ROMMELS SPEARHEAD

Committing Military history errors

which were entirely avoidable
DIVISION
Article- Life and Times of Brig Sardar Ahmed Jan,
21 PANZER DIVISION
MBE (1903 – 1978)
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31431.65445
Dear Madam

I am great fan of Friday Times. However maj gen syed ali hamids article Life and Times of Brig Sardar Ahmed Jan, MBE (1903 – 1978) contained major
factual errors, which I am surprised , should never have been committed by a seasoned military historian, son of a far superior military historian , my guru
gen shahid hamid.

The British were not garain baaz like Pakistanis and there was no question that later Sir HD could have become an RM in 1895 at age of 16. Sir HDs name
does not exist in any Indian Army list of 1895 down to 1900 at all since he was just not there. He joined the British Indian Army only on 6 September 1900
and at the age of 19 , as he was born on 1st January 1881.

I dont know from where gen ali hamid got his facts but they were shockingly incorrect.. will not waste time and tabulated major factual errors of gen
ali hamid pointwise:--

•Later Sir HD was never inducted in 3rd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry as the author claims but on 16 September 1900 as per the British records which I can
produce.

•Sir HD never became Risaldar Major of 3rd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry at the age of 15 in 1895 but in 1913 at the age of 32.There was no Husamuddin in
the regiment in 1895.

•Sir HD was never made the Risaldar Major directly.As per British records he joined as a Jemadar on 6 September 1900, became Resaidar on 25
November 1901,became Risaldar on 01 October 1908 and Risaldar Major which Gen Ali Hamid claims as 1895, only 18 years later on 1 July 1913.
The remotest chance that HD joined 3rd Punjab Cavalry in 1895 or 1896 does not exist and that too as Risaldar Major.An absolutely false claim and rape
of history.HD joined service on precisely 16 September 1900.

On 7th October 1919 Sir HD was commissioned in 23rd Punjab Cavalry which had been renumbered as such in 1903.
An important fact that General Ali Hamid has missed is not mentioning that Sir HD was appointed honorary ADC to British Indian Army C in C in 1920 or
so.

Lastly the most important which all Pakistanis must know is the reason why Brigadier Ahmad Jan was most unfairly retired without any fault !
I am from old PAVO Cavalry and in one meeting Ahmad Jans son Colonel Iqbal Jan disclosed to this scribe that Brig Ahmad Jan had discovered financial
irregularities committed by one general xxxxxxx Khan in some inquiry.Ayub Khan asked him not to report the violation and on Brigadier Ahmad Jans
refusal as an upright man , he was summarily retired. LASTLY General Ali Hamid has shed no light on why RM Husamuddin was much admired by British
. As per Ranghars of my village in Lyallpur HD was the man who busted the great 1915 rebellion planned by Ghaddar party in Lahore- 200 Sikhs of my
regiment were caught and 11 hanged including one Muslim from gujranwala - HD became the hot favourite of British and this played a crucial role in his
being commissioned in 1920 - Sikh recruitment was drastically reduced in the army and punjabi Muslims for first time increased as considered more loyal
-23 Cavalry was sent as punishment to Mesopotamia kind regards

Major Agha H Amin (Retired) 11 Cavalry (FF) (Old PAVO Cavalry) 3 November 2019