Rainy Travel Log (V)

Mohammad Hussein Ghadami
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2019-06-26

A few young people helplessly pointed to us from the end of the impasse alley, and we are walking toward them. As we approach them, we find that we should move slowly and unobtrusively. We enter the demolished house carefully and noiselessly.

-Shh! A swallow came under the roof of this house! Well, let's come closer to take a photo.

-Although we entered into house carefully and noiselessly, but it flies away.

-Yeah! But how did you believe that it is made newly?

-Because It was not a few days ago. Look! Its nest's mud is new and fresh.

In a stronger analysis, there is no longer a doubt that it is a new-built nest.

It was like a house where a family lived in, not a swallow!

They go and we're waiting for hidden swallow to get back and take a memorial photo.

Zarabi, as he glances over his watch, says: "Do not bother yourself, until you are here, swallow won't get back!"

 

The swallow did not fly until we photograph it

 

Still, he doesn’t complete his words, Swallow come back, and sits in the nest calmly and quietly, camera is ready to be taken photos and videos and interview! We force the bird to take photo it in flying insistently.

Saman's mission is over. He takes us to terminal. He likes to not be a fair-weather comrade, but he should hand over white car to office. This is time when you have to say:  "stone cries when we say farewell to Saman."

We get on a taxi; we pay fifteen thousand tomans[1] to go Andimeshk[2], where there are lots of memories. It's a great opportunity to take memories from Keyvan. Fortunately, he remembers the past times without any question.

Oh, those were the days; we go and come back in this way a lot. As soon as, it was near operation, Morteza Avini [3] alerted all comrades.

-Tell us another memoir

-Someday while we are sitting in the first fortress that it rained.

-Which fortress?

-Operation Karbala 5, around the lake Fish.

-Is it near Three Ways of Martyrdom?

I saw a strange fire is falling down in circular way! (Decorative photo).

 

-Yeah. While we are sitting in the first fortress that it rained. A moment later I heard a terrible sound. I raised my head and saw a strange fire is falling down in circular way. I have never seen such fire at all. I said: oh my god! What is this!? Well, I found that it was broken airplane. It was exploded by our defense. So, as soon as I wanted to move, I did not understand anymore. I became unconscious; I felt I was light and I'm flying. I had heard that human could last for twenty minutes at this times.  I first resisted. I had a band; while I was going to wound, I saw my hand's wrist went to cavity.

- Which part of your body was injured?

- My hip and thigh. I thought my back was injured; I asked God for getting help. I found that if I struggled I would lose my blood. I had fallen into a house of a fox[4]. The comrade was repeatedly shouting: Pull yourself out, come up! I said: I can't, help me! At that moment, the enemy was shooting constantly so that you could not raise your head. God bless those two people who jumped in hole and took under my arm, pulled me out put one side of road to wait for a vehicle.

-Which area of the lake was it taken place?

- Do you remember where Hajji Bakhshi was exploded? It was close to Three Ways of Martyrdom. It was a dangerous situation. Everything was burning; some motor-trails of comrades and etc, I said: Oh God! When the fire burns iron easily, how will it burn our skin, meat and bone? If they,‌ two persons, did not save me, I'm not  be alive. They were really brave.

-What was happened latter?

-Fortunately we got an ambulance. There are two generous Basij (volunteer soldiers) on it.  The ambulance used to brake shortly and take the hands of martyrs and the injured, put them on car, and move fast. Because it was a dangerous situation mortars were falling down constantly. Roads was like hell.

-Wow! How much our story is similar with each other!? We were there too. When I was injured, I had same condition. Everyone was put on each other and carried. It was a bumpy road. A quiver was next to my heart, I could not breathe! The comrades was shouting. The driver was driving too fast. We told him: My brother! Drive a bit slowly. He replied: "I like to drive slowly but I can't." If I drive slowly, the car will be shot! The dishonest enemy took tanks’ barrel towards the road and shot us.

-Yes. There were lots of martyrs on the side of road Three Ways of Martyrdom

-What was happened latter?

- The ambulance suddenly turned. I said me: oh no! they didn’t see me surly; they are going come back. But, they saw me and didn’t come back; they take me and put on other the injured. Finally, all of us, the injured, were arrived in first fortress. Then, they take us to boat with a litter, and send to field Hospital "Imam Hussein".

The memoirs of Keyvan opens my heart’s wound.

-There was not a car and an ambulance at all where I was injured. Some cars were shot and exploded on the road. The comrades said me that you should not be wait for car; you should go toward the emergency is located in warfront. They wrapped the band of my camera around my neck and I walked away. The Three Ways of martyrdom was full of corpses and wounded and experienced surgeons who had a bloody clothes was helping the injured. Gentle surgeons who were kind for Iraqi and Iranian injured soldiers equally! In brief, when I arrived, an ambulance, with lots of the injured, were ready to be moved. It did not enough vacancy to sit on. We were two. We sat on the back of car by force. As soon as we wanted to move, two injured persons were carried in there; we were asked for getting off. We, those were sitting on the back of car, got off and waited for next ambulance. When the ambulance started to move ahead, several enemy planes came and fired the yard of the emergency unit; the ambulance was shot and burned extremely, and the injured did not survive at all! The story of the arrival of the next ambulance and going to field hospital is a long story; I will tell it later. Now tell the rest! What happened later?

 

The ambulance have not moved five meter ahead yet, but it exploded ... (decorative photo)

 

-What are we speaking about?

-Hospital

-Oh yes.

-As soon as we arrived at the hospital, the nurses said that he should be hospitalized and injected blood, then morphine! I was not able to speak and move. When I opened my eye I found that I was at martyr Bahagha'i Hospital. There was no vacancy. I was hospitalized in the yard.

-Did you have camera?

-Yes. I sometimes took photo as well. I carried it with me as much as possible. I packaged it and gave it army's Benefit Club.

-Well, then?

-We're laid down on the floor of hospital. I felt too much pain. Sometimes I was unconscious and sometimes conscious. I have not described these event for anyone yet. I'm telling them to you for the first time. We are bared. We were wearing blankets. It was a strange situation.  When I become conscious, I saw that some girls were cleaning and disinfecting around the wound with alcohol! I got embarrassed. I was not able to say something. Everything was done by popular forces and nurses. There was an arrogant man among them who was shouting and aggressive to the nurses.

-What was he saying?

 

Nurses and the compassionate people took care of the injured and (decorative photo)

 

-He said: "Who allowed you to step outside and prevent us from working? I will slap you if it is possible!" I was angry a lot. Not only he did not work, but also he used to prevent others! Poor girls cried and said that the injured are our brothers, we want to help them. These days passed; someday the injured people was sent their hometown. They were checking to see how they should be sent (by buses, ambulances, or airplanes) depending on the percentage of injuries and the severity of their injuries; the address of Tehran's Borujerdi Square was written on my chest. The doctor, who had misunderstood, had written a note. This injured person should go to Borujerd[5]! I got a chance to see the note at the moment. I said: "Mr. Doctor! I'm from Borujerdi Square in Tehran, not from Borujerd province! He had laughed himself. That day, there were so wounded and martyred that doctors was were frustrated; it was natural.

-How were you sent finally to Borujerd? By monocycle or car?

- We were sent by airplane. First, we were taken to the C130 aircraft class, like the mortuary. There was a story in the way too. I remember some injured people who were crying and groaning. Someone who was responsible for taking care of us was very exhausted. He said: why do you groan? Be shameful! You are injured by a small quiver. He pointed to me and said: although he is young and injured extremely, he doesn't groan.

Anyway, we got Tehran. I was laid down on back of ambulance; the driver moved fast towards Shafa Yahyaian. It was the end of 1988 and the peck of Iraqis attack. The driver was looking the sky and the way of hospital at the same time. He could find it. It was three o'clock after midnight. There was no one on the street. I felt that he was in hurry and moving around himself! I raised my head and saw through the lines of smoky glass of ambulance that he was in wrong way. I said to him: you're in wrong way! Turn back and move towards Baharestan. We arrived at the hospital. I stayed there for a few days, it was the time for the taking off sticking plaster! Its pain was worse than quiver's. Isn’t it?

-yes. I've experienced it. The first stage of outpatient treatment, the doctor gave them glove, and peeled off the superficial quivers with a finger and forceps from under the skin.

- Without anesthesia injection?

-Yeah. The guys were in a line behind door and asked going inside in turn. Some groaned and bit the pillow!

-Well, then?

- Then they took me to a room with three beds and next to a window with long bars. I was belted down to the weights for three months. I was in extreme agony. As I was dynamic, it was very difficult for me to stay there horizontally and without any movement. The beds became full and then empty but I was there still. These days passed until one night it was bombarded by enemy. Everyone is looking for a safe haven for fear, but I was in chains. Instead of being motivated by the nurse, I said them: do not be afraid, there is nothing! There was a man who was sitting on wheelchair next to us. He used to go and come. Once, he went and came back and said: Do you know what happened is? Mostafa Molavi, the deputy of the wounded division, is taken to this hospital! He is going to be taken our room. I thought that this commander should have a great presence like Rostam.[6] When I met him in the room, she was a young theologian! His shoulder was injured extremely. He gave a warm greeting; we soon became best friend for each other. For a while, he told strange memoirs. He was the assistant of mayor Mahdi Bakeri. Remember you must invite him in the Night of Reminiscent.

-What did he say? What was his job?

- It was the members of Operation Information unit. He was given difficult tasks. He should travel to the front and rear of war constantly. Such people are hardworking. He said that he took medicine for eight days so that he did not sleep in the way! Sometimes he had only a water of battle and a compass. In that battle of war, he traveled to Karbala, too. He have attended in the war since the beginning of the war; he was along with all the martyrs. He has new untold words. He used to go bulwarks and watch Iraqis forces and bring water and canned fruit. In operation Karbala5, his right hands was broken; as if this event was inspired to him.

-why?

- Because he used to say that he had already started to practice and write by the left hand on operation area. Then he left side was injured in that operation! Mustafa was one of the smart, sincere and pleasant fighters.

-Are you in touch with him?

- Sometimes, I telephone him.

- When we approach to garrison Do-Kuheh , Keyvan remembers his memories.

 

The Do-Kuheh garrison was called "the Gates of Paradise". (Decorative photo)

 

 Remember! We created the documentary "Basij, the Amity of the Barefooted "here.

-When?

- At the end of the war, there were still UN forces between Iran and Iraq. Mustafa Dalai, Mohammad Sadri, Reza Yazdi and ... Haj Hassan Mohaghegh and I were along with two thousand forces who were ready for work.

- Is the movie which was directed by Mr. Shah Husseini in eight part and montaged by Dalai?

-Yes. Do you remember it? It was shown on TV, then disappeared! Someday when we were going to make this movie, we cooperated with the head of train to stop it garrison Do-Kuheh shortly and comrades got it off, but he didn’t accept; the comrades wrenched up the parking brake. The train screamed and stopped; the comrades jumped out. Poor chairman got very upset.

 

 When the train didn’t stop, the comrades wrenched up the parking brake.( a decorative photo)

 

The past memories of Do-Kuheh were appearing in front of eyes. As if it was yesterday. Before the deployment and operation of Karbala 5. I asked John Mohammadi, the commander of group, for taking photo of him. She took her hand in front of his face and said: "Haji! You wasted your movie, put your photo and its beautiful scenes in warfront!"

This is Mr. Hossein Keyvani. I had seen the photo before, but I did not know that this happy companion was fan of front and war essentially.

My first photo and subject was the same commander who was martyred; he was a compassionate and kind commander who had a warm voice and prepared the comrades for operation and martyrdom. John Mohammadi was a dynamic person. If you took him into consideration well, you would find that he was in different kind of human, he was like as turbulent and stormy as a wave. The last time when I was injured by quiver and sent me Tehran, he said me: If I don’t not leave the hospital this week, I'll run away!

 

The moment of martyrdom of John Mohammadi; a commander of platoon who said me: "Will we come back?"

 

One week later, he called from Varamin[7] and said: "Ghadami! I smell operation, tomorrow I want to go to that area, if want to be there, let go!"

We made a date in railway. As soon as we arrived garison Do-Kuheh, I went directly toward the bus that was carrying the comrades to the front. I said: "don't you deliver the leave card to army staff not to have a problem when you want to come back?"

- He smiled and said: "will we come back?"

He went and has never come back.

The driver who was from Andimeshk starts talking with Zarabi; he is cautious and patient driver. I say: Do you always drive carefully?

-We'll be fined if we drive just over eighty mph. Caution is very good. Previously, one of my family killed someone because of the speed, and now he is in problem. He is an avid of money and property. If someone to be wrongdoer, his life will be unblessed and upset. I know some ones who became rich I this way but lose their life!

A car quickly passes by us. He points to the driver.

- Look at this car, and it is filled by smuggling material in back of care raised by a spring.

-What is it being carried?

- Everything. There are mostly socks and underwear and etc.

- From where?

-It is from the port of Genaveh to Tehran.

-Are not they captured by police?

- Yes. But if police see them, they will be captured. But they are very organized and carful. Now, as you see this car, there are escorts and the watchman for it hundred kilometers away, call calls the driver to drive fast that is over 150 mph.

We reach to the area of Dezful and Andimeshk and then get flooded road. The police closed the road and lead drivers to side road.

-Where is here?

-Here is Seyed Abbas. This part goes underwater, it has salt; water can't influence in dust.

As soon as Keyvan sees water, he remember a rainy memoir.

-It was Operation Khybar. We went Talayeh. When we got on car, it was rainy. Anyway, the more we move toward frontline of war, the more it was raining. Insofar as we immerged in mud. The boats that was passing scattered muds on our comrade's body. We stood up to pray in the morning; we prayed on the chair. The rain of the Iraqis became more intense. It was heavy rainy near to Iraqis border. We put blankets on our head. We stayed there.  It was like the classic comedy films of World War II; a bomb fell down and mud scattered on our faces. Then we were told that we should get on truck. We should move quickly go out from the sight of the Iraqi force. We jumped into muds. Loose hats are making sound in touch with each other, like the copper market! However, the enemy did not notice the noise. That night, all bulwarks was full of fighters. Anyway, we went inside one of them forcibly. Next day, we started to make a bulwark.

 
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