During the peak period of assaults, each artillery battery fired over one round per minute for 17 days continuously. "Such high rates of fire over long periods had not been witnessed anywhere in the world since the World War II.
Imagine 2.5 lakh artillery shells and bombs being fired to pulverize the enemy positions on the icy heights. Seventeen years after the Kargil war, Indian Army disclosed that the fire power used to drive-out Pakistani Army soldiers, disguising as intruders, from the mountain peaks, was only second to the World War II.
"Indian Army artillery fired over 2, 50, 000 shells, bombs and rockets during the Kargil conflict. Approximately 5,000 artillery shells, mortar bombs and rockets were fired daily from 300 guns, mortars and MBRLs (multi-barrel rocket launchers). Around 9,000 shells were fired the day Tiger Hill was regained," said Colonel SD Goswami, defence spokesman at Northern Command Headquarters.
During the peak period of assaults, each artillery battery fired over one round per minute for 17 days continuously. "Such high rates of fire over long periods had not been witnessed anywhere in the world since the World War II.
Even during the World War-II, such sustained artillery firing was not common at all," said Col Goswami.
Such was the dedication of troops that the gunners had got blisters on their hands from carrying and loading the shells and cartridges. "No soldiers better than these exist anywhere in the world. Last but not the least artillery was, in fact, the prime killer since 80 per cent of the casualties suffered by the enemy were on account of artillery fire," said Col Goswami.
Around 527 Indian army soldiers and officers were killed and 1360 others were injured in the war that was fought on one of the difficult and inhospitable terrains in the cold desert of Ladakh in 1999. The Regiment of Artillery alone lost three valiant officers and 32 brave soldiers in the true spirit of the Indian Army.
Despite the controversy over its induction, 155mm FH 77-B Bofors performed remarkably well and was the mainstay of artillery in the operations. "Its maximum range of 30 km enabled deep strikes on the enemy's gun positions, administrative installations, ammunition dumps, and headquarters, besides neutralising forward positions held by the intruders," he said.
The gunners exhibited unparalleled courage in battle when they moved the state-of-the-art guns including, 105mm field guns, 160mm and 120mm Mortars and 122mm GRAD BM 21 Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher's (MBRLs) to forward guns positions for 'direct' fire on enemy localities, literally under the nose of the enemy.
"The gun positions came under heavy enemy counter-bombardment from time to time, many a times causing serious casualties. But the gunners there stood fast and continued to respond to the requirements of the Battery," said Col Goswami
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