Operation Eraze is the codename of the assault and capture of Gurais in northern Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...

 by the Indian Army

Indian Army

The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...

  during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

The India-Pakistan War of 1947-48, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four wars fought between the two newly independent nations...

.

Gurais is an important communication centre where the route from Srinagar

Srinagar

Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...

 comes north to the Kishenganga river, crosses it in the vicinity of Gurais and Dawar and then proceeds to Gilgit

Gilgit

Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...

 via the Burzil pass

Burzil Pass

The Burzil Pass is an ancient pass and caravan route between Srinagar in Kashmir and Gilgit. This route was active up to Pakistan's independence. The pass lies close to the Line of Control demarcating India and Pakistan, which has since closed the Burzil. The crest of the pass is wide and covered...

 and the Astor valley

Astore Valley

Astore Valley is now located in Astore District in the autonomous Pakistani regions of Gilgit-Baltistan,previously in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley, adjoining the eastern side of mountain Nanga Parbat, is about long, having area of .The entrance of the valley is located...

. Gurais is also connected to Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...

 by a track along the river valley and by cross-country tracks south to Sonamarg

Sonamarg

Sonmarg or Sonamarg is a town of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Situated at 87 km from Srinagar, it is a popular tourist destination....

 and east to Dras

Dras

Dras is a town in the Kargil District of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is often called 'The Gateway to Ladakh'. The town shot into prominence in the summer of 1999 following Pakistani-backed incursions into Jammu and Kashmir...

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The fall of Muzaffarabad led to the advancing of tribal lashkars to Gurais along the Kishenganga valley. Tribal lashkars pushed back by the operations of 161 Infantry Brigade in the winter of 1947 retreated to Gurais over the Rajdhani pass when the snows sealed the pass for the winter. Pakistani forces comprising regular army troops from the Gilgit Scouts

Gilgit Scouts

The Gilgit Scouts is the name of a paramilitary force that was originally raised, under the name the "Gligit Levies", in 1889, by British Army Colonel Algernon Durand...

 and deserters from the princely State Forces reinforced the laskars. The Pakistanis were poised to attack Tragbal just north of Bandipore

Bandipore

Bandipore is a new District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India...

 and enter the Kashmir valley as soon as the snows melted.

The Indian Army responded by sending 2nd Battalion, Bihar Regiment

Bihar Regiment

The Bihar Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment can trace its origins back to the British Indian Army. The Bihar Regiment was formed in 1941 by regularising the 11th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment, and raising new battalions.- History :In India, Hindu, Buddhist and...

 (2 BIHAR) to advance on 15 April 1948 to contact the enemy along the pilgrim route, i.e. the Bandipore - Kanzalwan - Gurais axis. The battalion captured Tragbal and pushed the raiders back to the Rajdhani pass. In May 1948, the battalion was rotated and replaced by the 1st Battalion, Indian Grenadiers

The Grenadiers

The Grenadiers are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India...

 (1 GRENADIERS) under Lt Col Rajendra Singh.

Maj Gen K. S. Thimayya, the GOC of Srinagar Division, prepared for a spring offensive to counter the Pakistanis. 1 GRENADIERS won the race to capture the still snow-bound Rajdhani Pass, on the night of 26/27 May, occupying it hours before the Pakistanis. Thimayya now planned for the capture of Gurais codenamed Operation Eraze. Since a single battalion was inadequate, the 2nd Battalion, 4 Gorkha Rifles (2/4 GR) was inducted to Tragbal and 1 GRENADIERS moved forward for offensive operations, supported by Patiala Mountain Battery.

Thimayya planned to advance two companies of 2/4 GR on 24th June along the pilgrim route to hold the enemy and deceive him of the direction of the attack proper to be launched on 25th June by 1 GRENADIERS over the snowcapped ridges along a foot track through Viju Gali. The GRENADIERS advanced by tactical leaps and bounds but were caught in the open on the night of 26th/27th June by a blizzard without shelter. By superhuman privations, they managed to bring up the guns, outflank the enemy and push him off the ridge towards Gurais. The enemy broke and ran and 1 GRENADIERS captured Gurais on at dawn on 28th June.

In the meantime, 2/4 GR had successfully advanced along the pilgrim route and pushed back the Pakistanis from Kanzalwan which they captured with two companies. The Pakistanis stabilised their positions downriver of Kanzalwan and proceeded to isolate the Gorkha picquets. This left the road to Rajdhani pass, presently occupied by the Battalion Tactical HQ and one company of 2/4 GR, vulnerable to attack by large forces. A quick attack from Gurais on 26th July failed to relieve Kanzalwan. The GRENADIERS then launched a deliberate two-pronged night attack supported by artillery on 29th July. The Gorkhas by rigorous patrolling forced the Pakistanis and captured one of the dominating heights over Kanzalwan. The concerted attack broke the siege and the raiders fled westwards towards Taobat, harried by air strikes of the RIAF.

For the remainder of the war, the raiders were content to secure the Burzil pass on the route to Skardu

Skardu

Skardu , is the main town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan....

so as to secure the communications of their columns besieging Ladakh. The Indian Army devoid of infantry was unable to apre forces for progressing operations in this sector.