Military operations in Poonch (1948) - Revision history

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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=January ~~2020~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=January 2022}}
	[[File:Relief of Poonch (Op Easy).png\|right\|thumb\|275px\|Operation Easy. Poonch link-up 1 November 1948 – 26 November 1948]]		[[File:Relief of Poonch (Op Easy).png\|right\|thumb\|275px\|Operation Easy. Poonch link-up 1 November 1948 – 26 November 1948]]
	'''Military operations''' took place in '''[[Historical Poonch District\|Poonch]]''' district, then part of the princely state of [[Kashmir and Jammu (princely state)\|Jammu and Kashmir]], in 1948 during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947\|conflict in Jammu and Kashmir]] between the [[Indian Army]] and [[Pakistan]]i and [[~~Azad~~ Kashmir Regular Force\|~~Azad~~ Kashmir rebel forces]]. Poonch withstood a siege by these forces from November 1947 until relieved by an Indian offensive, '''Operation Easy''' on 20 November 1948. The besieged garrison, commanded by [[Brig. Pritam Singh]], was maintained by air supply. Military operations ended with Poonch town and the [[Poonch district, India\|eastern part of Poonch district]] in Indian hands and [[Poonch Division\|western part of the Poonch district]] in Pakistani hands.		'''Military operations''' took place in '''[[Historical Poonch District\|Poonch]]''' district, then part of the princely state of [[Kashmir and Jammu (princely state)\|Jammu and Kashmir]], in 1948 during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947\|conflict in Jammu and Kashmir]] between the [[Indian Army]] and [[Pakistan]]i and [[Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regular Force\|Pakistan-occupied Kashmir rebel forces]]. Poonch withstood a siege by these forces from November 1947 until relieved by an Indian offensive, '''Operation Easy''' on 20 November 1948. The besieged garrison, commanded by [[Brig. Pritam Singh]], was maintained by air supply. Military operations ended with Poonch town and the [[Poonch district, India\|eastern part of Poonch district]] in Indian hands and [[Poonch Division\|western part of the Poonch district]] in Pakistani hands.

	==Threat to Poonch==		==Threat to Poonch==
	Poonch is a small town in Western Jammu, on the confluence of Batar and Suran rivers, which forms the Poonch river. In 1947, it was the seat of the Raja who was a vassal of [[Maharaja Hari Singh]] of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Rescue">{{Cite book\|title=Operation Rescue:Military Operations in Jammu & Kashmir 1947–49\|last=Sinha \|first=Lt. Gen. S.K. \|year=1977 \|publisher=Vision Books \|location=New Delhi \|isbn=81-7094-012-5 \|pages=80–102\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMwBAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>{{rp\|89}} Prior to 1947, communications with Poonch were through the Punjabi town of [[Jhelum]]; towns in the east such as [[Rajauri]], [[Nowshera, Jammu and Kashmir\|Naushera]] and [[Jammu]] being connected only by fair-weather tracks.		Poonch is a small town in Western Jammu, on the confluence of Batar and Suran rivers, which forms the Poonch river. In 1947, it was the seat of the Raja who was a vassal of [[Maharaja Hari Singh]] of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Rescue">{{Cite book\|title=Operation Rescue:Military Operations in Jammu & Kashmir 1947–49\|last=Sinha \|first=Lt. Gen. S.K. \|year=1977 \|publisher=Vision Books \|location=New Delhi \|isbn=81-7094-012-5 \|pages=80–102\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMwBAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>{{rp\|89}} Prior to 1947, communications with Poonch were through the Punjabi town of [[Jhelum]]; towns in the east such as [[Rajauri]], [[Nowshera, Jammu and Kashmir\|Naushera]] and [[Jammu]] being connected only by fair-weather tracks.

	Pakistan had targeted [[Poonch District, Pakistan\|Poonch district]], which had a large population of Muslim serving and retired soldiers, as an important objective. Pakistani forces comprised regular soldiers, ex-servicemen of Royal Indian Army (AKRF<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/2473712 December 1947 to April 1948 – winter and spring offensive. A research Article written by Peter Almo Kis]</ref> – ~~Azad~~ Kashmir Regular Force)<ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Amin\|first=Agha Humayun\|year=2000\|title=The War of Lost Opportunities\|url=http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/apr/war-lost.htm\|journal=The Defence Journal\|volume=May 2000}}</ref> and [[Pashtun people\|Pashtun]] tribals, along with Muslim Poonchies inflamed by reports of massacre of Muslim refugees during the communal violence of partition.<ref name="Offl_Hist_1947">{{Cite book\|title=History of Operations In Jammu and Kashmir 1947–1948 \|last1=Prasad\|first1=S.N.\|last2=Dharm Pal \|year=1987 \|publisher=History Department, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. (printed at Thomson Press (India) Limited) \|location=New Delhi \|pages=418 }}.</ref>{{rp\|18}}		Pakistan had targeted [[Poonch District, Pakistan\|Poonch district]], which had a large population of Muslim serving and retired soldiers, as an important objective. Pakistani forces comprised regular soldiers, ex-servicemen of Royal Indian Army (AKRF<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/2473712 December 1947 to April 1948 – winter and spring offensive. A research Article written by Peter Almo Kis]</ref> – Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Regular Force)<ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Amin\|first=Agha Humayun\|year=2000\|title=The War of Lost Opportunities\|url=http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/apr/war-lost.htm\|journal=The Defence Journal\|volume=May 2000}}</ref> and [[Pashtun people\|Pashtun]] tribals, along with Muslim Poonchies inflamed by reports of massacre of Muslim refugees during the communal violence of partition.<ref name="Offl_Hist_1947">{{Cite book\|title=History of Operations In Jammu and Kashmir 1947–1948 \|last1=Prasad\|first1=S.N.\|last2=Dharm Pal \|year=1987 \|publisher=History Department, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. (printed at Thomson Press (India) Limited) \|location=New Delhi \|pages=418 }}.</ref>{{rp\|18}}

	The attackers infiltrated Poonch, as part of Operation "Gulmarg", as a springboard to capture the Jammu region. The town was threatened by the raiders when the headquarters of Jammu and Kashmir forces decided to reinforce it from the North.		The attackers infiltrated Poonch, as part of Operation "Gulmarg", as a springboard to capture the Jammu region. The town was threatened by the raiders when the headquarters of Jammu and Kashmir forces decided to reinforce it from the North.

	The relief of Poonch from Jammu was exacerbated by the fact that it lay across many kilometers of hilly terrain with poor communications. Paucity of troops, the need to secure the line of communication and to establish a firm base delayed its relief. The massacre of the populations of the surrounding areas, not only swelled the refugee population in Poonch, but also led to Pandit Nehru's insisting that it be held.{{Citation needed\|date=September ~~2010~~}}		The relief of Poonch from Jammu was exacerbated by the fact that it lay across many kilometers of hilly terrain with poor communications. Paucity of troops, the need to secure the line of communication and to establish a firm base delayed its relief. The massacre of the populations of the surrounding areas, not only swelled the refugee population in Poonch, but also led to Pandit Nehru's insisting that it be held.{{Citation needed\|date=September 2022}}

	==Reinforcement of Poonch==		==Reinforcement of Poonch==
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	While Poonch was secured, costly gains made by the Indian 161st Infantry Brigade and [[77th Indian Infantry Brigade\|77th Parachute Brigade]] in the Uri sector were lost by ill-advised vacation of Led Gali and Pir Kanthi picquets in the Haji Pir region for the winter by the Indian brigade commander responsible, allowing Pakistan to reoccupy these picquets and occupy a large salient centred on the [[Haji Pir pass]]. Before any action could be taken by the Indians to reduce the salient, ceasefire was declared on 2 January 1949 leaving these locations secure in Pakistani hands.<ref name="Slender"/>{{rp\|289–291}} Poonch continues to be a border outpost on the [[Line of Control]] in between the Indian and Pakistani administered regions of Jammu and Kashmir.		While Poonch was secured, costly gains made by the Indian 161st Infantry Brigade and [[77th Indian Infantry Brigade\|77th Parachute Brigade]] in the Uri sector were lost by ill-advised vacation of Led Gali and Pir Kanthi picquets in the Haji Pir region for the winter by the Indian brigade commander responsible, allowing Pakistan to reoccupy these picquets and occupy a large salient centred on the [[Haji Pir pass]]. Before any action could be taken by the Indians to reduce the salient, ceasefire was declared on 2 January 1949 leaving these locations secure in Pakistani hands.<ref name="Slender"/>{{rp\|289–291}} Poonch continues to be a border outpost on the [[Line of Control]] in between the Indian and Pakistani administered regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

	The decision to hold and relieve Poonch saved thousands of civilian lives but at the military cost of diverting troops from the capture of Domel and Muzzafarabad during a period of vulnerability<ref name="Slender"/> as well as diverting troops from the capture of Mirpur and Bhimber, a more meaningful strategical gambit.{{Citation needed\|date=October ~~2011~~}}<!--<ref name="Bajwa"/>-->		The decision to hold and relieve Poonch saved thousands of civilian lives but at the military cost of diverting troops from the capture of Domel and Muzzafarabad during a period of vulnerability<ref name="Slender"/> as well as diverting troops from the capture of Mirpur and Bhimber, a more meaningful strategical gambit.{{Citation needed\|date=October 2022}}<!--<ref name="Bajwa"/>-->

	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Operations in Poonch (1948)}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Operations in Poonch (1948)}}
	[[Category:Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]]		[[Category:Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]]
	[[Category:Military operations involving India]]		[[Category:Military operations involving India\|Poonch]]

imported>Kautilya3: removed Category:Kashmir conflict using HotCat; covered by another category

2020-11-14T11:26:52Z

removed Category:Kashmir conflict using HotCat; covered by another category

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
[[File:Relief of Poonch (Op Easy).png|right|thumb|275px|Operation Easy. Poonch link-up 1 November 1948 – 26 November 1948]]
'''Military operations''' took place in '''[[Historical Poonch District|Poonch]]''' district, then part of the princely state of [[Kashmir and Jammu (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], in 1948 during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|conflict in Jammu and Kashmir]] between the [[Indian Army]] and [[Pakistan]]i and [[Azad Kashmir Regular Force|Azad Kashmir rebel forces]]. Poonch withstood a siege by these forces from November 1947 until relieved by an Indian offensive, '''Operation Easy''' on 20 November 1948. The besieged garrison, commanded by [[Brig. Pritam Singh]], was maintained by air supply. Military operations ended with Poonch town and the [[Poonch district, India|eastern part of Poonch district]] in Indian hands and [[Poonch Division|western part of the Poonch district]] in Pakistani hands.

==Threat to Poonch==
Poonch is a small town in Western Jammu, on the confluence of Batar and Suran rivers, which forms the Poonch river. In 1947, it was the seat of the Raja who was a vassal of [[Maharaja Hari Singh]] of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="Rescue">{{Cite book|title=Operation Rescue:Military Operations in Jammu & Kashmir 1947–49|last=Sinha |first=Lt. Gen. S.K. |year=1977 |publisher=Vision Books |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7094-012-5 |pages=80–102|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMwBAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>{{rp|89}} Prior to 1947, communications with Poonch were through the Punjabi town of [[Jhelum]]; towns in the east such as [[Rajauri]], [[Nowshera, Jammu and Kashmir|Naushera]] and [[Jammu]] being connected only by fair-weather tracks.

Pakistan had targeted [[Poonch District, Pakistan|Poonch district]], which had a large population of Muslim serving and retired soldiers, as an important objective. Pakistani forces comprised regular soldiers, ex-servicemen of Royal Indian Army (AKRF<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/2473712 December 1947 to April 1948 – winter and spring offensive. A research Article written by Peter Almo Kis]</ref> – Azad Kashmir Regular Force)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Amin|first=Agha Humayun|year=2000|title=The War of Lost Opportunities|url=http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/apr/war-lost.htm|journal=The Defence Journal|volume=May 2000}}</ref> and [[Pashtun people|Pashtun]] tribals, along with Muslim Poonchies inflamed by reports of massacre of Muslim refugees during the communal violence of partition.<ref name="Offl_Hist_1947">{{Cite book|title=History of Operations In Jammu and Kashmir 1947–1948 |last1=Prasad|first1=S.N.|last2=Dharm Pal |year=1987 |publisher=History Department, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. (printed at Thomson Press (India) Limited) |location=New Delhi |pages=418 }}.</ref>{{rp|18}}

The attackers infiltrated Poonch, as part of Operation "Gulmarg", as a springboard to capture the Jammu region. The town was threatened by the raiders when the headquarters of Jammu and Kashmir forces decided to reinforce it from the North.

The relief of Poonch from Jammu was exacerbated by the fact that it lay across many kilometers of hilly terrain with poor communications. Paucity of troops, the need to secure the line of communication and to establish a firm base delayed its relief. The massacre of the populations of the surrounding areas, not only swelled the refugee population in Poonch, but also led to Pandit Nehru's insisting that it be held.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}

==Reinforcement of Poonch==
A total of 40,000 refugees sheltered in Poonch fleeing from tribal atrocities in the West.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|91}} Since the state forces were grossly inadequate to fend off the raiders, a decision to reinforce the garrison was made by Maj Gen Kalwant Singh, commander of Jammu and Kashmir forces. An attempt by [[50th Parachute Brigade (India)|50 Parachute Brigade]], under Brig. Y.S. Paranjpye, was planned. The brigade faced difficult terrain and tough opposition and was not able to relieve Poonch.<ref name="Slender"/>{{rp|124}} [[161st Indian Infantry Brigade|161st Infantry Brigade]], which had pushed the raiders back to Domel on the Muzzafarabad-Srinagar route, was tasked to link up with Poonch from the North.

Just before Poonch was contacted by the raiders, the town was reinforced on 22 Nov 47 by a column from 161 Brigade which left behind an infantry battalion, 1st Battalion (Parachute), [[Kumaon Regiment]] (1 KUMAON) under Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) [[Brig. Pritam Singh|Pritam Singh]] who became the commander of Poonch garrison. There was also an understrength brigade of J&K State Forces under Brig. Kishen Singh already present in Poonch which came under command of the Indian Army.<ref name="Slender">{{Cite book|title=Slender Was the Thread: Kashmir Confrontation 1947–48 |last=Sen |first=Maj Gen L. P. |year=1969 |publisher=Orient Longman |location=New Delhi |isbn=0-86131-692-4 |pages=308 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYHXmx4cOUsC}}</ref>{{rp|124}}

In January 1948, another battalion of infantry, the 3rd Battalion, [[9 Gorkha Rifles]] (3/9 GR) was airlifted into Poonch to bolster the defences.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|91}}

==Siege of Poonch==
[[File:Dakotas in Poonch 1947.jpg|thumb|right|Refugees awaiting evacuation by Dakota on Poonch airstrip, December 1947.]]
Poonch was isolated by the raiders soon after the reinforcement. [[Brig. Pritam Singh]] organised the defenses with regular troops, stiffening them with the State Forces and two ad hoc militia battalions, organised from the refugees. The defenders kept the besiegers at bay by vigorous patrolling and fierce small unit actions. An [[Poonch Airport|air strip]] suitable for Dakotas was fashioned using the besieged civilians as labour.

On 12 December 1947, Wing Commander [[Mehar Singh (pilot)|Mehar Singh]], accompanied by Air Vice Marshal [[Subroto Mukerjee]], carried out a daring trial in a Harvard on the makeshift airstrip. The same day, the first Dakotas landed on Poonch airstrip carrying with them a complete section of mountain artillery. Thereafter the fledgling [[Royal Indian Air Force]] began what they called the "Punching" drive, an air bridge of [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Dakotas]], first by day and later by night.<ref name="Poonching">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1948War/Poonch.html |title=Operation Poonching |author=Verma, Kunal |work=Vayu Aerospace 2000 |publisher=Bharat Rakshak |accessdate=10 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209100848/http://bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1948War/Poonch.html |archivedate=9 February 2010 }}</ref><ref name="Red coats">{{Cite book|title=Red coats to olive green:A history of the Indian Army, 1600–1974 |last=Longer |first=V. |year=1974 |publisher=Allied Publishers |location=Bombay |isbn=0856551309 |pages=543 }}</ref>{{rp|304–05}}<ref>Longer (1974) mentions that the aircraft was a Beechcraft while the Bharat Rakshak article, of Air Force origin and post-2000 vintage, mentions "Harvard", an aircraft known to have been used extensively in the 1947 Indo-Pakistani operation in the Jammu sector.</ref> The air bridge flew in supplies and flew out refugees, despite interdiction by Pakistani mountain artillery, to counter which Indian [[25 pounder]] guns were flown in.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|92–93}}

The air force also attacked the Pakistani columns with [[Hawker Tempest|Tempest]]s and [[North American T-6 Texan|Harvard]]s.<ref name="Poonching"/> Attacks on Poonch reduced during summer due to the protracted operations in the Uri sector and were resumed in August 1948, necessitating an immediate relief of Poonch.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|93–94}}

Poonch was referred to as the "[[Tobruk]] of Kashmir", though unlike Tobruk, it never fell.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|90}}

==Operation Easy==
A relieving force under Brig. Yadunath Singh was assembled at Rajauri, which eventually grew to be division-sized, comprising [[5th Indian Infantry Brigade|5]] and [[19th Indian Infantry Brigade|19 Infantry Brigade]] as well as "Rajauri column" with supporting field artillery and two troops of [[Sherman tank]]s of the [[Indian Army#Armoured regiments|Central India Horse]].<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|99–100}} The codename of the operation was "Operation EASY" to make the complex operation appear psychologically easier to execute.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|95}}

The operation commenced on the night of 6/7 November with 5 Brigade advancing on the right of the axis of advance and 19 Brigade on the left flank. [[Bhimber Gali]], captured by the two brigades, and Ramgarh fort, captured by Rajauri Force, were the first features to be captured.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|100}} In the meantime, [[268th Indian Infantry Brigade|268 Infantry Brigade]] carried out OP RANJIT in which it captured [[Pir Badesar]], a tactically strong locality overlooking the Seri valley which protected Jhangar from the north and posed a direct threat to [[Kotli]] and thus protected the flank of the advance from a Pakistani threat to the line of communication near [[Chingas]].<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|97}}<ref name="Offl_Hist_1947"/>{{rp|257–262}}

19 Infantry Brigade came across determined opposition at Point 5372, a feature southeast of [[Mendhar]], which guarded the route to [[Kotli]]. Continuing to demonstrate against Point 5372 as a ruse, the major force was switched to the right flank where opposition was light. These two brigades then captured Pt 5982 and Topa ridge south of Poonch. On 20 November, the Poonch garrison broke through to the south over the hills for the linkup. On 23 November, Mendhar was a captured in a pincer move by 19 Infantry Brigade from the South permitting the [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers|Engineers]] to construct a jeep track via Mendhar to Poonch.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|101–102}}

Operation Easy resulted in capture of {{convert|800|sqmi}} of territory. Large numbers of refugees, including 10,000 Muslims were able to get away and obtain relief from the state administration.<ref name="Rescue"/>{{rp|102}}

==Aftermath==
While Poonch was secured, costly gains made by the Indian 161st Infantry Brigade and [[77th Indian Infantry Brigade|77th Parachute Brigade]] in the Uri sector were lost by ill-advised vacation of Led Gali and Pir Kanthi picquets in the Haji Pir region for the winter by the Indian brigade commander responsible, allowing Pakistan to reoccupy these picquets and occupy a large salient centred on the [[Haji Pir pass]]. Before any action could be taken by the Indians to reduce the salient, ceasefire was declared on 2 January 1949 leaving these locations secure in Pakistani hands.<ref name="Slender"/>{{rp|289–291}} Poonch continues to be a border outpost on the [[Line of Control]] in between the Indian and Pakistani administered regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision to hold and relieve Poonch saved thousands of civilian lives but at the military cost of diverting troops from the capture of Domel and Muzzafarabad during a period of vulnerability<ref name="Slender"/> as well as diverting troops from the capture of Mirpur and Bhimber, a more meaningful strategical gambit.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

== See also ==
* [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]]
* [[1947 Poonch rebellion]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101027073428/http://poonch.nic.in/SaviourPch/SOP.htm Brig Pritam Singh, MC, Saviour of Poonch]. On Govt of India [https://web.archive.org/web/20061210162225/http://poonch.nic.in/welcome.html website on Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir]. Accessed 24 August 2010.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Operations in Poonch (1948)}}
[[Category:Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]]
[[Category:Military operations involving India]]