NAIEVE AND QUIXOTIC GOVERNOR GENERAL HARDINGE HAD SEEN NO MILITARY ACTION SINCE 30 YEARS AND WAS A TOTAL NOVICE AS FAR AS INDIAN WARFARE WAS CONCERNED- HIS DECISION TO WAIT FOR LITTLER’S DIVISION WAS A MASSIVE BLUNDER –BECAUSE LITTLER’S DIVISION AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRUBBING BY SIKH ARTILLERY FLED TO MISRIWALA AND PLAYED ABSOLUTELY NO ROLE IN THE FIRST DAYS BATTLE June 2022 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25276.92805 Project: incompetence Agha H Amin NAIEVE AND QUIXOTIC GOVERNOR GENERAL HARDINGE HAD SEEN NO MILITARY ACTION SINCE 30 YEARS AND WAS A TOTAL NOVICE AS FAR AS INDIAN WARFARE WAS CONCERNED- HIS DECISION TO WAIT FOR LITTLER’S DIVISION WAS A MASSIVE BLUNDER –BECAUSE LITTLER’S DIVISION AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRUBBING BY SIKH ARTILLERY FLED TO MISRIWALA AND PLAYED ABSOLUTELY NO ROLE IN THE FIRST DAYS BATTLE • June 2022 • DOI: • 10.13140/RG.2.2.25276.92805 • Project: • incompetence • Agha H Amin The initial plan of Gough was to attack the Sikh entrenchment at FerozShah from the east without waiting for Littler who was ordered to march from Ferozpur and join Gough. Instead of honestly assessing this plan J.W Fortescue made fun of it and subjected it to ridicule , finally being totally non committal about the plan , having chances of success or failure. Eminent British military historian Rait brilliantly summarised Hardinge as “a brave man ; but he had seen no fighting from the Waterloo campaign to the date of battle of Moodke .He had been secretary of state for war but he had never known the responsibility of high command in the sight of an enemy . Another direct participant described Hardinge’s pathetic naievette as “The Indian army knows right well that it was Lord Gough’s earnest wish to fight the battle at 11 o clock in the morning, but he was overruled by the governor general (not the second in command ) who insisted upon waiting for Littler. His assistance was purchased at the frightful expenditure of 4 hours of daylight and a vast expenditure of strength , energy etc on part of our men .” • • Major Agha.H.Amin was commissioned in the old PAVO Cavalry in March 1983. He was educated at Saint Marys Academy Lalazar and Forman Christian College Lahore. He served in various command, staff, research, logistics and instructional positions in his military career, including mechanical transport officer of an armoured brigade headquarter, mechanical transport officer of an armouredregiment , general staff officer research trial and publications at School of Armour , Instructor Class C at Tactical Wing School of Armour and finally independent command directly under a major general as Officer Commanding 5 Independent Armoured Squadron. In his civilian career performed projects like Uzbekistan Kabul Transmission lines concrete foundations, CASA 1000 Line survey as sub contractor of SNC Lavalin Canada and Turkmenistan Mazar transmission line as sub contractor of FichtnerGmbh Germany. Also served as Assistant Editor Defence Journal Karachi , Executive Editor Globe Karachi , Editor Journal of Afghanistan Studies financed by Danish foreign ministry , Editor Intelligence Review , Editor Pakistan Military Review , Editor Journal of Book Reviews, Editor Indian Military Review etc. Authored over 120 books and journals. Articles published in Pakistan Army Journal and Citadel Journal of Command and Staff College Quetta. Established unprecedented and todate unbroken record of an independent tank squadron defeating 7 tank regiments in a corps level firing competition. Recommended creation of army commands in Pakistan Army command and staff college Citadel Journal issue 2/98 in 1998 which was adopted by the Pakistan Army in 2005-7. Has advised various states and international companies on security matters as sub contractor of Spanish , USA and Hongkong based companies. Contact e mail :--- mazen@csio-ops.com and pavocavalry@gmail.com •