Battle for Position-181 (Abu-Agheila 1) - The Arab-Israeli Wars

Ozgur Budak

05 JUNE 1967, POSITION 181, BATUR TRACK, 10KM NORTHEAST OF ABU-AGHEILA:\\Sharon,

the "ugdah" commander responsible for seizing Abu Agheila, took

advantage of the Egyptian division commander's focus on Qusaymah

to the south. To capture the fortification of Abu Agheila, Sharon

prepared an elaborate plan based on a highly centralized command

that he intended to decentralize in the midst of battle. Unlike

in 1956, the Israelis were determined at the outset of their

campaign in 1967 to send an armored force to the rear of Ruafa

Dam with two missions: first, to block any Egyptian reinforcements

coming from either Gebel Libni or al-Arish; and second, to assault

Ruafa Dam and Um-Katef from the west.\\For the encirclement of

the Um-Katef position, Sharon decided to send a mobile force

through the sand dunes North of Ruafa Dam using the dry season

road known as Batur Track. The difficult mission of using this

avenue fell to Lieutenant Colonel Natke Nir. For this task, Sharon

gave Nir an independent armored battalion of approximately forty-five

Centurion Mark 5 tanks modified with 105mm guns, a company of

mechanized infantry on half-tracks, a company of 120mm mortars,

a reconnaissance company and an engineer platoon. To reach his

objective, Nir faced two major Egyptian forces: the infantry

battalion at Position-181 reinforced by an antitank company and

at least a tank battalion of the 6th Armored Regiment near Awlad

Ali.\\Aware of the urgency of destroying the Egyptian roadblock

at Position-181 as quick as possible, Nir divided his force into

three parts. His two tank companies made wide flanking maneuvers,

while his company of mechanized infantry prepared for a frontal

assault. The IAF provided close air support with bombs and napalm.

The dug-in Egyptian infantry showed a stiff resistance and a

bloody battle continued for several hours.