The Battle of Ras
Al-Esh
General
Mohamed Abd Al-Ghany Al-Gamasy said in his memoirs "On
the first of July 1967, the
first day for General Ahmed Ismail
as the leadership of the battle front, an Israeli force moved to the north from Al-Kantara City
(east of the canal) heading to Port Fouad City (east of
Port Said City) to occupy it. It was the only zone in Sinai that
was not occupied by Israel
during June war, but our forces encountered them and starting the battle of Ras Al-Esh.
In Ras
Al-Esh to the south of Port Fouad, there were an Egyptian limited force of commandos
consists of thirty fighters. The Israeli force that consists of ten
tanks supported by a mechanical infantry force, has attacked the force
of commands who defended
their place and managed to destroy three tanks of the enemy.
The
enemy attacked once more, but failed to break into the location or even
to move around it. The result of the battle showed
that some of armored vehicles were destroyed and
loss of more soldiers. The Israeli force was obliged to
withdraw and Port Fouad remained the only part in Sinai under the
Egyptian control till October war 1973.
That battle was considered the
first step in the way of liberation the land and proved that the Egyptian
solider,
despite of the defeat and bitterness, did not lose the will of fighting and
represented an example of perseverance and skill in fighting and clinging
to the land."
Source: October War 1973, second edition
1998. General Mohamed Abd Al-Ghany Al-Gamasy chief
of operations of Egyptian Army during the war.
