Issue No.328
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5 - 11 June 1997 Issue No.328 Supplement |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
The war in between
In the wake of the June War, the Egyptian military command immediately took measures to improve the ability of servicemen to deal with technologically sophisticated modern weapons. One of the soldiers, during the October War, destroyed 20 enemy tanks single-handedly and captured another tank with its crew -- feats which won him the Star of Sinai. Others, while less visible, were no less heroic.
Today, Afifi Bayoumi teaches mathematics and works as a senior educational administrator. Bayoumi was recruited into the artillery force on 4 July 1969 and, in view of his outstanding performance, was selected for a training course in the use of anti-tank missiles. After several training courses and exercises with live ammunition, he took part in a demonstration attended by President Sadat which, despite the unfavourable weather conditions that day, confirmed his excellence. His performance that day and that of his colleagues may have been one of the factors which prompted Sadat to take the decision to fight. In Bayoumi's words:
"Working with live ammunition had fuelled our nationalism, stoked our anger and our desire for vengeance. We knew Defence Plan 200, which we implemented during the war, by heart."
Ahmed Shawqi was another member of the young generation of recruits. He was passionate about the revolution, Arab nationalism, the recovery of Arab territory, and the restoration of Arab rights. Having watched his brother and father go to war in 1967, having seen the remnants of a dream shattered by poor planning, confusion and corruption in military ranks, he was about to help the army begin anew.
"The army had undergone real reforms, and we had restored our confidence in our military command in the battles fought during the War of Attrition. We were full of determination to wash away the shame of 1967, and to eliminate injustice. Like many others, my cousin was killed in 1967 and my brother came home from Sinai on foot... My colleagues and I swore vengeance.
"When the battle broke out, we rushed to cross the Canal without the least fear of death. I was in the 21st Armoured Division, engaged in a direct confrontation with the enemy tanks, when suddenly two of their tanks began firing at our artillery. Seeing my colleagues falling, I hid behind a small hill. I fired a missile at one tank, and saw it burn, and the crew in the second tank surrendered. I was the first to fire a missile and capture a tank with its crew."
Shawqi went on to destroy a total of 20 tanks, capturing one intact. He recalls the day before the ceasefire.
"On 21 October, the enemy moved in with a large number of tanks -- possibly an armoured brigade or two, followed by armoured vehicles carrying the men. I hit two tanks which had been protecting the rest of the formation. A third had advanced to rescue them, and I destroyed it with a third missile, which incidentally was the last one I had. Had I had more, many more tanks would have been destroyed. The point at which the enemy was halted by its heavy losses became the ceasefire line. I went back to my original unit on 22 October to celebrate the victory. I had given Egypt 20 Israeli tanks, and Egypt gave me the Star of Sinai, to be cherished by my children and grandchildren."
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