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Battle of Phillora
Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Sculpture showing the Indo-Pakistani War 45km 30miles Degh Samba Jammu Akhnur Phillora Gujranwala Wazirabad Sialkot Ravi river MRL MRL Marala Headworks  Phillora and surroundings
Date 7–11 September 1965 (4 days) Location Phillora in Sialkot (Punjab, Pakistan)32°22′52″N 74°43′11″E / 32.3810°N 74.7197°E / 32.3810; 74.7197 Result Indian victory Territorial changes India captures 470 km (180 sq mi) of Pakistani territory
Belligerents
India	Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen. Harbakhsh Singh Lt. Gen. Pat Dunn Maj. Gen. Rajinder Singh Lt. Col. Ardeshir Tarapore	Lt. Gen. Bakhtiar Rana Maj. Gen. Abrar Hussain
Units involved
1st Armoured Division 1st Armoured Brigade 16th Cavalry Regiment 17th Horse Regiment 4th Horse Regiment 62nd Cavalry Regiment 43rd Lorried Brigade	6th Armoured Division 10th Cavalry Regiment 11th Cavalry Regiment 33rd TDU 4th Frontier Force 14th Para Brigade
Casualties and losses
Indian claims: 1 Centurion confirmed destroyed (CO of 4 Horse, Major Madan Bakshi's command tank), 5 more Centurions from 17 Poona Horse, C squadron damaged/ destroyed 5 Shermans of 62nd Cavalry destroyed at the hands of Pattons belonging to 10th Guides Cavalry	Indian claims: 60 tanks destroyed and damaged (31 wrecks recovered) In addition, at least 9 M36B2 tank destroyers and 4 RCL jeeps also confirmed destroyed or captured

The Battle of Phillora was a large tank battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It commenced on 10 September when the Indian 1st Armoured Division, with four armoured regiments and supporting forces under command, attacked positions in the Sialkot sector held by Pakistani 6th Armoured Division. After three days the Pakistanis withdrew with the loss of 66 tanks. The Indians admitted to the loss of 6 Centurions.

The battle coincided with the Battle of Asal Uttar where the Indians were again successful. It was followed by the Battle of Chawinda, where the Indian offensive was halted. On 22 September a ceasefire came into force.

Battle

The battle commenced on 10 September 1965 when Indian troops launched a massive attack in the Phillora sector headed by Indian 1st Armoured Division. Equipped with four armoured regiments, and with a motorised infantry brigade attached, the division faced stiff opposition from the Pakistani 6th Armoured Division. Pakistani aircraft attacked the Indian forces. Their tanks suffered little damage while the supporting transport and infantry columns were harder hit. Over the next two days there was intense fighting before the outnumbered Pakistani troops made a tactical retreat towards Chawinda. At this point India claimed to have destroyed 66 Pakistani tanks.

According to ex-Pakistan Army Major and military historian A.H. Amin the Pakistani armour failed at the battle of Phillora:

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 11th September. The aim of this attack was to relieve pressure on 11th Cavalry. The Guides had a severe firefight with 16th Light Cavalry losing many tanks as well as destroying some enemy tanks but were unable to make any impression and the main Indian attack against 11th Cavalry holding Phillora proceeded smoothly. Phillora was captured by the Indians on 1530 hours on 11th September. The 11th Cavalry fought well and lost so many tanks that from 11th September onwards it ceased to function as a complete tank regiment.

Major Amin also criticised India for its strategic miscalculation:

The Indians fought well but in the overall strategic context the capture of Phillora was of little consequence. Had the Indians shown similar resolution and a little more coup d'œil and modified their plans at the brigade and divisional level on 8 September, by 11 September they would have been leisurely holding the east bank of the MRL (Marala–Ravi link canal).

Result

On 12 September the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Indian Army with the Pakistani forces retreating and regrouping to put up a last stand at Chawinda A day before, the Indian Army had experienced another victory at Asal Uttar when they successfully thwarted a Pakistani offensive in the Khem Karan sector. The continued thrust by the Indian Army into Pakistani territory finally culminated in the Battle of Chawinda, where the Indian army's advance was halted. On 22 September the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on request and emergency call by India as India was going to halt by Pakistan that called for an unconditional ceasefire from both nations. The same day a ceasefire agreement was signed and hostilities ceased. The war ended the following day. India retained almost 200 square miles (500 square kilometres) of Pakistani territory in the Sialkot sector including the villages of Phillora, Pagowal, Maharajke, Gadgor and Bajagrahi. But before ceasefire Pakistan was able to recapture these areas from India..

See also

• Indo-Pakistan Wars
• Operation Grand Slam

Notes

1. " had fought in the World War II and won the MBE due to his bravery as a young army lieutenant. Later in the 1965 War, he was awarded the gallantry award, Hilal-i-Jurat, for leading an infantry brigade as part of the 6th Armoured Division that fought the famous tank battle with the Indian Army at Chawinda in Sialkot and halted the advance of the invading Indian troops in Pakistan’s territory."

References

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3. Saxena, K. C. Pakistan, her relation with India 1947-1966. Vir Pub. House. ASIN B003GB2IFU.
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6. "Big Picture: 1965, fifty years later". Indian Express. 5 September 2015.
7. ^ Amin, Agha.H. "Situation Leading to and Battle of Phillora". Major. A.H Amin. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
8. A Western Sunrise : India's War With Pakistan by Kunal Verma ISBN 978-93-90652-46-4 p.319
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10. ^ History, Official. "Operations in Sialkot sector" (PDF). Official history. Bharat-Rakshak.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
11. Singh, Lt.Gen Harbaksh (1991). War Despatches. New Delhi: Lancer International. p. 186. ISBN 81-7062-117-8.
12. A Western Sunrise : India's War With Pakistan by Kunal Verma ISBN 978-93-90652-46-4 p.324
13. Singh, Lt.Gen Harbaksh (1991). War Despatches. New Delhi: Lancer International. p. 186. ISBN 81-7062-117-8.
14. ^ Singh, Lt.Gen Harbaksh (1991). War Despatches. New Delhi: Lancer International. p. 147. ISBN 81-7062-117-8.
15. A Western Sunrise : India's War With Pakistan by Kunal Verma ISBN 978-93-90652-46-4 p.320
16. Men of steel : 6 Armoured Division in the 1965 war : war despatches of Major General Abrar Husain / Abrar Husain
17. ^ Zaloga, Steve (1999) The M47 and M48 Patton tanks ISBN 1-85532-825-9 pg.34-35.
18. ^ Amin, Major Agha H. "Situation Leading to and Battle of Phillora". Think Tank. AH Amin. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
19. Wilson, Peter (2003). Wars, proxy-wars and terrorism: post independent India. Mittal Publications, 2003. ISBN 978-81-7099-890-7.
20. Fricker, John (1979). Battle for Pakistan: the air war of 1965. University of Michigan: I. Allan. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-71-100929-5.
21. Arming without Aiming: India's Military Modernization By Stephen P. Cohen, Sunil Dasgupta pg. 1971
22. The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks By Steven J. Zaloga Pg. 36
23. Pradhan, R.D. (2007). 1965 war, the inside story. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2007. ISBN 978-81-269-0762-5.
24. Barua, Pradeep (2005) The state at war in South Asia ISBN 0-8032-1344-1 pg.192.

• Battles of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965
• History of Sialkot
• 20th century in Punjab, Pakistan
• Tank battles involving India
• Tank battles involving Pakistan
• September 1965 events in Asia