression and the main Indian attack against 11 Cavalry holding Phillora proceeded smoothly”.

“11 Cavalry (Pak Armoured Regiment) holding Phillora fought well and lost so many tanks that from 11th September onwards it ceased to function as a complete tank regiment“- Major Agha H Amin (11 Cavalry Pak Army), Historian

43 Lorried Brigade provided the boots on ground and mopped up any enemy resistance from the permanent defences and Built Up Area. Enemy tank hunting parties were picked out from tall sugarcane fields to prevent interference with the tank assaults and give them complete freedom of operations.

The battle was hard fought with over 400 tanks slugging it out in an area of 50 square kilometres. Five officers and 64 other ranks of the Indian Army laid down their lives. Among them was Lt Col A B Tarapore, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the country’s highest award for gallantry Excellent training, gunnery skills, maneuver and leadership had won the day against a better equipped enemy.