2405:204:5604:C988:0:0:915:E0B0 at 13:25, 8 December 2022

2022-12-08T13:25:56Z

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{{primary sources|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Dograi
| partof = the [[Lahore Front]], [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| date = 20–22 September 1965<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=9|day1=20|year1=1965|month2=9|day2=22|year2=1965}})
| place = Dograi, [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]]
{{OSM Location map
| coord = {{coord|31.52764990006564|N|74.44666473135507|E}} 
| float = center
| zoom = 9
| width = 290 
| height = 300
| caption = {{center|Dograi and surroundings}}
| nolabels = 1
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| mark-coord1 = {{Coord|31.52764990006564|N|74.44666473135507|E}}
| mark1 = Blue pog.svg
| mark-size1 = 7
| label1 = Dograi
| label-size1 = 10
| label-color1 = blue
| label-pos1 = top
| mark-title1 = [[Dograi]]
| mark-description1 = Location of battle

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|31.534488422641324|N|74.3423042740677|E}}
| mark2 = AS-rzeka-icon.svg
| mark-size2 = 10
| label2 = Lahore
| label-size2 = 10
| label-color2 = blue
| label-pos2 = right
| mark-title2 = Lahore
| mark-description2 = Lahore city
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| coordinates = {{coord|31.528900|N|77.403333|E|display=inline,title}}
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| result = Indian Victory<ref name="India Times">{{cite news |last= Dabas|first= Maninder|date=20 September 2017|title=The Battle Of Dograi - When The 3 Jat Battalion Sealed The Victory For India In The 1965 War|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/the-battle-of-dograi-when-the-3-jat-battalion-sealed-the-victory-for-india-in-the-1965-war-259753.html|newspaper=India Times}}</ref>
*India captures Dograi and surrounding areas<ref name="Hilal">{{Cite web|author=Brian Cloughly|url=https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/MTA5OA==.html|title=50 Years Ago in Lahore and Sialkot|publisher=Hilal-ISPR}}</ref>
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = {{flag|India|23px}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Pakistan|23px}}
| commander1 = [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|20px]] Lt Col [[Desmond Hayde]]
[[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|20px]] Major [[Asaram Tyagi]]{{KIA}}
| commander2 = [[File:Flag_of_the_Pakistani_Army.svg|20px]] Lt.Col Golwala
| units1 = [[Jat Regiment]]
| units2 = [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)]]<br />[[Baloch Regiment|Baluch Regiment]]<br />
| strength1 = 500
| strength2 = 900
| casualties1 = 56 killed<ref name="India Times"/>
| casualties2 = 308 killed<ref name="India Times"/><br />108 captured 6 tanks destroyed
667 killed in Battle of Batapore
| notes =
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Indo-Pakistani War of 1965}}{{Campaignbox Indo-Pakistani Wars}}
}}

The '''Battle of Dograi''' was a military engagement from 20 to 22 September 1965, during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]. It took place in the area of Dograi village on the outskirts of [[Lahore]] in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]].

== Background ==
Dograi is a strategically important village as it is located just 15 km from [[Lahore]], the capital of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Pakistani Punjab]] and the 2nd largest city in Pakistan. The village being so close to Lahore gave it a high level of importance as it would be a vital bargaining chip in any territorial negotiations and exchanges after the closure of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.<ref name="Sainik Samachar"/><ref name="Valour and Sacrifice">{{cite book|author=Gautam Sharma|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xLrTzZd0j1kC&q=Major+asharam+tyagi+MVC&pg=PA172|title=Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army|publisher=Allied Publishers|year= 1990|isbn=9788170231400|location=171|pages=319}}</ref>

== Preliminaries ==
Prior to the main battle, the [[Indian Army]]'s 3 Jat battalion had already tried to capture Dograi on 6 September 1965 but had to abandon its positions as they could not be reinforced due to strafing of supply lines by aircraft of the [[Pakistan Air Force]].<ref name="Sainik Samachar">{{cite web|title=Golden Jubilee of 1965 War, The Battle of Dograi|url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2015/oct01-15/h5.htm|date=|publisher=Sainik Samachar, Govt of India}}</ref>

Between 6 September and 20 September, numerous attempts were made to capture Dograi, but were unsuccessful due to the position having been reinforced by the Pakistan Army.

On 20 September, the 3 Jat unit, consisting of over 500 men and commanded by Lt. Col. Desmond Hayde was tasked with capturing the position.<ref name="India Times"/><ref name="IDSA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.idsa.in/system/files/jds/jds_9_3_2015_IndianArmysContinuityandTransformation_0.pdf|title=Indian Army's Continuity and Transformation Through the Prism of the Battle of Dograi |publisher=Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses }}</ref>

The defending Pakistani force was composed of troops from [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|16 Punjab]], [[Pashtun Regiment|3 Pashtun]], consisting of over 900 men. 16 Punjab was commanded by Lt. Col G.F. Golewala.<ref name="India Times"/><ref name="Sainik Samachar"/><ref name="IDSA"/>

Reconnaissance patrols reported that Dograi was well fortified with pillboxes and buildings in the built-up region to cover all axes. The Pakistani infantry battalion had placed two Light Machine Guns in each infantry section, and the assaulting Indian forces were expecting to confront a lot of resistance. Heavy mining and wires also made the approaches extremely hazardous.<ref name="IDSA"/>

==The battle==
The 3 Jat battalion advanced at night on the flanks of the Pakistani position and launched its attack. Despite the unexpected attack taking Pakistani troops by surprise, fighting was intense and fierce, initially with guns and grenades, and then with bayonets and finally with bare hands. After 27 hours of nonstop combat and flushing out operations, the Pakistani troops surrendered and abandoned the position.<ref name="Sainik Samachar"/><ref name="Valour and Sacrifice"/> The Indian forces advanced until the eastern banks of the [[Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal|Icchogil canal]], just a few hours before the UN-brokered ceasefire came into effect.<ref name="Killen">{{cite news |last= Killen|first= Patrick J|date=24 September 1965|title=Peace returns to Punjab Fields|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W0hkAAAAIBAJ&dq=Battle+of+Dograi&pg=PA1|newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star| access-date= 3 September 2022}}</ref>

==Result==
The battle resulted in India's capture of Dograi just a day before ceasefire was announced and was used as a valuable bargaining chip in the [[Tashkent Declaration|Tashkent negotiations]].<ref name="India Times"/>

The battle is commemorated by the Indian Army as it was a battle where 550 Indian troops successfully captured a fortified position from over double the number of well entrenched defenders.
For gallantry, the Indian Army awarded four [[Mahavir Chakra|MVCs]], 4 [[Vir Chakra|VrC]], 7 [[Sena Medal]]s, 12 [[Mentioned in dispatches#India|Mention in Dispatches]] and 11 COAS Commendation Cards.<ref name="Sainik Samachar"/><ref name="Valour and Sacrifice"/>

==See also==
[[Battle of Ichogil Bund]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Dograi}}
[[Category:Battles of Indo-Pakistani wars|Dograi]]
[[Category:Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]

Battle of Dograi - Revision history

2405:204:5604:C988:0:0:915:E0B0 at 13:25, 8 December 2022