The Golan Heights: 1973
v.1.0 April 22, 2001
Note
Israeli histories avoid giving formation designations as far as possible, preferring to use the name of the formation commander. Because General Chiam Herzog's War of Atonement for some reason does include many formation numbers for the Golan Heights battle, it becomes possible to compile a rudimentary orbat for this famous action. Interestingly, General Herzog omits formation numbers for the Sinai battles. This sketchy and incomplete orbat represents an effort by the Editor to draw out persons who may be more familiar with the situation, and who may be willing to enlighten us.
Syria
1 Armored Division
91 Brigade
? Brigade
? Brigade
3 Armored Division
15 Armored Brigade
? Brigade
? Brigade
5 Mechanized Division
46 Armored Brigade
61 Mechanized Brigade
112 Mechanized Brigade
132 Mechanized Brigade (may be from one of the armored divisions)
7 Mechanized Division
68 Mechanized Brigade
78 Armored Brigade
85 Mechanized Brigade
9 Mechanized Division
33 Mechanized Brigade
52 Mechanized Brigade
Affiliation Not Known
42 Brigade
47 Armored Brigade
51 Armored Brigade
3 Iraq Mechanized Division
Assad Republican Guard Brigade
40 Jordanian Armored Brigade
Israel
Eyton's Mechanized Division (North)
Laner's Armored Division (Center)
Peled's Armored Division (South)
Two of these three divisions carried the numbers:
14 Reserve Division
21 Reserve Division
Brigade District Golan (a territorial brigade)
7 Armored Brigade (North)
14 Reserve Brigade
17 Reserve Tank Brigade
19 Reserve Brigade
20 Brigade
70 Reserve Brigade
79 Reserve Tank Brigade
188 Armored Brigade (South)
Paratroop units
188 Armored Brigade is also called the Barak Brigade. Together with 7 Brigade, the Barak Brigade held off the initial five-division Syrian onslaught long enough to permit reinforcements to arrive and stabilize the front. While 7 Brigade received much attention, many Israelis believe that the Barak Brigade made the more heroic defense. In any case, the fight these two brigades put up has earned them a permanent place in Israel's military history. How they held off a force some six times their superior in numbers, coming within minutes of defeat, is a lesson worth study for any student of military history. Only a handful of tanks numbered in the single digits eventually stood between the Syrian attackers and defeat: had the Syrians broken through before reinforcements arrived, they would have reached the Mediterranean within hours and cut Israel in two. Whether this would have changed the course of the war is a matter for debate, but certainly Israel's victory would have turned out much more costly. Conversely, it needs noting that the Syrians, battered as they were, held the Israeli counterattack against Damascus to a crawl. Though some may disagree, Israel was exhausted and weakening as the war went into its third week, and was compelled as much as the Arabs to accept a cease-fire.