The Memoirs of Mohammad Reza Hafeznia (5)

Hamid Ghazvini


Memoirs of Hafeznia (5)

When I came back to the company, I thought of planning an operation. The first plan which drew my attention was to carry out an operation in the new parade field of the division located beside the tank battalion and a ceremony was supposed to be held in the field the next morning. So, on this basis, I thought of finding a way. Around evening, I was said that since you were the commander of the first squad of the tank company, you would be on alert tonight, the rest of the officers would leave but you stay here as the officer on duty. I got very happy. I guessed that ammunitions would also be given to me. Now I knew comfortably that I could arrange a plan for an operation.  It was still daylight. When others left, I quickly left for the parade field to examine the conditions and to see whether it was possible to carry out the operation there and for example to fire at the VIP. I took a look at around the area, and found out that it was possible to do something, because the direction of the tanks of my squad especially the tank whose commander was me were directly toward the division's VIP. If I could have access to bullets and machine gun, I would be able to sit behind the machine gun easily and to shower the VIP with bullets. My tank was positioned exactly next to the place. The conditions looked suitable in terms of the location but the main problem was lack of ammunitions and how to carry out the operation. I came back to the company's office.
I broke my fast. I was thinking what I could do to supply ammunitions and transfer them to the tank.
A military truck with full of ammunitions had stopped beside the company which was on alert in order to enter the city in case of emergency. However, if an incident happened, I was not authorized to order the on-alert company to leave for the city. I as the officer on duty should call the commanders of the companies and battalions, informing them to come quickly and then they prepared to leave the garrison for the city along with the tanks. I was an officer on duty and not allowed to take the ammunitions, but they had been put inside the military truck preparedly.  It had been sealed off. The truck had been parked in front of the room where I was the officer on duty and I should stay there at night in a way that if the window was opened, my distance with the truck was just some two meters. On the other side, there was a guard post behind the truck which was not under my order. It was under other officials who changed the post.  He was an armed soldier and I could not order him. However, they had planned carefully. Everything was ready, the tanks, the troops, the truck with full of ammunitions, and there was no problem. At the same time, the thing which had preoccupied me was that I was not able to have access to the ammunitions. During this time, I had broken my fast and had nothing to do. In my world, I was thinking of the end of my life. Suddenly, it came to my mind that I supposedly could have access to the ammunitions. How could I transfer them to the tank? There might be guards in the compound. They might get me into trouble and the plan was foiled. I studied the plan again. Finally, I concluded that it was not possible to carry it out, because it was difficult to have access to the truck and to transfer it to the tank.
Since it was not possible for me to have access to the ammunitions, the plan would have been definitely revealed. So, I changed my mind about the plan. Then, I thought of carrying out an operation with the help of other enlisted officers some of whom were religious. But I found out that this was not possible too.
I might frighten them let alone telling them to come and cooperate with me in doing such an operation.  Therefore, another plan came to my mind, and decided to carry out an operation on my own by relying on God and myself.  I thought of supplying bullets for the colt whose magazine was empty. The bullets were in a metal box in the truck. So I focused on having access to them by all means. All the night, I was thinking of such things as planning, estimation and analysis to see which of them could be carried out eventually. Finally it was around 12 PM that I felt all had slept, because it was the holy month of Ramadan and they would wake up before dawn for having sahari (meals eaten at that time). I thought not to sleep until dawn in order to get the bullets and to get rid of the guard by all means.  It was around 1 AM. I went after him, saying "Don't you get tired?". He said no. I said, "At any rate, if you feel tired, you can take a rest. I am awake." He was not under my order but I was a lieutenant and he an enlistee who attached a special respect for his senior officer. He first said: "No, no, I do not sleep at all. I don't take a rest." The first stage of talks with this soldier was fruitless. All were sleeping. Silence had engulfed everywhere. I returned my room and again thought what I could do. After a short while, I went to him again, I had no other way. I should have access to the bullets tonight, because I couldn't do anything without them.  I wanted to attack the VIP in the parade field. However, I had heard that the division commander had been in Tehran, I said at least I shot at his substitute who was the highest official of the garrison. Finally after my insistence, the guard accepted to go and sleep. He went to the restroom and I became both the officer on duty and the guard for the truck with full of ammunitions. After some half an hour, when I became sure that he had gone to sleep, I went by the truck. I started to open the ropes very quietly in order to take the bullet box out. At this time, I don't know whether it was the same soldier or another one who saw me while opening the ropes. I got very worried. But since I was an officer, I could justify my job. So, I didn't lose my control and told the soldier: "I do not trust the safety of the bullets inside the truck and I must move and keep them into my own room."

Translated by: Mohammad Baqer Khoshnevisan



 
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