• Name: Saad al-Din al-Shazly
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Saad al-Din al-Shazly

 (real name: Saad al-Husseini al-Shazly) was born on April 1, 1922, and passed away on February 10, 2011. He was an Egyptian military leader with the rank of Lieutenant General, serving as the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces from May 16, 1971, to December 13, 1973. He is known as the founder and first commander of the airborne troops in Egypt, served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Military Affairs at the Arab League, and was a former ambassador to England and Portugal, as well as a prominent military analyst.

Military Achievements

Al-Shazly was one of the key planners for the crossing of the Suez Canal and the successful Egyptian attack on the Bar Lev Line during the October War in 1973. However, his relationship with President Anwar Sadat soured, leading to his resignation from the post. After the war, he was appointed Egypt's ambassador to Britain and later to Portugal, but he strongly opposed the Camp David Accords, which led to his resignation and a request for political asylum in Algeria. He returned to Egypt in 1993 after receiving a military sentence and lived away from the public eye until his death.

Early Life

Al-Shazly was born in the village of Shabratna in the Basyoun Center of Gharbia Governorate, in a middle-class family. His father, Hajj al-Husseini al-Shazly, was an army officer, and young Saad was inspired by the stories of his grandfather, who fought in the Urabi Revolt. At the age of 11, he moved to Cairo with his family, where he completed his education.

Academic and Military Career

Al-Shazly initially enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture but transferred to the Military Academy in February 1939, graduating as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Corps in July 1940. He served in various capacities, including:

• The Royal Guard during the 1948 Palestine War.
• Founder and commander of the first Airborne Division in Egypt.
• Commander of the 75th Airborne Battalion during the 1956 Suez Crisis.
• Commander of an Egyptian battalion in the Congo as part of United Nations forces (1960-1961).
• Military attaché in London (1963-1961).
• Commander of the First Infantry Brigade during the Yemen War (1965-1966).
• Commander of the Red Sea Military Region (1970-1971).

Personal Life

Al-Shazly married Zenat Muhammad Metwali al-Suhimi on December 13, 1943, and they had three daughters: Shahdan, Nihad, and Samia.

Relationship with Gamal Abdel Nasser

Al-Shazly's relationship with Gamal Abdel Nasser began before the July 23 Revolution, as they lived in the same building. He joined the Free Officers Movement after embracing Nasser's revolutionary ideas.

His legacy remains significant as one of the prominent military leaders in modern Egyptian history, with a rich military and cultural heritage.