Clearing a German Stronghold

Heroes Remember

Clearing a German Stronghold

Transcript

When we reached a place called Cheren, that was very heavily fortified defensive position on very high mountains built up by the enemy and they were occupying it. It was a range of mountains. We were the allied troops moving on the flat ground. So until, unless we clear that hurdle, that mountainous position, you could not advance any further. So orders were given to 4th Division, you could hear that one division of 30,000 people and they failed because when you go up from the flat area, you’re being watched. Every single person is being watched from the top by the enemy and what they used to do was up there they had the observation posts and those observation post people, they had their guns behind them, artillery guns behind. These fellows at the top of the mountains, they would direct their guns behind and they’d fire on us all in a moment so that was very, very destructive as far as our people were concerned. So they put two divisions in that, 4th and 5th and it became a corps attack, meaning a two division attack. Corps means it has 60,000 troops, a corps, and then two divisions were going to attack, 4th and 5th, and the orders were given at D time, on certain date and time there were 350 guns of all types, small and heavy, they would all open up and fire at that particular fortified position and fire at maximum speed, 500 rounds each so that that particular position is destroyed. And then the air force were given orders to bomb that position at the same time for that period also, so with the air force bombing and thereafter the fighting by the artillery guns from our side then we captured that position eventually, finally, with heavy losses. And the enemy also there, they all got shattered with so much bombardment from the air force bombers and the guns, artillery guns and then their morale became very low. They wanted to run, leaving the dead bodies behind and it was at that time the people went up and captured the whole thing. They still had some hand to hand fighting, plenty of people dead due to hand to hand fighting, and thereafter the enemy, we captured thousands of prisoners of war and we captured lots of ammunition, lots of arms and all that which was left by the people behind and dead bodies. We had to clean their dead bodies and bring them to hospital and give them all the treatment but thereafter that the advance started.

Description

Mr. Jauhal describes the clearing of a particularly well fortified German mountain stronghold.

Pritam Jauhal

Pritam S. Jauhal, was born in Jalandhar, Punjab Province, India on October 4, 1920. He was one of four children. At his mother’s insistence, he moved at the age of sixteen to New Delhi to further his education. Here he lived with his aunt and uncle. Mr. Jauhal’s father had served in the First World War, and Mr. Jauhal himself enlisted in 1937, citing the threat of global domination by Hitler as his reason. He joined the England Corps of Signals. He became a wireless operator, and served in that capacity during the Allied campaign to liberate North Africa. Mr. Jauhal saw no further action in the war, but remained in the Indian army. He served three tours of duty during the wars with Pakistan, and was also a member of the International Control Commission in Hanoi. Mr. Jauhal retired with the rank of Colonel.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:
Person Interviewed:: Pritam Jauhal
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: North Africa
Battle/Campaign:: North Africa
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Fifth British Division
Rank:: Colonel
Occupation:: Wireless Operator

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Clearing a German Stronghold

Heroes Remember