6th Armoured Division (Pakistan)

Infobox Military Unit


caption=Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 6th Armoured Division
unit_name=6th Armoured Division (Pakistan Army) (1965-present)
country=PAK
type=Armoured Division
dates=1965 to present
specialization=Armour
command_structure= I Corps
size=20,000 men (though this may vary as units are rotated)
current_commander= Maj-Gen Tahir Habib Siddiqui
garrison=Kharian
nickname=Flying Horse
colors=black and gold
battles=Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Somalia
notable_commanders= Maj Gen Abrar Hussain
Maj-Gen Iftikhar Janjua
Maj-Gen Athar Abbas

The 6th Armoured Division is a Pakistan Army armoured division currently based in Kharian, in Punjab Province.

History

The division was originally an armoured brigade known as the 100 Independent Armoured Brigade Group. In 1964, it was decided to use the headquarters and other assets of this formation to create a new armoured division [The Pakistan Army-War 1965-Shaukat Riza-Army Education Press-1984] . It was still in the process of raising when the '65 war broke out.

1965 War

The formation would see its first taste of action in Operation Grand Slam in Chamb sector where it was the armoured contingent. However the general weakness of Pakistan Army defence around Sialkot and the fact that war was expected to break out over the internationl border, meant that the division would see only a few days of fighting before it was sent to Sialkot, where it would earn its spurs at a village called Chawinda [Brian Cloughley- A History of the Pakistan Army, ISBN 0-19-579507-5] . On 8th of September the Indian attack came and thus began the Battle of Chawinda. Initially the division was surprised and outflanked by the Indians as the enemy chose an unexpected axis to attack [The Pakistan Army-War 1965-Shaukat Riza-Army Education Press-1984] , desperate holding actions by some individual units, famously 25th Cavalry, would hat the advance outside Chawinda. A counter attack against the Indians at Phillarah would be badly mauled [Maj Gen (r) Abrar Hussein-"Men of Steel-6 Armoured Division in the 1965 War" ISBN: 969-8125-19-1] resulting in the loss of 22 tanks. The division then settled in defensive positions around Chawinda, and it and other divisions than withstood multiple corps sized attacks by the Indian I Corps [History of Indo-Pak War of 1965. Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmed (ret) ISBN 969-8693-01-7 ] , until the biggest on the 18th of September when the Indian 1st Armoured and 6th Mountain divisions attacked, and would be destroyed. The Indians than went on the defensive as the 6th and its sister formations steadily and remorselessly forced them back across the international border; a task which was mostly (though not completely [History of Indo-Pak War of 1965. Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmed (ret) ISBN 969-8693-01-7 ] completed by the ceasefire on 23rd of September.

The divisions' action at Chawinda remains its most famous action. This battle was the largest tank battle since Kursk in 1943 and has been forver associated with the 6th. Amongst the many commendations received was one by the President which read:

The President of Pakistan has commanded that his personal congratulations be conveyed to All Ranks under your command for the exemplary, succeessful and couragous battle that they have fought. The President and the whole Nation are proud of these untarnishable deeds of valour [Maj Gen (r) Abrar Hussein-"Men of Steel-6 Armoured Division in the 1965 War" ISBN: 969-8125-19-1]

The division would lose over 200 killed and over a thousand wounded during the battle of Chawinda. [Maj Gen (r) Abrar Hussein-"Men of Steel-6 Armoured Division in the 1965 War" ISBN: 969-8125-19-1]

1971 War

In 1971 the division once again would see action in Chamb with its helping to capture Chamb and clear all the area uptil the river Tawi. At this point the division would be sent to the battle of Shakargarh, where another Indian attempt at Sialkot would be checked, though this time the Pakistan army would not be able to expel the Indians fully till the ceasefire. [The History of Pakistan Army (1966-71), by Maj Gen (Retd) Shaukat Raza]

Somalia

The 6th would re-enter combat in 1993 when it was dispatched to Somalia after the increase in the international presence in that country, becoming one of the two division level headquarters in theatre (the other was the US 10 Mountain Division). Thus the division became only the second Pakistani division to serve overseas after the 7th Infantry Division. [This does not include divisions and corps which have served inside Indian territory, of which they are several] The division uniquely came under the direct command of the United States Central Command, the first time in Pakistani history that a formation served outside Pakistan command [Tom Clancy-Battle Ready ISBN-10: 0399151761] . It also had the command of foreign units, including for the first time since 1971, a Bangaldeshi battalion. [Tom Clancy-Battle Ready ISBN-10: 0399151761] . In Somalia the division mostly undertook a counter insurgency role to help bring peace to that embattled country, its heavy armour contingent providing most of the heavy firepower for the International forces. It was in this role that units of this division took part in the Battle of Mogadishu (1993), notably, 19 Lancers, 15 FF and 7 FF.

Present ORBAT

The division is at present stationed in Kharian and has four armoured brigades attached.

*HQ 6 Armoured Division, Kharian

**7th Armoured Brigade, Kharian
**9th Armoured Brigade, Kharian
**1st Armoured Brigade, Kharian
**8th Armoured Brigade Group, Mangla (wartime only, normally under corps control)In addition the following units are attached and stationed in Kharain.

**6 Armoured Division Support troops (a brigades worth of troops, mostly engineers, signal and other logistic troops)
**6 Armoured Division Artillery Brigade
**6 Armoured Division Air Defence
**6 Armoured Div Aviation Brigade (wartime only, ordinarily units are dispersed)

References

* Brian Cloughley: A History of Pakistan Army
* Orbat.com

External Links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/i-corps.htm Information from Global Security]
* [http://www.pakdef.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7095&d=1166100958 Formation Sign of the division]