Remembering Havildar Abdul Hamid – the hero of Indo-Pak war of 1965

Tarn Taran, September 9

On his 55th martyrdom day, Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, PVC, one of the heroes of the 1965 Indo–Pak War, was paid tributes by residents of Asal Uttar village, 50 km from here, at a function organised by the village panchayat, in collaboration with the Shaheed Abdul Hamid Yadgar Committee on Wednesday. The Golden Arrow Division of the Army was to pay tributes to the hero at the village, but the programme got postponed. The administration had capped the gathering at 30 persons.

Heroic act

On September 10, 1965, a Pakistan regiment launched an attack at a strategic location near Cheema village (Bhikkiwind Road) in the Khem Karan sector. Intense artillery shelling preceded the enemy attack and then Patton tanks penetrated the forward position.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid, who was then commander of a RCL gun detachment moved defended the country. Taking an advantageous position, he knocked out the leading enemy tank and then, swiftly changing his position, sent another tank up in flames. By this time, the enemy tanks in the area spotted him and brought his jeep under concentrated machine-gun and high-explosive fire.

Undeterred, Havildar Abdul Hamid kept on firing on yet another enemy tank with his recoilless gun. During this, he got wounded and later succumbed to his injuries. — OC