In the previous article, we spoke about Staff Officer Engineer Baki Zaki Youssef, who came up with the idea of destructing the myth of “Bar Lev Line”, today, I am attempting to get into the character of that great man, who was unique in some talents and traits:
Acute Intelligence:
God granted Staff Officer Engineer Baki Zaki a mind blazed with intelligence; he managed to notice the similarity between what is saved in his memory during his working in Aswan, and the “Bar Lev Line”, coming up with the idea of storming it and acquiring a military victory, his cleverness prevailed in evoking the idea at the due time. While the authorities were speaking of the world’s well-known means of warfare then to carry out a storming to Bar Lev Line, he was thinking of other outside the box alternatives, coming up with a simple genius idea which became an invention, taught in the world military colleges and institutes.
Beside his intelligence, Major General Baki had enjoyed modesty, he saw others’ roles in his suggested idea. When General Saad Zaghloul, the Commander of his division, told him, he was the head of the Borders’ Guards then: “Today, I am giving one of my most honorable military signatures!” referring to the idea of storming Bar Lev line. Major General Baki replied: “Hadn’t it been for you, the idea wouldn’t have been put into display, study and implementation.” Major General Saad replied: “No son! you are the one who gave us the key of the gates of victory!”
This is the modesty of great people; both of them realize the importance of the other’s role in making achievements.
Deep Faith
Major General Baki had kept a deep faith in God, he had frequently reiterated: “God granted us the mind” When he was informed about the casualties resulted from using the traditional solutions, he felt how bitter and horrible it was, so he told the gathered leading figures: “The block is made of sand, and fortunately, they set the problem, yet God put the solution under it!” He began then to elaborate his idea.
When asked about his honoring, he said: “God has honored me, I lived the idea, as well as its implementation as an official, I witnessed the gaps being opened, the enemy fleeing… I saw the country achieving victory.” We all witnessed the world fascinated.
Major General Baki also believed in the importance of man’s role in dealing with problems. He said: “There are no perfect solutions, but they must be interactive because we do not import thoughts or politics; we extract thoughts from our conversations with each other.”
Dedicated work
Since his early youth, Major General Baki has known the meaning of responsibility and the importance of hard work in all life aspects, and this was asserted by all those who have known him, including the words of Deputy Chief of Operations, Major General Mamdouh Gad Touhami, who preceded General Saad Zaghloul in commanding Division 19, he described him as: “a very serious officer, who does not know joking” and asked to meet him in order to know about his idea.
When Major General Baki began to pay attention to his idea, after submitting it to a number of leaders, he returned to his unit only after bringing all the sheets and pamphlets related to the bulldozing from the Ministry of the High Dam, he also inquired about all that he lacked for implementation; he decided to present an integrated plan to his leadership without heeding to the great effort he had to exert. When asked for a simple report on his idea, he spent a whole night preparing it, although no date was set for submitting that report, nor did he know that it would be presented to President Gamal Abdel Nasser. In time of war, he had no rest, insisting on continuing the work he is required to do.
We need a lot of time to delve deep into speaking about Major General Baki – may God rest his soul in peace – who had left a deep impact on the life of all those who knew him or heard about him. It is said: “Such people (Major General Baki) are history which walks on the ground among us!”
He departed us by his body, yet he didn’t depart the Egyptian History memory, and will never do…
Stories about beautiful Egypt and her heroes never end!
General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
