He was made of steel

He was made of steel

As plan of defence and to reply the enemy’s attacks

On grenadier’s positions, being repeatedly made,

He occupied a vital area in the new defence plan,  

A firm hold on that place was essential to sustain.

Serious threat, developed, as the enemy attacked

With regiment of tanks, intense artillery preceded;  

Shelling so heavily that  shells littered every yard,

In defence positions, foe’s tanks penetrated forward.

Hamid, commanding a recoilless gun detachment

Seeing gravity,  moved to stop the tank regiment

In gun mounted  jeep disregarding personal safety,

Taking his position he knocked out a tank of enemy.

Intense enemy shelling and tank fire couldn’t deter  

His sustained act of bravery knocked out an other;

One by one he knocked out six with accurate fire,

Then changed his position for seventh, with dare.

By this time, enemy  had spotted his position,

On him brought down concentrated machine gun.

The intense and continued fire put him in trouble

A war was continued between steel made and muscle

He fought, as not the tanks,  he was made of steel

Kept on firing, with his courage and patriotic feel.

As he fired to destroy the seventh tank of enemy,

Wounded by a high explosive shell, mortally;

His bravery and steel like determination, destroyed

Six plus one tank, which took The Hero too, along.                     

Defended his mother land with strong determination

And lived for ever, in hearts of people of his nation.

The patriot was Abdul Hamid who martyred

in  1965 war at age of 32

(C) S. D. Tiwari