▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Palest ine ▁War . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁under ground ▁Free ▁Offic ers ▁Mov ement ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁becoming ▁its ▁most ▁senior ▁member ▁after ▁Muhammad ▁N agu ib , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁lieutenant - col onel ▁of ▁the ▁inf antry ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁Sed d ik ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁Commun ist ▁organisation , ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Mov ement ▁for ▁National ▁Liber ation ▁( DM NL ), ▁when ▁the ▁Free ▁Offic ers ▁requested ▁his ▁membership . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁take ▁army ▁action ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁coup ▁which ▁removed ▁King ▁Far ou k ▁and ▁the ▁mon archy ▁from ▁power . ▁He ▁had ▁swift ly ▁moved ▁his ▁forces ▁to ▁occup y ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁Army ▁Head quarters ▁at ▁Kob ri ▁al - Q ub ba ▁an ▁hour ▁before ▁the ▁appointed ▁time . ▁Some ▁attribute ▁this ▁to ▁a ▁gl itch ▁in ▁communication . ▁The ▁Minister ▁of ▁War ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Hay dar ▁P asha , ▁knew ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁Offic ers ' ▁plans ▁and ▁had ▁Sed d ik ▁not ▁set ▁out ▁with ▁his ▁motor ized ▁columns ▁from ▁the ▁H ik est ep ▁Army ▁Camp ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁scheduled ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁coup , ▁the ▁minister ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁th wart ▁their ▁actions . ▁ ▁Conf lict ▁with ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁Command