This book by Major General Syed Ali Hamid is the most authoritative account of the history of Pakistan armoured corps. Major General Syed Ali Hamid is a second-generation Pakistani cavalry officer with keen interest in military history, he has compiled the most comprehensive account of the armoured corps starting with mechanization of Indian armoured corps and participation in Second World War.
The book is in chronological order and each chapter provides details about equipment, doctrine, training, officers and armour participation in wars and contains several dozen pictures not previously published. These pictures complement the very readable text and put a face on the personalities discussed. The author also provides many interesting historical anecdotes about regimental histories and officers in informative footnotes.
Pakistan armoured corps started from the humble beginnings of six under strength regiments at the time of partition in 1947. Major expansions and introduction of state-of-the-art equipment in next few decades transformed it into a modern fighting force. Dedicated Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Other ranks (ORs) and professional officer cadre is responsible for keeping the force on the cutting edge. This book is the story of these men and the seventy years journey of the armored corps.
Major General Syed Ali Hamid’s father Major General Shahid Hamid was also a cavalry officer (ex- 3rd Cavalry) and a military historian having written several books on Indian and Pakistan armies. Major General Syed Ali Hamid inherited these traits from his father and has painted a panorama of Pakistan armoured corps in this book. It is the outcome of a research spanning over a decade and is a must read for anyone interested in Pakistan Army and it should be in every military library.
