When we talk about October, we only set off into one of the most significant pages of the Egyptian history as we go deeply through it with joy and pride in talking about the Egyptian pride and dignity that battle fields witnessed, also talking about the Egyptian ability and proficiency to reach what the world thought to be impossible and out of reach. This story is about love to the homeland that history immortalized into the heroic actions written by our righteous martyrs’ blood.
I recall some words I read by one of the reporters of BBC broadcast in which he described one of the heroes of commandos (Sa’ka Forces) who scarified himself just to make a way through enemy fortifications for his troops. These were heroic actions that the whole world talked about in addition to the enemies themselves!
An Israeli tank commander mentioned about Egyptian heroes: “They came out from between the burnt tank tracks while loading RPG canons and firing it on us from a distance of only twenty meters whereas a safe distance would be at least from two hundred meters!! They were crazy as they decided to scarifice their lives to stop us from moving forward even for one meter.”
The impossible war
“We watched the war, we saw it approaching and some of us didn’t believe that it was going to happen. Some warned of it and wished that their warnings would not be believed. We watched it happening and wished for a moment it would end, we also watched the fighters in their most difficult times in addition, to their most painful moments…”
Those were the words of some Israeli journalists about October 73 war that the whole world especially the enemy considered it impossible. As everybody believed that there was no chance that both Egypt and Syria would launch a war against Israel in the nearest future! Even if that happened, the army of Israel had the ability to confront and conquer them.
The Israeli Chief of staff declared in 19-4-1973: “It’s unbelievable that Egyptians will open fire because such a step would endanger them greatly. Nevertheless we ought to be prepared even to any unbelievable actions from their side.”
October war proved their wrong beliefs as they underestimated and didn’t realize the nature of the Egyptians, their abilities, determination, and their deeply rooted love to their country. The war happened and ended with triumph.
The terror war
October war came fulfilling the dream that Egyptians kept within their hearts till they made it a fact and achieved victory. With the first sparkle of war, the shadow of terror grew into the hearts of the enemy soldiers; as one of the armored officers in the Golan Heights wrote: “I participated in three wars as follows: “the sixth days’ war” and “War of Attrition” and that war “October War”. No sooner had I heard about that war than I started trembling as I was sure that I would be eliminated that time…”
On the 6th of October, the Israeli reports said that: “The Egyptians were crossing over through the canal with huge numbers of soldiers, hundreds of rubber boats, and boats made of glass fibers through the runways of the western side of the canal…”
As one of the officers at the southern frontier screamed that the situation was hopeless, meanwhile the Israeli armored officer in Sinai requested for air coverage to cease the Egyptians from marching forward: “If you didn’t send air forces, the southern and middle (sectors) would fall. At least two hundred tanks were flowing in the middle and on the south sides. Air forces ought to be sent immediately, as aircrafts might be able to stop their crossing over.”
But crossing over didn’t stop, and Egyptians were victorious along the canal.
Some Israeli writers mentioned that: “In less than 24 hours, Israel turned from a major military country, into a country that its military forces became a symbol and a model to all armies around the world… to a country fighting fiercely for its existence at a time it became overshadowed with devastation.”
October glorious victory is not just memories that we narrate throughout the years but it is a mobilized power that assures the Egyptian intelligence and determination also puts us before a grave responsibility to keep our homeland safe and work hard to construct it during peaceful and war times. It is a responsibility and a role that we all must realize.
I congratulate all of you with the glorious October victories and I wish our dear country “Egypt” all goodness, peace, prosperity and progress.
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
