Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid (1933–1965) was an Indian Army soldier who participated in the India–Pakistan War of 1965 and was posted on the Western Front. In 1966, he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award, for his participation in the Battle of Asal Uttar. CQMH Abdul Hamid died on 10 September 1965 while defending his position from advancing Pakistani tanks. During the war, Abdul Hameed destroyed 9 Patton tanks of Pakistani Army.
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Wiki/Biography
CQMH Abdul Hameed was born on Saturday 1 July 1933 (age 32 years; at death) in Dharampur village, Ghazipur district, United Province (now Uttar Pradesh), British India (now India). Abdul Hameed started his education from the village primary school. Abdul studied till eighth grade. Abdul was always interested in joining the Indian Army. As soon as he became of legal age; Abdul had participated in the recruitment rally being held in Varanasi. When Abdul joined the army, he was only 20 years old. He completed his training and joined his unit, 4 Grenadiers, in 1955.
Family
Abdul Hameed belonged to a Muslim family from Uttar Pradesh.
parents and siblings
His father’s name was Mohammad Usman, who was a tailor by profession. His mother’s name was Sakina Begum. He also had three brothers and two sisters.
wife and children
Abdul was just 14 years old when he got married to Rasool Bibi. The couple married in 1947. He died on 12 August 2019, at the age of 95.
Rasool Bibi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Abdul Hameed had five children; One daughter and four sons. The name of his eldest son is Junaid Alam.
Abdul Hameed’s elder son Junaid Alam during an interview
His second son was named Ali Hasan, who died due to COVID-19 at the age of 61.
Ali Hassan, second son of Abdul Hameed
His two sons, Zainul Hasan and Talat Mahmood, joined the army. His daughter’s name is Najbun Nisha.
Najbun Nisha, daughter of CQMH Abdul Hameed.
religion/religious views
islam
Address
VPO Dhamupur, Dullahapur, Uttar Pradesh – 275202, India.
livelihood
Participation in the India-China war of 1962
During the Indo-China War of 1962, Abdul Hamid was posted with his unit, the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Regiment, at Thag La near the Namka Chu River in the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) (now Arunachal Pradesh). , His battalion was part of the 7th Mountain Division, which was tasked with the defense of the Namka Chu area. On 10 October 1962, his battalion faced a large number of Chinese soldiers. While defending the position from Chinese forces, the battalion ran out of ammunition, and hence, it was decided to withdraw from the position to a safer position. Abdul Hamid, along with his entire battalion, was completely cut off from the advancing Chinese troops and had to retreat to safer positions through Bhutanese territory.
Author Rachna Bisht Rawat has written in her book The Brave,
He fought in the War of ’62 at Thag La, then in the North-East Frontier Province, as part of the 7 Mountain Brigade, 4 Mountain Division and returned disillusioned with the war.
calm before the storm
After the end of the India-China war of 1962; Abdul Hamid was posted with his unit in Ambala, Punjab. There, he was promoted to the rank of Company Quarter Master Havildar and given charge of an administrative company. Abdul and his unit stayed there from 1963 to 1965.
A rare photograph of CQMH Abdul Hamid with his unit, 4 Grenadiers
Pakistan started Operation Gibraltar
In September 1965, near the Line of Control, the Pakistani Army launched a military operation called Operation Gibraltar. The Pakistani military believed that when India was facing defeat during the Sino-Indian War of 1962; Pakistani army can suddenly attack India and snatch Kashmir. The Pakistani Army had sent its soldiers into Kashmir disguised as locals in the hope of starting an armed revolution against India. Within a few months of launching Operation Gibraltar, Pakistan’s plans were exposed as the Indian Army captured many Pakistani soldiers. As a result, Pakistan declared war on India.
Abdul Hamid was taken to Khem Karan sector of Asal North.
India knew that Pakistan had dedicated most of its forces to the Kashmir region, so India opened the Punjab Front and attacked Pakistan. The 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Regiment was transferred to the Khem Karan sector of Punjab. Before being deployed, CQMH Abdul Hamid acquired the newly inducted 106 mm Recoilless Guns (RCL). There was a shortage of anti-tank commanders in the unit, so Abdul Hameed was made the commander of the anti-tank detachment. Abdul was an excellent marksman and no one doubted his ability to aim. He was among the first few soldiers to be trained to use Russian-made RCL guns.
Abdul’s bravery in the battle of Asal Uttar
Abdul and his unit were tasked with the defense of the strategically important Cheema village, which was located in the Khem Karan sector. Abdul’s orders were clear; They were to hold the line and thwart any infiltration attempts by the Pakistanis. On 8 September 1965, at around 9 am, Hamid saw through his binoculars 3 Pakistani Patton tanks moving towards him. Abdul and his RCL jeep were under the cover of a lush green sugarcane field located nearby. In the book, The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories, the author describes the situation as,
The fields are rustling with the rustle of sugarcane and Hamid, sitting in the passenger seat of his jeep, equipped with a recoilless (RCL) gun, can hear the wind. The jeep moves on a narrow muddy road beyond Cheema village. Hamid learns that Pakistan has launched an attack with a regiment of Patton tanks that have moved into positions directly ahead. He first hears the rumble of armor and then sees some tanks moving towards his battalion.
Abdul instructed the RCL gunners to hold their fire until the tanks were directly under their line of fire. As soon as the unmarked tanks came within effective firing range, Abdul ordered his men to open fire with their RCL guns. The shells hit the leading Pakistani Patton tank directly; Blow it to pieces. The sound of the fire was so loud that it frightened the crews of the two remaining tanks; The enemy soldiers left their tanks and ran away. In her book, The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories, author Rachna Bisht Rawat wrote,
The tank is burning before his eyes. Hamid and his men rejoiced. ‘Well done!’, he mouths, well done, and they smile at each other. They see the crews of the two pursuing tanks disembark and run away. Hamid ordered the driver to reverse and drive away.
At 11 am, 3 more Pakistani tanks led the attack against Abdul and his men. The tanks also met the same fate as the earlier tanks. The leading tank was destroyed, and the remaining two tanks were abandoned by the frightened Pakistani crew. On 8 September 1965, Abdul destroyed 2 enemy tanks and captured 4 tanks. On 9 September 1965, Hamid along with his comrades managed to destroy 2 more enemy tanks while firing from the cover of sugarcane fields. Abdul Hameed’s name was recommended for Param Vir Chakra for destroying 4 enemy tanks and capturing 4 more tanks. Rachna Bisht Rawat said in her book, The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories,
Abdul Hameed slept well that night. He is happy with his achievement. His citation has been sent for Param Vir Chakra (PVC). In this he has been given the credit for destroying four tanks.
Abdul continues to destroy Pakistani tanks
Even after Abdul’s name was recommended for the Param Vir Chakra; The war was not over for him, as he was determined to defeat the enemy and save the Khem Karan area from Pakistani invasion. On the morning of 10 September 1965, Abdul saw a large number of Pakistani tanks moving towards his position. This time, the enemy armored column was supported by heavy artillery fire and infantry troops. Abdul and his men waited patiently for the enemy to approach. As soon as the tanks came within effective firing range of the RCL guns, Abdul and his anti-tank troop opened fire; Due to which 4 more Pakistani tanks were destroyed. By now, the enemy had spotted the exact location from where Abdul and his men were firing at them, and hence, they concentrated their tank fire on the RCL jeeps. While moving from one place to another, Abdul targeted a Pakistani tank and fired on it. Both Abdul and the enemy were targeting each other. As Abdul fired at the enemy tank, the enemy also fired at Abdul’s RCL jeep. A plaque erected by Abdul’s unit, the 4th Grenadiers, states,
Never in the history of warfare have so many tanks been destroyed by an infantryman – this feat was achieved by CQMH Abdul Hamid of 4 Grenadiers, who killed 8 Pakistanis with this 106 recoilless gun before giving up his life for the country. Patton tanks were destroyed.
Awards, Honors and Achievements
- CQMH Abdul Hamid was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award. This award was received by his wife Rasoolan Bibi on 26 January 1966.
Rasoolan Bibi receiving Param Vir Chakra on behalf of her husband CQMH Abdul Hamid
- On 10 September 1979, the Army Postal Service Corps issued a postal cover in honor of the brave soldier.
Army Postal Service Corps releases postal cover in honor of CQMH Abdul Hameed
- On 26 January 2000, the Government of India issued a postage stamp in honor of the brave soldier.
Postage stamp of Abdul Hameed which was issued by the Government of India on 26 January 2000
- Every year on 9 September, Asal North Village organizes a sports and cultural festival in honor of CQMH Abdul Hameed.
- On 10 September 2017, the then Army Chief, late General Bipin Rawat, inaugurated Abdul Hameed’s memorial in his hometown Ghazipur.
Memorial of Abdul Hameed in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh
- The Indian Army has constructed a mausoleum in honor of the brave soldier in Asal North.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the tomb of Abdul Hamid in the real north
- A memorial was built by the Government of India in his hometown Dharampur.
Memorial of Abdul Hamid in his hometown
- CQMH Abdul Hameed has also been awarded other medals like Summer Service Star, Raksha Medal and Military Seva Medal.
- At Jodhpur Military Station, the statue of CQMH Abdul Hameed has been installed in his honour.
Statue of Abdul Hameed at Jodhpur Military Station
Death
On 10 September 1965, the jeep of Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid was attacked by an enemy tank which was aimed at him. Even though the tank was hit by Abdul’s RCL gun; It managed to retaliate on Abdul’s jeep, destroying it and killing Abdul on the spot.
Abdul Hamid’s RCL jeep which was used during the Battle of Asal Uttar
In her book, The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories, Rachana Bisht Rawat wrote,
Another tank slowly moves towards him, but he does not have time to move as they both see each other. Both keep each other in their sights and shoot. Both shells hit their targets. There is a loud explosion, fire and smoke. Even when the tank explodes, its shell hits the RCL jeep. The impact sends him flying into the air. There are screams of pain, loud noises and then complete silence that can only be stopped by the flames. Abdul Hamid is dead. In total he blew up seven enemy tanks, more than could be expected of even an armored formation.”
Facts/General Knowledge
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn