When you delve into the past, it soon becomes apparent how rapidly knowledge of “what has come before” recedes into the mists of time … even for events that are, in a relative sense, quite recent. I suppose this has always been true. But, I only began to really appreciate the fragility of memory when I embarked upon searching for historical records, biographical information, and personal recollections concerning soldiers who served in the Second World War. (And the Great War. And the Korean War. And so on…)
Military and personal histories are – true – now readily available at the touch of an icon. But, upon a deeper look, the ambiguities, absences, and gaps inherent to knowledge of the past are striking, boldly contrasting with the way in which the Internet creates the impression – or should we say illusion? – of the immediate availability and depth of historical information.
And so, I think back to some of my earliest internet writings concerning Jewish soldiers… These include a series about the S.S. Erinpura, which was sunk by the Luftwaffe of the Libyan coast on May 1, 1943 (Nissan 26, 5703), with the loss of several hundred soldiers from the Yishuv, and, Africa. Of the 138 Jewish troops who were killed in the sinking of this vessel – all members of the 462nd General Transport Company – nominal references or historical records are available for most, primarily in Volume I of Henry Morris’ We Will Remember Them (and a few in its companion Volume II), and, the Israeli Government’s Izkor website, for “The Commemoration Site of Fallen Defense and Security Forces of Israel”. (Very little news about this event appeared in the English-language news media, and – entirely unsurprisingly – nothing whatsoever in the American Jewish press.) After plumbing those sources, I found that there was a small number of soldiers – eleven men in total – for whom genealogical information was unavailable, or, for whom – in eight cases – information was limited to a soldier’s date and/or place of birth.
But of the eleven, one man – the focus of this post – is “anonymous” no more. He was; he is; he remains Driver Victor Chaim Hananel, PAL/31222, born in Istanbul in 1922. This is due to the interest and enthusiasm of his family, particularly Tony Hananel, the daughter-in-law of Victor’s brother Isak (Tony’s husband is Leon, the nephew Victor Chaim never knew), I’m now able to present a picture of Victor’s life through images and words. Though his biography is incomplete, it is a biography nonetheless.
As so, the other soldiers; the currently “unknown” ten, are:
In that, as suggested by Zelda Mishkovsky’s poem “Every Man Has A Name” – at the “end” of this post – let this account stand as a symbol for those whose life stories remain, for now, unknown.
____________________
____________________
The origins of the Hananel family probably lie in the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the exiled family eventually settling in Budin (Budin Eyalet). As explained at Wikipedia, “Budin Eyalet (also known as Province of Budin/Buda or Pashalik of Budin/Buda, Ottoman Turkish: ایالت بودین) was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire in Central Europe and the Balkans. It was formed on the territories that the Ottoman Empire conquered from the medieval Kingdom of Hungary and Serbian Desperate. The capital of the Budin Province was Budin (Hungarian: Buda).”
The family’s presence in Budin is confirmed by their possession of an Imperial Edict from the 16th Century. This document (see the image below) expresses gratitude to the Hananels and other Jewish families who opened the doors of fortress Budin in 1526, when the Ottoman Empire conquered the city.
In time, the family moved to Constantinople.
In further time, we come to the twentieth century.
Victor Chaim’s father Yuda Leon was the owner of a textile business. He and his wife Rebeka had four sons – oldest to youngest David Danny, Emil, Isak, and Victor Chaim – all of whom attended a French Jesuit School in Istanbul. The three elder brothers were sent to either France or Belgium where they finished their high school studies, subsequently returning to Turkey, where they and their parents survived the Second World War. (Turkey didn’t become an Allied combatant until February 23, 1945.) By the time that Chaim Victor – the youngest – was in middle school, the Second World War had commenced. As a result, he was forced to remain in Istanbul, from where he graduated from high school.
What happened next? In Tony Hananel’s words, “Apparently Victor Chaim fell in love with a young Christian woman and wanted to marry her. His parents objected to the wedding citing that the elder brothers were not yet married and that he had to wait for his turn. Frustrated … he … left Turkey, travelled to Palestine and joined the Jewish Brigade.”
Ironically, though no actual letters remain from Victor Chaim’s sojourn in the Yishuv, with great irony, four bare envelopes which probably contained correspondence replying to the brothers’ inquiries to British military authorities about the fate of their youngest sibling, still exist. Alas, any and all inquiries bore no fruit. As Tony has written, “…Victor’s parents died not even sure of their son’s fate. The brothers clearly knew that he had somehow met his death but nothing of the circumstances.”
As Tony explained, “Had there been any [correspondence between Victor Chaim and his family] though, they would surely not have been in Hebrew as his parents did not speak any Hebrew, but … French, the “lingua franca” of the educated members of the Jewish community,” which was studied in schools of the Alliance Israelite. Alternatively spoken was Ladino, the lingua franca of Sephardi Jews since the late-fifteenth century Spanish expulsion, which would have been the conversational language of Yuda Leon and Rebeka.
The envelopes appear below. All are written in Turkish, with the envelope postmarked May 15, 1944 bearing Turkish postal stamps. Three of the four envelopes are addressed to Victor Chaim’s elder brothers: two to David Danny and one to Isak.
(All images below – with the exception of the first two, both via Geni.com – are via Tony Hananel, for whose work and generosity I want to express my thanks and appreciation.)
____________________
____________________
Yuda Leon Hananel, in a photo appearing in a Turkish document – his passport? He died in 1950. (From Geni.com)
The couple’s four sons in 1924: From left to right, David Danny, Victor Chaim, Emil, and Isak.
____________________
Three sons in 1927: Isak, Emil, and Victor Chaim.
____________________
Again in 1927: The four sons.
____________________
Victor Chaim at the age of five in 1927, looking older and wiser than his years.
____________________
Also 1927: Isak and Victor Chaim.
____________________
1928: Yuda Leon and Rebeka with Emil, Isak, Victor Chaim, and David Danny.
____________________
1932 – four years later: Victor Chaim playfully perches atop a pyramid of brothers; Emil is at right.
____________________
The brothers in 1934.
____________________
A pensive Victor Chaim at the age of thirteen, in 1935.
____________________
This is the 16th Century Imperial Edict received by the Hananels and other Jewish families in Budin. If you look very closely (right-click and save…), you’ll see that the text appears as twelve double-lines of elegant, miniscule Arabic script, written as if “rising” from right to left, eventually surmounted by a golden key.
____________________
Here are the four envelopes testifying to Victor Chaim’s all-too-brief life. Sent to the Hananel family by British military authorities in the Yishuv or Cairo, the correspondence which they held has long since been lost, but presumably pertained to inquiries from the Hananel family concerning Victor Chaim’s fate. The address on each envelope is written in Turkish. Two of the envelopes are addressed to the Rehber Shop, a department store in Istanbul of which Yuda Leon was a partner.
Sent from Cairo to the Rehber Shop on March 28, 1944, this envelope was addressed to “Marko Levi, Anafartalar Caddesi. Rehber Tuhafiye Mağazası.Ankara”. The envelope bears no return address.
____________________
“On His Majesty’s Service”: The cancellation mark appears to indicate a date of May 15, 1944. This envelope contained a letter that was sent from the “Combined Local Record Office, (“palestine” Section), M.E.F., Filistin”, to David (Danny Hananel?), at Cicek Pazar in Istanbul. Though I’m entirely unfamiliar with Ottoman or Turkish geography (!), Cicek Pazar might actually be – as described at Wikipedia – “Çiçek Pasajı (Turkish: Flower Passage), originally called the Cité de Péra… a famous historic passage (galleria or arcade) on İstiklal Avenue in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, Turkey. A covered arcade with rows of historic cafes, winehouses and restaurants, it connects İstiklal Avenue with Sahne Street and has a side entrance opening onto the Balık Pazarı (Fish Market).”
____________________
Another letter to brother David, though with a different address than before: “c/o Elvaşvili. Fındıklayan Han. Cier Pazor, Istanbul.” But, there’s no return address.
____________________
A fragment of a fragment: Sent from Cairo to the Rehber Shop on an unknown date, this letter is addressed to “Tünel _____ No. 5, Rehber, Zolata, Istanbul”.
____________________
The only direct record of Victor Chaim’s military service in the Yishuv comprises the following four images. Other than his nominal presence in the photos, and, the fact that each picture had (by definition) to have been taken prior to May 1, 1943, each image remains an enigma.
Chaim Victor, holding a cigarette, shakes hands with a friend on a sidewalk overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Given that the men are wearing shorts, perhaps it’s the summer of 1941 or ’42?
____________________
In the next three images, Victor’s attire (long pants – not shorts), the setting, and the angle of the sun’s illumination suggest that the pictures were taken at the same time and place. Given that the seaside railing in the final two images is identical to that in the image above, it would seem that Victor and the other two soldiers took a liking to this coastal location.
Posing with another soldier at a city street….
____________________
,,,and seated with another soldier. Victor’s shirt bears a shoulder-flash with the word “palestine”.
____________________
I think it’s best to conclude with this fine and evocative photo: Victor Chaim, seated on the railing, with the Mediterranean Sea behind him, is looking directly directly at the unknown photographer (a fellow soldier?).
In the early 1940s, Victor Chaim is looking into the future.
Like other casualties aboard the Erinpura, Victor Chaim’s name is memorialized at the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey, England (specifically at Panel 16, Column 3). Being a Jewish soldier from the Yishuv, he’s also commemorated at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery, specifically at the memorial to those lost in the Erinpura. His name is also engraved in this stone at Mount Herzl, photographed in 1993.
____________________
____________________
To conclude, a poem.
Every Man Has a Name (לכל איש יש שם)
Every man has a name Given him by God And given by his father and his mother Every man has a name Given him by his stature and his way of smiling, And given him by his clothes. Every man has a name Given him by the mountains And given him by his walls Every man has a name Given him by the planets And given him by his neighbors Every man has a name Given him by his sins And given him by his longing Every man has a name given him by those who hate him And given him by his love Every man has a name Given him by his holidays And given him by his handiwork Every man has a name Given him by the seasons of the year And given him by his blindness Every man has a name Given him by the sea And given him By his death.
My sincere thanks to Tony Hananel for her time and effort in providing me with information about Victor Chaim and his (her!) family, as well as excellent scans of photographs and documents from the Hananel family collection. This post would not exist without her interest, enthusiasm, and help.
Though vastly more could be said (and, has been said) about Rosenberg’s life and poetry, it was; it is, adequate enough to begin that post with his last poem, penned during the final week of March, 1918: “Through These Pale Cold Days”.
The text follows…
Through these pale cold days What dark faces burn Out of three thousand years, And their wild eyes yearn,
While underneath their brows Like waifs their spirits grope For the pools of Hebron again – For Lebanon’s summer slope.
They leave these blond still days In dust behind their tread They see with living eyes How long they have been dead.
The poem directly expresses Rosenberg’s yearning to return to Eretz Israel, and, serve in a specifically Jewish military unit. As discussed in Joseph Cohen’s Journey to the Trenches, the poet was not at all passive in his hope: He persistently applied for a to transfer to the Judeans, the Jewish volunteer battalions organized by Vladimir Jabotinsky, then serving in Egypt and the Yishuv.
Sometimes, the wishes of men are fulfilled.
And yet sometimes, they are…
The following account is a case in point. Published in the Wilkes-Barre Record on December 17, 1918, it’s the story of the departure for the Jewish Legion, and, eventual military service in Egypt and the Yishuv, of George G. Korson, (by then!) a former reporter for the Record. Korson’s biographical details appear in this document from Ancestry.com, found among records of “US Residents Serving in the British Expeditionary Forces 1917-1919”.
Not actually focusing on military training or military duty as such, the article is primarily Korson’s own story of his departure from England, and equally, a description of the optimism and hope felt by the group of Legion soldiers prior to their departure.
Interestingly, the article makes several mentions of the word “Hatikooh”, a misspelling (or variant of translation?!) of the title of Israel’s national anthem Hatikvah, which was penned in 1878. (Rabbi Avraham Isaac Kook proposed an alternative version of an Israeli national anthem, entitled HaEmunah, “The Faith”. Which, I didn’t know about until creating this post…!)
So, Private Isaac Rosenberg’s dream did not come true.
So, Private George S. Korson’s did.
But, in a sense much larger, both dreams did come true, as some dreams – in their own time; in their own way – eventually do.
______________________________________
______________________________________
ON WAY TO EGYPT
Wilkes-Barre Record December 17, 1918
Former Record Reporter Describes Final Days in England of Jewish Legionnaires
Describing his final days in England before departing with the Jewish Legion for Egypt and the Holy Land George Korson, a former reporter on the Record staff, writes two interesting letters from England. Korson was born in Russia, raised in America, trained for army life in Canada, Wales and England and is now going to Egypt with the hope of eventually remaining in Palestine, as a permanent member of the new Zionist nation. He writes:
Good-bye England; Hello Egypt
“November 11, 1918.
“A few hours more and it’s good-bye England and hello Egypt for me. Final Inspection of our battalion was made by the brigadier-general this morning. Our impression on the old man was a favorable one. We spent many a nerve-wracking hour preparing for this day. ‘As fine a looking lot as I ever saw,’ he pronounced us.
“The inspection took up three hours, the whole of which we stood at attention with rifles and packs on our backs. Packs, I should explain, is another word for equipment, a matter of but ninety-eight pounds, no more.
“Shortly after the inspection, dressed in full marching order, the battalion went out on a ‘practice’ march, the flag of Zion leading us. Twelve miles was the length of the march. The packs were weighty and perspiration flowed freely. But the charm of the English countryside, in a sense unloosened our loads, or was it the music sent up by our band that had this effect? I am sure that our hearts would have been heavier than our packs at the end were it not for the inspiring airs. With the flag of Zion before us and the ‘Hatikooh,’ the battle cry of Israel in the air, who would not go to the bottomest depths of Hades for the cause?
“As the columns of the ‘Modern Macabees’ swung down the country roads and village streets it somehow gave me the feeling that with an army to defend its honor, the first in 2,000 years, Israel was well on its way to the return to the ancient home.
“The battle cries of our ancient warriors were the songs that were sung by us this morning. Villagers crowded the walks, jostling one another in the effort to gain vantage points. The applause and cheers of the spectators revealed to us their opinion of us. No wonder the general said we were as fit a looking lot as he ever saw.
To Do Garrison Duty in Palestine
“The spirit among the Jewish Legionnaires is admirable. In our eagerness to get across, we are unanimous. The disappointment in not being able to see active service on the field of battle is almost universal among us. The fact that we are going to do garrison duty in Palestine is some consolations anyhow.
“The trip to Egypt promises to be an interest one. If we should follow the routes of previous drafts we would pass through France and Italy with stopover privileges in Paris and Rome. The trip will probably take three weeks. I will write upon my arrival.
Farewell Dinner
“November 21, 1918.
“The happiest moments of my life passed last night. The occasion was a farewell dinner given departing Jewish Legionnaires by the British Zionist organization, of which Lord Rothschild is the president. The affair is beyond doubt the best reception tendered the Legion and I can assure you fine receptions have been given it both in American and in England. With the departure of our battalion the last of the Jewish Legion will have left Britain’s shores. Perhaps this is a reason that led the English Jews to sacrifice so much in our behalf.
Conditions in Holy Land
“At any rate the dinner will not be easily forgotten. A representative of the recent British investigation committee to Palestine addressed us. He told us of conditions in the Holy Land. The colonists who at the beginning of the war were driven out of the country by the Turks have returned and are going about their pre-war occupations quite well. Bridges, water works, highways, irrigation, railroad building and other improvements are being made by a British engineer corps for the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. Touching, indeed, was his description of the colonists’ reception of the Jewish Legionnaires. Old men in their praying shawls and women fell to the ground and literally kissed the feet of their deliverers and future defenders. Children fought one another in the efforts to carry part of the soldiers’ equipment. The colonists tried to outdo one another to provide comforts for these Maccabees. Doors were thrown wide open. ‘What is mine is also thine,’ was the common word, the speaker declared.
Inducements to Stay
“The Zionist organizations, he said, is going to offer excellent inducements to the members of the Jewish Legion upon their discharge from the British army. If I were to speak my heart, I hope the inducements are good.
“The speaker also brought us the news that the Zionist organization has deposited with the commanding officer, Col. Miller, the sum of £250 ($1,250) to provide comforts for our battalion on our approaching journey to Egypt.
Flags of Eleven Nations
“The hall was fittingly decorated. The flags of eleven nations, from which the various Jewish Legions present had come, waved through the room. A big camp band enlivened the evening with music, in which the guests occasionally joined.
“Besides the speech of the British committeeman, talks were given by our colonel and officers. The officers are heart and soul in the cause of the Jewish people and last night expressed their willingness to go with their men to Egypt, thence to Palestine,
“The climax of the evening came with the call for the ‘Hatikooh,’ Israel’s ‘Song of Hope’. Most of the Jewish Legionnaires, typical of the Jewish race in the last 2,000 years, were wanderers, born in one country, raised in another and living in a third, etc. Not a few had come from Russia where they had undergone all the hardships and suffering that result from a cruel government. In a word, the gathering was made up of men who had gone through something and consequently whose feelings and emotions were pent up.
Tears Drip on Banquet Table
“At the singing of the ‘Hatikooh,’ all stood at attention. It is unnecessary to state that the nation was sent out with feeling. As the anthem went on one could see tears coming to the eyes of the men, some young, middle-aged, and elderly; some of them hard-hearted business men in civil life. At the conclusion tears were literally dripping on the banquet table. Can you imagine now the spirit of the Jewish Legion?
“Private George Korson, No. 2476
28-40 Batt. R.F. Co. G
“E.E.F., Egypt”
Some References…
Adler, Michael, and Freeman, Max R.G., British Jewry Book of Honour, Caxton Publishing Company, London, England, 1922 (Republished in 2006 by Naval & Military Press, Uckfield, East Sussex)
Cohen, Joseph, Journey to the Trenches – The Life of Isaac Rosenberg, 1890-1918, Basic Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1975
Jabotinsky, Wladimir, Die jüdische Legion im Weltkrieg, Jüdischer Verlag, Berlin, 1930
Some time during the last week of March in the year 1918 – the specific date will remain unknown – Isaac Rosenberg, a Private in the British Army serving in the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment – penned the following poem:
Through These Pale Cold Days
Through these pale cold days What dark faces burn Out of three thousand years, And their wild eyes yearn,
While underneath their brows Like waifs their spirits grope For the pools of Hebron again – For Lebanon’s summer slope.
They leave these blond still days In dust behind their tread They see with living eyes How long they have been dead.
(From The Collected Works of Isaac Rosenberg, page 91)
__________
Photographic portrait of Private Isaac Rosenberg, Regimental Number 22311, probably taken in September, 1917, from Joseph Cohen’s Journey to The Trenches.
__________
Born in Bristol on November 25, 1890, Rosenberg was a painter and poet in civilian life. Despite his pacifistic nature – attributable to his familial upbringing as much as his independent personality – both of which dispositions gave him a disinclination to military life, Rosenberg enlisted in the British Army in October of 1915. His primary motivations were simple: Enervating uncertainty about making a livelihood, whether through the arts or most any other vocation, and more fundamentally, a matter-of-fact sense of resignation in terms of the tenor of the times. Perhaps he felt that military service, even if he was largely unamendable to it physically, psychologically, or intellectually, would provide his life with structure and direction unavailable to him otherwise. Even if this was in a time of war.
Rosenberg was killed in action on the first day of April in 1918, not long after he composed “Through These Pale Cold Days”, a poem which expressed his frustrated yearning to return to Eretz Israel, and, serve in a Jewish military unit, this last desire reflected by his persistent and unsuccessful application to transfer to the Judeans, the Jewish volunteer battalions organized by Vladimir Jabotinsky and then serving in Egypt and the Yishuv.
His death came eleven days after the commencement of the great German offensive otherwise known as Operation Michael, which was (Wikipedia speaking here), “…launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France. Its goal was to break through the Allied (Entente) lines and advance in a north-westerly direction to seize the Channel Ports, which supplied the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and to drive the BEF into the sea. … The offensive ended at Villers-Bretonneux, to the east of the Allied communications centre at Amiens, where the Allies managed to halt the German advance; the German Army had suffered many casualties and was unable to maintain supplies to the advancing troops.”
Rosenberg’s final battle was described by Tulane University faculty member Joseph Cohen, in his 1975 book Journey to the Trenches, as follows:
“The First King’s Own Regiment, still in the reverse trenches, moved quickly to the forward area, at one point suffering heavy casualties in terrain exposed to the enemy’s cross-fire. Twenty-four hours later the Germans had overrun the front line, and the First King’s Own Regiment along with other adjacent units found themselves back in the reserve trenches, which became the new front lines. Throughout that Saturday and Sunday, March 30-31, they stubbornly resisted the German advance. When the attack eased on Sunday, the few survivors in Rosenberg’s company were ordered to the rear. In the early morning hours of Monday, April 1, All Fools’ Day, the Company made its way back under cover of darkness. The men had not gone more than two hundred yards when a runner caught up with them. The attack had been renewed and every man was needed. Since they had earned their brief respite from the fighting they were not ordered to return, but asked to volunteer. No one had to go back. Among the few who did was Rosenberg.
“Certainly he knew what the odds were against his surviving that fateful hour. He did not have to volunteer, but made the decision to go back as in 1915 he had made the decision to enlist. He returned, and within an hour of reaching the battle area, somewhere close to the French Village of Fampoux, Isaac Rosenberg was killed in close combat. He was twenty-seven.”
This account parallels the Wikipedia entry for Rosenberg, which states, “Having just finished a night patrol, he was killed on the night of 1 April 1918 with another ten KORL soldiers; there is a dispute as to whether his death occurred at the hands of a sniper or in close combat. In either case, he died in a town called Fampoux, north-east of Arras. He was first buried in a mass grave, but in 1926 the unidentified remains of the six KORL soldiers were individually re-interred at Bailleul Road East Cemetery, Plot V, Saint-Laurent-Blangy, Pas de Calais, France. Rosenberg’s gravestone is marked with his name and the words, “Buried near this spot”, as well as – “Artist and Poet”.”
But, what of March 21, 1918, the opening date of the final German offensive in the west?
When I embarked on researching British Commonwealth Jewish military casualties of the Great War, based on information in The Jewish Chronicle and records accessible via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I soon noticed a relatively high number of records for soldiers killed in action on July 1, 1916, the opening of the Somme Offensive, of which I’d previously known only anecdotally. In the same way, the CWGC database revealed a cluster of records for the fallen on March 21, 1918, of which – prior to that time being focused on the Second World War – I’d previously known, well, also-nothing-at-all. That date, I soon learned, was the opening day of Operation Michael, which, “…had been costly for the Germans, who had suffered c. 40,000 casualties, slightly more than they inflicted on the BEF,” something paralleling, in terms of overall magnitude (though the specifics were different) the terrible events on the opening day of the Somme Offensive.
And so, akin to the post about the Somme battle, here are presented biographical records and photographs (where available) of Jewish military casualties on this March day, a little over a century and four years ago.
The names of 37 men are listed.
Of the 37, thirty-three lost their lives in battle, one of whom, Pte. Max Rapaport, born in Rumania, was serving in the South African Infantry. A 34th (L/Cpl. Moss Emanuel – died possibly? probably? – not in battle, similar to the 35th (Pte. Barnett Schwartz) who served in the Yishuv. Schwartz seems to have no actual grave, being commemorated at the Jerusalem Memorial.
Notably, the 36th man was an American: Air Mechanic Samuel Walter Arnheim, serial 152812. From West End Avenue in New York City, he was a flying instructor in the Royal Flying Corps, and was killed in a aviation accident at the School of Aerial Gunnery at Camp Hicks, in Texas, though the specifics of that incident are unknown. His death received extensive coverage in the both the general and Jewish press, having been reported on in at least six newspapers.
As for the “37th”, Pte. Samuel Waxman? Wounded, he survived the day and the war. A member of the 24th Battalion in the Australian Imperial Forces, he was born in Warsaw, and his Attestation Papers (accessed via the National Archives of Australia) reveal that as a Russian subject (however the word “subject” was then defined!) he was obligated to serve in the AIF, due to his obvious inability to return to Russia and serve in that country’s army.
It’s notable that the names of nearly half of the 37 – fourteen – never appeared in The Jewish Chronicle, while the names of 12 of those 14 soldiers are likewise absent from the British Jewry Book of Honour.
And, awfully reflective of the awful and overwhelming nature of the Offensive’s opening day, only four of the aforementioned 33 have places of burial.
But alas, there was more, and is more: The Wikipedia entry for the Offensive alludes to German losses for the opening day exceeding those of the British. This is sadly reflected in the number of German Jewish soldiers lost in battle this day: 52. Their names, military units, dates and places of birth and residence, and places of burial (where known) are listed below, though only Leutnant Erich Heilbrunn’s entry includes a photo.
As per the post about the Somme Offensive, to place the events of this day in a clearer context, I’ve included links to a variety of websites, and, some videos.
Kaiserschlacht: The German Spring Offensive, at Anglo Historian (March 21, 2018)
______________________________
Thursday, March 21, 1918 – 8 Nisan, 5678
.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
May his soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life.
Killed in Action or Died of Wounds
Barnett, Samuel, Pvt., 204305 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 1st Battalion (Attached to 2nd/4th Battalion) Mr. and Mrs. Elias and Polly Barnett (parents), 240 Mile End Road, London Also 9 Gordon Road, Stoke Newington, London, N Born 1898 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panel 85 (CWGC lists mother’s name as Polly; did father remarry? If not, mother was actually Miriam (Belasco) Barnett.) British Jewry Book of Honour – 79, 462
____________________
Bensusan, Harry, Rifleman, O/461 Rifle Brigade, 9th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Adelaide Bensusan (parents), David, Isaac, Joseph, Reuben, Rosetta, Solomon (brothers and sister) 8 Hutchinson Ave., Aldgate Born Spitalfields, Middlesex, 1899 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 81 to 84 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Bernstein, Jacob, Pvt., 29444 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Own), 10th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Hyman and Leah Bernstein (parents), 53 Roseville Road, Leeds, 8 Born Leeds, 1897 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 4 British Jewry Book of Honour – photo section 128 (not listed elsewhere in book)
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: In loving memory of Jack – Mourned by his mother – Brothers and sisters
Cohen, Jacob, Pvt., 262663 Manchester Regiment, 2nd/6th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Wolf and Esther Cohen (parents), Israel, Reuben, Lilly, Minnie, and Victor (brothers and sisters) 31 Exchange St., Cheetham, Manchester Born Manchester, 1894 Assevillers New British Cemetery, Somme, France – VI,D,10 The Jewish Chronicle 4/26/18 (incorrectly lists serial as 252263) British Jewry Book of Honour – 84, 364; photo section 238
____________________
Cohen, Oscar, Pvt., G22470 The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), 7th Battalion Mr. Philip Cohen (father), 47 West Green Road, London, N15 Born Whitechapel, London, 7/2/98 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panel 16 The Jewish Chronicle 7/26/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 85, 238; photo section 229
____________________
Fiddler, Michael, Rifleman, S/35069 Rifle Brigade, 16th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Davis and Rachael Fiddler (parents), Benjamin, Blumah, Jacob, Lazarus, Samuel, and Sophy (brothers and sisters) 103 Slater St., Brick Lane, London, E Born St. Thomas, Bethnal Green, 1899 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 81 to 84 The Jewish Chronicle 3/21/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 88, 383 (incorrectly lists surname as “Fidler”)
____________________
Fraser, Hyman, Sgt., 202360 The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, 11th Battalion, C Company Mrs. Minnie (Shock) Fraser (wife), 17 Bannerman St., Edgehill, Liverpool Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 21 to 23 The Jewish Chronicle 5/10/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 89, 288
____________________
Freedman, Mark, Pvt., 203869 Northumberland Fusiliers, 22nd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Mrs. Betty Freedman (wife), 25 Grove St., Commercial Road, London Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Annie Freedman (parents), 40 Merchant St., London, E Born 1891 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bays 2-3 The Jewish Chronicle 5/24/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 90, 242 (Lists name as “Freedman, D.M.” (p. 90) and “Freedman, W.” (p. 242)); photo section 225
____________________
Goldberg, Edward (“Eddie”), Pvt., 85316 The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 1st Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Abraham and Hannah Goldberg (parents), Joseph and Rachel (brother and sister) 185 Brunswick Buildings, Goulston St., Aldgate, London, E Born Whitechapel, London, 1896 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 3 The Jewish Chronicle 5/17/18 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 4/26/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 91, 288
____________________
Goldstone, Leonard, L/Cpl., 44748 (Formerly 3320, London Regiment) Royal Irish Rifles, 12th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Alfred A. and Millie Goldstone (parents), 130 King St., Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Born Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 74 to 76 British Jewry Book of Honour – 378
____________________
Harris, Henry, Pvt., 18268 Royal Irish Regiment, 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. John and Sarah Harris (parents), 18 (38?) Wilkes St., Spitalfields, London, E Born 1889 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 30 and 31 The Jewish Chronicle 3/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 95, 305
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: Deeply mourned by brother – Sisters and relatives
Himmelstein, Harry, Pvt., 203842 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 2nd/2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Simon and Liba Himmelstein (parents), Fanny, Rosa, and Solomon (sisters and brother) 94 Grove St., Commercial Road, Stepney, London, SE (E1?) Born Whitechapel, London, 1899 (Or…born in Poland…) Chauny Communal Cemetery, British Extension, Aisne, France – 3,F,11 The Jewish Chronicle 5/3/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 96, 472, 473
____________________
Jacobson, Samuel, Pvt., 51685 The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 19th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Isaac and Yetta Jacobson (parents), Bertrice, Harry, Kate, Marks, Milly, Myer, Reuben, and Soloman (sisters and brothers) 39 Great Orford St., Liverpool Born Liverpool, Lancashire, 1897 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 21 to 23 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Kutchinsky, Alec, Rifleman, R/32227 King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 9th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Rosie Kutchinsky (parents) Dawn, Esther, Isaac, Judah, and Rachel (sisters and brothers), 48 Anthony St., London, E Born St. George in the East, Whitechapel, London, 1894 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 61 to 64 The Jewish Chronicle 3/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 101, 360; photo section 132
____________________
Levi, Frederick Joseph, 2nd Lieutenant Lincolnshire Regiment, 1st Battalion (Attached to 2nd/5th Battalion) Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Bloom Levi (parents), Ada, Cissie, Lillie, and Manuel (sisters and brother) 116 Pershore Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham Born Edgbaston, Birmingham, 1895 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bays 3 and 4 The Jewish Chronicle 4/19/18, 1/3/19 (Issue of4/19/18 lists name as “Levi, F.I.”) The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 12/20/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 72, 293; photo section 45
An image of the matzeva of Frederick Joseph’s father Mark, by FindAGrave Contributor Hockley Lass, is shown below. Note that their son, who is commemorated at the Arras Memorial, is memorialized by engraved text.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MAURICE ALBERT LEVI, SON OF MARK AND BLOOM LEVI, DIED MARCH 6TH 1919, AGED 26. ALSO OF THEIR SON FREDERIC JOSEPH LEVI, WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE MARCH 21ST 1918, AGED 23. MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE
____________________
Levi, Reuben, Pvt., 40139 Royal Scots Fusiliers, 6th/7th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Marks (6/3/67-8/13) and Leah (Lazarus) (died 10/7/34) Levi (parents), Sarah (“Sadie”) (1900-1973) (sister) 75 Green Road, Leeds Born Leeds, Yorkshire, 1895 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 5 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
Marks Levi’s naturalization form of September 2, 1912, from the Sargent Family Tree (by Jacqueline Sargent), at Ancestry.com, appears below. Note that Reuben’s name (he was then 17) is recorded on the Certificate of Naturalization to an Alien sheet.
The following three images of Reuben (he’s the center figure in the group picture) are also displayed at the Sargent Family Tree page.
Also among Sargent Family Tree documents is this Official notification of Reuben’s death, dated January 25, 1919. Though he has no known grave, the document reveals that his body must have been recovered and identified by the German military.
____________________
Levy, Henry, Pvt., 31092 York and Lancaster Regiment, 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. William and Sarah Levy (parents), Florence, Jacob, Joseph, Julius, and Samuel (sister and brothers) 67 Frederick St., South Shields Born South Shields, Durham, 1889 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 8 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Marks, David, Cpl., 41016 Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 1st Battalion (Formerly Royal Field Artillery) Mr. and Mrs. Labovitch (“Jacob”) and Rachel Marks (parents), Fanny, Harris, Israel, and Lazarus (sister and brothers) 9 Herdford Place, Meadwood Road, Leeds Born Yorkshire, England, 1883 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 79 and 80 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Meltzer, Solomon, Pvt., 64462 (Transferred to Labour Corps, 108th Labour Company; serial changed to 11484) The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 3rd/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. D. and L. Metlzer (parents), 15 Hewitt St., Hightown, Manchester Born St. Peters, Bradford, West Yorkshire Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Pas de Calais, France – VII,B,32 The Jewish Chronicle 4/12/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 108, 442; photo section 58
Solomon’s matzeva appears in this image by FindAGrave Contributor PearLady
____________________
Mosely, Arthur, Pvt., 275217 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 3rd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Simon and Ann Moseley (parents) Frances, John, Joseph, and Louis (sister and brothers), 68 Lincoln St., E3, Bow, London Born Mile End, London, 1897 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panel 85 The Jewish Chronicle 3/28/19 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 3/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 109, 480, 481 (British Jewry Book of Honour – lists surname as “Moseley”, and “Mosely”, but CWGC lists surname as “Mosely”. 1901 Census lists surname as “Moseley”)
____________________
Nyman, Maurice, Rifleman, R35759 King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 1st Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Leah Nyman (parents), Harry, Hyman, Philip, and Sidney (brothers), 3 Cable St., Whitechapel East, London Born Whitechapel, London, 1898 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 7 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Rapaport, Max, Pvt., 13190 South African Infantry, 2nd Regiment Mr. and Mrs. Sulim and Hinda Rapaport (parents), Str Hagi, Vasluiu, Rumania Born Rumania, 1889 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 95-98 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Rosenberg, Abraham, Pvt., 34958 Machine Gun Corps, 51st Battalion Mrs. Dora Rosenberg (mother), 92 Grafton St. / 3 Stamford St., Leeds Born London Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France The Jewish Chronicle 5/10/18 (TJC lists name as “Rosenberg, H.”) British Jewry Book of Honour – 114, 395
____________________
Rosenberg, Lewis, L/Cpl., 233855 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Israel and Edith Rosenberg (parents) Harry, Hetty, Hyman, Leah, and Sammy (brothers and sisters) 220 St. George’s St., E (or) 21 The Highway, London Born Wapping, London, 1898 Chauny Communal Cemetery, British Extension, Aisne, France – Sp. Mem. C; 2,F,1 The Jewish Chronicle 5/3/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 114, 483, 484
____________________
Rottstein, Harry, Cpl., 203390 Durham Light Infantry, 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Reuben and Ada Rottstein (parents) Abraham, Anne, Clara, Isaac, Joseph, Rebecca, and Rose (brothers and sisters) 8 Rich St., Limehouse, St. Georges, North Somerset Born Mile End, London, 1892 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 8 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Rubenstein, Hyman, Pvt., 235283 East Lancashire Regiment, 2nd/4th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Mark Leon and Rose Rubenstein (parents) Blanche, Fanny, Hyman, Jack, Pearl, Ray, and Sarah (sisters and brothers), 153B Kensington, Liverpool Born Leeds, Yorkshire, 1898 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panel 42 and 43 The Jewish Chronicle 4/26/18 (Incorrectly lists surname as “Rubinstein”) British Jewry Book of Honour – 115, 321
____________________
Schratsky, Phillip, Rifleman, R/22366 King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 7th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Jack (John) and Mary (Minnie) Schratsky (parents), Benjamin, Dinah, Freeman, Isaac, Kate, Leah, Sarah, and Solomon (brothers and sisters) 6 Duval St., Spitalfields, London Born Whitechapel, London, 5/30/94 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 61 to 64 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Segelman, Powell, Cpl., 44518 Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 16th Battalion Mrs. Mary Segelman (mother), Annie Cohen, Dora Levinson, Ellis, Hetty Baker, and Max (sisters and brothers) 113 Victor St., Lincolnshire, Grimsby Born Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania, 1892 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 52 to 54 The Jewish Chronicle 5/3/18 (Mentions that he served as “Grimsby”) British Jewry Book of Honour – 117, 340
____________________
Smullen, Abraham, Pvt., 33847 Manchester Regiment, 16th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Lewis and Ethel Smullen (parents), Hyman, Rachel, and Sarah (brother and sisters), 89 Stock St., Manchester Born Belfast, Ireland, 1896 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 64 to 67 British Jewry Book of Honour – 119, 368
____________________
Solomons, Frank, L/Cpl., R/23189 King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 9th Battalion Mr. Simon Solomons (father), 7 Frostie Place (12 Frostie Mansions), Whitechapel, E, London, England Born Stepney, Middlesex Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 61 to 64 The Jewish Chronicle 5/3/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 119, 362
____________________
Williams, Nathan, Pvt., 141430 Machine Gun Corps, 58th Company Wounded (gassed) Mr. and Mrs. Louis and Rachel Williams (parents), Annie, Florry, Isaac, Ivy, Jacob, Leah, Morris, and Sarah (sisters and brothers) 172 Green St., Bethnal Green, London, E Born Bethnal Green, London, 1898 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 90 to 93 The Jewish Chronicle 5/3/18, 3/28/19 (Chronicle lists name as “N.A. Williams”, and serial as 225727) British Jewry Book of Honour – 123, 396
____________________
Yarmovsky, Jacob, Pvt., 31879 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Own), 1st Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Eli (“Hillel”) (1868-10/2/34) and Sophia (“Zifaie”) (1870-3/8/38) Yarmovsky (parents) Elizbaeth Julia (“Lizzie”), Jacob Philip, Leah, Louis, Max, and Sarah Rebecca (sisters and brothers) 20 Henbury St., Benson St., Leeds Born Leeds, Yorkshire, 1897 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 4 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Zimmerman, Naheim, Pvt., 267774 Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 2nd/7th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Flora Zimmerman (parents), Aaron, Annie, Barnett, Beatrice, Ephraim, Harriet, Israel, Leah, and Leon (brothers and sisters) 184 High St., Shadwell, London, E Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France – Bay 7 The Jewish Chronicle 5/31/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 123, 341
Died Non Battle
Emanuel, Moss, L/Cpl., 41460 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Died non-battle Mrs. Lilly (Weinrabe) Emanuel (wife) Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel (5/1/54-7/31) and Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Lazarus) (1854-1/21) Emanuel (parents) 48 Brighton Road, Stoke Newington, London Also 126 Maybury Road, Woking, Surrey Born Whitechapel, London, 1886 Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France – Panels 38 to 40 The Jewish Chronicle 6/14/18, 9/27/18, 10/4/18 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 9/27/18, 10/4/18, 3/21/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 88, 317 The Sun – 3/26/18
____________________
In Egypt or The Yishuv
Schwartz, Barnett, Pvt., 51283 Imperial Camel Corps Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Kate Schwartz (parents), Abraham, Esther, Leah, Nathan, Samuel, and Sarah (brothers and sisters) 289 Oxford St., Stepney, London, E Born Mile End, London, 1894 Jerusalem Memorial, Jerusalem, Israel – Panel 7 The Jewish Chronicle 3/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 117; photo section 26
An American Jew in the Royal Flying Corps
Arnheim, Samuel Walter, Cadet, 152812 Royal Flying Corps Killed in flying accident at School of Aerial Gunnery, Camp Hicks, Texas, United States Enlisted in Royal Flying Corps in July of 1917; sent to Texas as flying instructor. Graduate of Yale University Mr. and Mrs. Marks and Fannie (Frances?) (Lewald) Arnheim (parents), 246 West End Ave., New York, N.Y., United States Mrs. Milton F. Untermeyer (sister) Born New York, N.Y., 4/21/89 Jesherun New Burial Ground (Beth Shalom Fields?), Brooklyn, N.Y. – Plot 670, B; Buried 3/26/18 (Services led by Reverend Dr. Stephen S. Wise) Occupation: Manufacturer of Clothing, US Army & Navy Officers’ Uniforms The Jewish Chronicle 6/7/18 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 5/3/18, 3/21/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed The Daily Standard Union (Brooklyn) – 3/22/18 The Independent Republican – 4/5/18 New York Herald – 3/22/18, 3/26/18 New York Tribune – 7/9/17, 3/26/18
Wounded in Action
Waxman, Samuel, Pvt., 5905 Australian Imperial Forces, 24th Battalion Mr. Lazar Waxman (father), Warsaw, Poland Also Rothdown St., Carlton, Victoria, Australia Born Warsaw, Poland, 1896 Attestation Papers list civilian trade as “Salesman” British Jewry Book of Honour – 565
This statement of August 7, 1916, by the Consulate of Imperial Russia, in Melbourne, communicates Samuel Waxman’s obligation to serve in the Australian Expeditionary Forces in lieu of his inability to serve in the Russian army.
________________________________________
________________________________________
Germany
Imperial German Army – Deutsches Heer
German Tactics For 1918 Spring Offensive – THE GREAT WAR Special, at The Great War (March 12, 2018)
Kaiserschlacht – German Spring Offensive 1918 – THE GREAT WAR Week 191, at The Great War (March 22, 2018)
Operation Michael Runs Out Of Breath – THE GREAT WAR Week 193, at The Great War (April 5, 2018)
______________________________
.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
May his soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life.
Bachrach, Leopold, Soldat / Kanonier Fussartillerie Bataillon 90, 2nd Kompagnie Born 11/15/99, in Muhlhausen Resided in Muhlhausen (Thur.) Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Block 3, Grab 704 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 289
____________________
Bauer, Julius, Leutnant Infanterie Regiment 185, 1st Battalion, 2nd Kompagnie Born 1/7/83, in Frankenthal Resided in Mannheim Kriegsgräberstätte in Rancourt (Frankreich), Block 3, Grab 697 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 281
____________________
Benger, Samuel, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 184, 2nd Battalion, 7th Kompagnie Born 1/20/96, in Tworog Resided in Breslau Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 177
____________________
Berdass, Artur, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 242, 1st Battalion, 2nd Kompagnie Born 4/23/92, in Trebnitz Resided in Chemnitz Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 188
____________________
Bernstein, Harry, Vizefeldwebel Infanterie Regiment 92, 3rd Bataillon, 9th Kompagnie Born 2/22/96, in Altenburg Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 16, Grab 1264 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 132
____________________
Blumenthal, Walter, Unteroffizier Fusilier Regiment 39, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Bor 8/8/91, in Hamm Resided in Hamm Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Block 6, Grab 212 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 236
____________________
Bud, Rudolf, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 77, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 3/24/93, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 134
____________________
Cahn, Michael, Soldat / Grenadier Garde Reserve Regiment 1, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 8/30/87, in Mainz Resided in Hamburg Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 17, Grab 1110 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 370
____________________
Fabisch, Georg, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 25, 2nd Battalion, 8th Kompagnie Born 2/11/90, in Tangermunde Resided in Tangermunde Kriegsgräberstätte in Maissemy (Frankreich), Block 5, Grab 1656 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 345
____________________
Feibel, Sally, Soldat / Jäger Reserve Jäger Bataillon 2, 1st Kompagnie Born 6/20/94, in Gr. Lichtenau Resided in Danzig Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 8, Grab 481 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 191
____________________
Forsch, Richard, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 60, 2nd Battalion, 5th Kompagnie Born 11/24/97, in Teschenmoschel Resided in Teschenmoschel Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 346
____________________
Frankel, Hugo, Soldat Infanterie Division XXXIV, Sturm Kompagnie Missing Born 5/10/95, in Barnsdorf Resided in Barnsdorf Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 127
____________________
Frankenthal, Sally, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 453, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 7/8/91, in Altenlotheim Resided in Altenlotheim Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 122
____________________
Glaser, Ernst, Soldat / Reservist Reserve Infanterie Regiment 233, 3rd Battalion, 12th Kompagnie Born 4/17/90, in Lubzin / Pom. Resided in Stettin Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 21, Grab 695 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 340
____________________
Guggenheim, Erwin, Vize-Wachtmeister Feldartillerie Regiment 14, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 12/9/94, in Gailingen Resided in Gailingen Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 221
____________________
Haarburger, Hans, Soldat / Jäger Jäger Bataillon 9, 4th Kompagnie Born 9/22/97, in Hamburg Resided in Hamburg Kriegsgräberstätte in Viry-Noureuil (Frankreich), Block 5, Grab 135 GVDK says 3/26/18 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 371
____________________
Hammerstein, Wilhelm, Soldat Fusilier Regiment 73, 3rd Battalion, 10th Kompagnie Born 3/15/88, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 141
____________________
Heilbrunn, Erich, Leutnant, Eiserne Kreuz 2 Klasse, Entschliessung des Konigs Ludwig von Bayern (Iron Cross 2nd Class, Resolution of King Ludwig of Bavaria) Bayerisch Infanterie Regiment 10, 2nd Battalion, 8th Kompagnie Born 7/22/90, in Nordhausen Resided in Nurnberg Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St. Vaast (Frankreich), Block 11, Grab 707 Freudenthal, p. 83-84 Ingolstädter Gesichter: 750 Jahre Juden in Ingolstadt – 257 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 305
Though the photographer’s full identity is not listed, this image of Leutnant Erich Heilbrunn’s matzeva in Neuville-St. Vaast appears in this image by “Simon“, from “Webmatters – Visiting Battlefields of the First World War”.
____________________
Itzig, Franz, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 132, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 1/2/96, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 144
____________________
Koppel, Franz, Leutnant Landwehr Infanterie Regiment 150, 3rd Battalion, 10th Kompagnie Born 6/4/87, in Hamburg Resided in Hamburg “Koppel, Franz has not yet been transferred to a military cemetery set up by the Volksbund or could not be recovered as part of our reburial work. According to the information available to us, his grave is currently still in the following location: not recorded”
[Koppel, Franz wurde noch nicht auf einen vom Volksbund errichteten Soldatenfriedhof überführt oder konnte im Rahmen unserer Umbettungsarbeiten nicht geborgen werden. Nach den uns vorliegenden Informationen befindet sich sein Grab derzeit noch an folgendem Ort: nicht verzeichnet.] Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 372
____________________
Korbchen, Hans, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 262, , Maschinen-Gewehr Kompagnie 3 Born 4/20/93, in Geldern Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 147
____________________
Lachmann, David, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 232, 2nd Battalion, 8th Kompagnie Born 2/20/84, in Grabow Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 147
____________________
Laumann, David, Gefreiter Infanterie Regiment 150, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnier Born 3/1/88, in Dollstaedt Resided in Pr. Eylau Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 317
____________________
Levy, Joseph Isaac, Sanitats Gefreiter Fussartillerie Regiment 90, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 2/6/98, in Hamburg Resided in Altona Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 18, Grab 1154 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 123
____________________
Lewin, Michaelis, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 79, 3rd Battalion, 12th Kompagnie Born 6/25/91, in Posen, Thuringia Resided in Posen “No burial report could be found for the dead man in the available documents. However, since the French graves service carried out reburials from the surrounding places to collective cemeteries in the 1920s, he could have been buried as an “unknown” in the comrade’s grave at the war cemetery in Neuville-St.Vaast (France) prepared by the Volksbund.” [Für den Toten konnte in den vorliegenden Unterlagen keine Grabmeldung ermittelt werden. Da der französische Gräberdienst jedoch in den 20er Jahren Umbettungen aus den umliegenden Orten jeweils auf Sammelfriedhöfe durchführte, könnte er auf der vom Volksbund hergerichteten Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich) als “Unbekannter” im Kameradengrab bestattet worden sein.]
Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 382
____________________
Lewysohn, Jakob Jaques, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 60, 1st Battalion, 2nd Kompagnie Born 6/30/76, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 150
____________________
Lichtenstein, Leo, Offizier Stellvertreter Infanterie Regiment 426, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie Born 1/17/83, in Danzig Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Block 8, Grab 365 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 151
____________________
Liffmann, Hugo, Unteroffizier Infanterie Regiment 49, 3rd Bataillon, 9th Kompagnie Born 2/27/90, in Odenkirchen Resided in Munchen-Gladbach Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 294
____________________
Lindenheim, Bruno, Unteroffizier Feldartillerie Regiment 76, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 8/22/97, in Mannheim Resided in Mannheim Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 15, Grab 378 GVDK says 3/22/18 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 282
____________________
Maier, Ernst, Gefreiter Reserve Fussartillerie Regiment 3, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 10/1/95, in Frankfurt am Main Resided in Frankfurt am Main Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – Nachtrag (Addendum) 2 – 427
____________________
Michels, Josef Georg, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 230, 3rd Bataillon, 9th Kompagnie Born 4/3/84, in Korlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 154
____________________
Moritz, Edwin, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 459, 2nd Battalion, 8th Kompagnie Born 11/4/97, in Langenselbold Resided in Langenselbold Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 270
____________________
Moses, Hugo, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 184, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnie Born 10/2/98, in Gr. Strehlitz Resided in Munster (Westf.) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 294
____________________
Nassauer, Salli, Soldat Feldartillerie Regiment 10, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 7/31/89, in Wehen Resided in Hamm.-Munden Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 238
____________________
Nathan, Simon, Soldat / Landsturmmann Reserve Infanterie Regiment 219, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie Born 10/16/77, in Czarnikau Resided in Castrop Kriegsgräberstätte in Viry-Noureuil (Frankreich), Block 5, Grab 81 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 188
____________________
Neumann, Max, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 233, , Maschinen-Gewehr Kompagnie 3 Born 11/24/98, in Leipzig-Reudnitz Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 156
____________________
Oppenheimer, Hermann, Soldat Bayerisch Infanterie Regiment 10, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie At St. Leger Born 7/3/93, in Treuchtlingen Resided in Treuchtlingen Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Laurent-Blangy (Frankreich), Kameradengrab Ingolstädter Gesichter: 750 Jahre Juden in Ingolstadt – 257 (lists date as 8/21/18) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 349
____________________
Ottenheimer, Max, Soldat Garde Reserve Regiment 1, 3rd Battalion, 10th Kompagnie Born 4/17/97, in Gemmingen Resided in Gemmingen Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 224
____________________
Parieser, Hermann, Soldat / Musketier Reserve Infanterie Regiment 38, 3rd Battalion, 12th Kompagnie Born 10/4/97, in Russ (Krs. Heydekrug) Resided in Konigsberg (Pr.) Kriegsgräberstätte in Billy-Berclau (Frankreich), Block 4, Grab 46 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 264
____________________
Phillippsohn, Oscar, Gefreiter Infanterie Regiment 162, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 7/31/96, in Hamburg Resided in Hamburg Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 374
____________________
Reiss, Norbert, Unteroffizier Bayerisch Infanterie Regiment 24, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 1/26/78, in Oberwaldbehrungen Resided in Neustadt (Saale) Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Kameradengrab Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 299
____________________
Rosenbusch, Berthold, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 453, 2nd Battalion, 7th Kompagnie Born 5/29/97, in Grunsfeld Resided in Grunsfeld (i. Baden) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 232
____________________
Rothenberg, Max, Soldat Fussartillerie Bataillon 158, 2nd Kompagnie Born 2/19/90, in Schlochau Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 159
____________________
Salinger, Siegfried Fritz, Vizefeldwebel Lehr Infanterie Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 10th Kompagnie Born 12/16/94, in Marienburg Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 19, Grab 836 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 160
____________________
Schonfeld, Hans, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 453, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnie Born 11/24/92, in Sangerhausen Resided in Koblenz Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 259
____________________
Seligmann, Jakob, Soldat, Musketier Infanterie Regiment 147, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 6/2/98, in Emden Resided in Emden (Ostfr.) Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Block 13, Grab 149 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 203
____________________
Simon, Siegfried, Soldat, Pionier Pionier Kompagnie 100 Born 7/5/95, in Hamburg Resided in Hamburg Kriegsgräberstätte in St.Quentin (Frankreich), Block 6, Grab 77 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 375
____________________
Sprinz, Otto, Assistant Arzt Bayerische Ersatz Infanterie Regiment 3, 2 Bataillon, Stab Kompagnie Born 12/21/91, in Burghaslach Resided in Wurzburg Kriegsgräberstätte in Maissemy (Frankreich), Kameradengrab; bei Nauroy Ingolstädter Gesichter: 750 Jahre Juden in Ingolstadt – 258 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 364
____________________
Weigert, Hans, Soldat, Kanonier Fussartillerie Bataillon 50, 3rd Kompagnie Born 5/11/99, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Maissemy (Frankreich), Block 1, Grab 871 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 165
____________________
Wertheim, Eugen, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 117, 2nd Battalion, 7th Kompagnie Born 5/2/86, in Offenbach Resided in Offenbach (Main) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 310
____________________
Wittstock, Erich, Gefreiter Born 2/8/97, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 13, Grab 394 JGD lists rank as “Soldat”; Rank here from Volksbund.de. Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – Anhang (Appendix) – 400
____________________
Wolf, Julius, Gefreiter Garde Regiment 123, 2nd Battalion, 5th Kompagnie Born 5/5/82, in Sennfeld Resided in Heilbronn Kriegsgräberstätte in Maissemy (Frankreich), Block 1, Grab 2159 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 241
References
Books (…Author Listed…)
Adler, Michael, and Freeman, Max R.G., British Jewry Book of Honour, Caxton Publishing Company, London, England, 1922 (Republished in 2006 by Naval & Military Press, Uckfield, East Sussex)
Cohen, Joseph, Journey to the Trenches – The Life of Isaac Rosenberg, 1890-1918, Basic Books, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1975
A Book (…No Specific Author…) …
Die Jüdischen Gefallenen Des Deutschen Heeres, Deutschen Marine Und Der Deutschen Schutztruppen 1914-1918 – Ein Gedenkbuch, Reichsbund Jüdischer Frontsoldaten, Forward by Dr. Leo Löwenstein, Berlin, Germany, 1932
Some years ago, in very much “another life”, I worked for a firm specializing in the indexing and abstracting of the contents of academic journals. Time passed. Then, I received a promotion to a newly created position, where I was tasked with editing a product providing bibliometric information for academic journals in the sciences and humanities.
I initially (- initially -) assumed that I’d be charged with responsibilities as novel as they were complex, and, be involved with interactions with customers and co-workers that – even if sometimes naturally challenging – would be a source of accomplishment. Well, that was true, but it turned out to be only partially the case. “Things” were different – far, far (did I say “far”?!) different – than what I’d assumed prior to accepting the position.
Suffice to say (but it really doesn’t suffice!) that, consistent with the nature of cubicle land, what I imagined would’ve been a steppingstone to greater levels of accomplishment turned out to be the ironic and complete opposite: Rather than being plunged into the stereotypical challenge of contending with an overwhelming, near-impossible-to-complete workload, for many months I encountered the complete opposite: I had very little to do. Sometimes, I had nothing to do.
In retrospect, my sojourn in bibliometric-world could’ve (could still?) provided raw material for cartoons in The New Yorker, episodes of The Office, or, the Amazon Prime animated series Laugh Along With Franz! (As in Kafka.)
So, I was showered with a myriad of lemons. (Paraphrasing the overused expression.)
And what do you do when you have little or nothing to do? I made lemonade. Allegorical lemonade, that is. (As goes the overused expression.)
It was starting at roughly the same time – the early 2000s – that historical information in government repositories, heretofore previously accessible only through “on site” visits or direct correspondence with archivists, was becoming freely available in digitized form through the Internet.
And so, one quiet morning, I discovered the website of the American Battle Monuments Commission. And so, one sluggish afternoon, I discovered the website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). And so, one empty day, I came upon an idea: I’d use these and other websites to identify and obtain biographical information and historical records about Jewish servicemen who served in the Second World War, and, access information about other topics, most (but not all) in the realm of military history. The result years later has been the many posts – more to come! – “here”, at TheyWereSoldiers.
Though at that time I wasn’t focused on Jewish military service in World War One, I thought – in a perfunctory sort of way, simply because the information was “there” and immediately accessible – it’d be worthwhile to obtain records about Jewish soldiers who served in that war, as well. I had the vague idea that some day, somehow, I’d do something with this information, far beyond simply acquiring it.
Time passed. I decided to assemble these records and create a record of Jewish servicemen in the Allied forces in Great War, focusing on men who were casualties (killed, wounded, and missing), prisoners of war, or those who – whether casualties or not – were involved in incidents or actions that could be tied to a specific calendar date, in terms of awards and honors for military service. Having already done this for French Jewish Soldiers, German Jewish soldiers, and Italian Jewish soldiers, this entailed a focus on Jews in the armed forces of the British Commonwealth and the United States, the subject of blog posts here and here.
The primary source of information I used in this research was The Jewish Chronicle, which was accessed as 35mm microfilm (remember microfilm?) at the New York Public Library, where it was reviewed at the Library’s Dorot Jewish Division, and, in the Library’s Milstein Microform Reading Room, using mechanical (remember mechanical?) microfilm viewing machines (remember machines?!), by which I made a myriad of paper (remember paper!?) photocopies of casualty lists, news articles, editorials, letters, and some items completely unrelated to the war. In this, I reviewed all issues of the Chronicle published from early August, 1914 through mid-1919, by which late date very brief casualty lists … actually, nominal confirmation of soldiers’ killed in action status … on rare occasion appeared in that newspaper.
The Former World: The New York Public Library, 12:30 P.M., Friday, August 26, in the year 2011.
____________________
Then, I correlated the names of soldiers listed as killed or missing, in the casualty lists carried in the Chronicle, to records in the CWGC database. These names were in turn matched to names in the British Jewry Book of Honour, the Australian Jewry Book of Honour (also accessed at the Dorot Jewish Section – their copy’s holding up pretty well, considering that in 2023 it’s a century years old!), The Sky Their Battlefield, Serving Their Country – Wartime Memories of Scottish Jews, and, other references, the ultimate goal being to tie together this information as much as possible.
____________________
Here’s the title page of Dorot’s copy of the Australian Jewry Book of Honour. Fraying around the edges, bull still intact.
____________________
If this resulting assemblage of information can be viewed as comprising as database, then the “primary key” consists of multiple data fields: a serviceman’s surname, his given name, his serial number, and (where relevant) the calendar date on which an incident occurred.
The result? Many names; many calendar dates; many serial numbers; numerous military honours; a plethora of bravery; an incalculable degree of sadness and tragedy; a continuous sense of irony.
This process wasn’t straightforward; quite the contrary.
It’s my understanding that Chronicle’s Casualty Lists, which present an adventure in ambiguity (albeit ambiguity that can be solved with effort) are based on information provided to the newspaper by Reverend Michael Adler, about whom you can read more at the Jewish Museum of London, and (naturally) Wikipedia.
Simply put, the content of the Chronicle’s lists is simple: Whether a soldier was killed, wounded, missing, a POW, or only temporarily missing, they merely comprise a soldier’s surname, the first initial (and only that letter!) of his given name, his rank, and, the name of his Regiment. Absolutely no other information appears, though commencing with the issue of July 27, 1917, the Chronicle did include a soldier’s serial number. (Did British officers have serial numbers? I don’t know. It doesn’t seem that way.)
The time lag between the appearance of a soldier’s name in the Chronicle, versus the calendar date on which he became actually became casualty, shows enormous variation. The names of some soldiers appeared in the newspaper as little as two weeks after they became casualties, while for others, months, a year, or more would transpire until the appearance of their names.
This limited amount of information sometimes made correlating a soldier’s name to CWGC records challenging, obviously a moot point for soldiers who were wounded and survived the war, for whom by definition there are no CWGC records.
In any event, the presentation of names in the Chronicle provides an interesting contrast with casualty information as available in the American news media, an example of which – published in The New York Times on November 18, 1918 – is shown below.
Note that a soldier’s full name, rank, degree of casualty status, next of kin, and residential address are fully given, or, made nominally available. However, unlike British Commonwealth soldiers, the serviceman’s serial number and military organization are not listed. Also, note that the casualty list as published in the Times encompasses the entire United States, probably because of the newspaper’s scope, prominence, and (not just physical) “size”. Though during the Second World War editors and publishers of newspapers were instructed by the War Department to limit publication of casualty information to include only casualties who resided in the immediate geographic area of a newspaper’s coverage, this seems not to have been so – for the American media – during the Great War.
(Not that I activelyor actually read the Times. I haven’t done so in years. I just use it as a source historical information.)
And so, my “list” of WW I Commonwealth Jewish soldiers is largely done.
_____
Well. There are days in the history of men and nations that have particular historical significance, whether in terms of war and conflict, demographic and economic impact, cultural and social impact and legacy, the mood of a nation and people – whether of optimism or pessimism; ultimately, expressing the spirit and mood of an age. Such a day was the 1st of July in the year 1916, which marked the opening day of the Battle of the Somme (or, the “Somme Offensive”) during which the British Army suffered, “57,470 casualties … including 19,240 killed … the worst in the history of the British Army.” (From Wikipedia; see sources in list of references.)
As a symbol and example of the military service of British Jewish soldiers in the Great War, and, the significance of the Somme Offensive in general, the names and biographical information for the British Jewish soldiers fallen on July 1, 1916 (forty that I know of) are listed below. Also shown are scans of photocopies of relevant casualty lists.
One of the forty men, Rifleman Aubrey Fraser, wounded and captured on the first day of the offensive, died eight days later in the Cologne Military Hospital, Germany. Another soldier, Sergeant Leonard Nathan, severely wounded and captured, is listed as well. Born in 1888, he died at the age of 73 in 1961. He received the Military Medal.
Of the forty men, six were officers, reflective of the extremely high toll of British officers during the offensive.
Twenty-one of the forty men have no known graves, and are commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial.
Three of the forty were wounded prior to the opening day of the Somme Offensive. They were:
Rifleman Harry Goldstein – Wounded in February, 2015 Private Morris Althansen – Wounded in April, 2015 Corporal Ernest Isaac Ramus – Wounded in December of 1914, and, February of 1915
Five of the forty appear not to have been listed in the British Jewry Book of Honour. They are:
Rifleman Harry Goldstein (same man as above) Rifleman Harold W. Marsh Private Charles Rittenberg Private David Rosenbloom Rifleman Moses Schwartzburg
Among the many families that lost multiple sons during the Great War was that of Samuel and Sarah Gerber of Manchester, whose son L/Cpl. Eli Gerber was lost during the first day on the Somme. Only a little over a month earlier, on May 26 or 27, Eli’s brother “Solomon” (actually, Joe Solomon), serial 3266, a Private in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (1st/8th Battalion, D Company), was killed in action. He rests at the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, in Pas de Calais, France. The Gerbers were survived by seven other children: Ada, Dora, Esther, Hyman, Gertie, Jacob, and Jane.
Where available in the British Jewry Book of Honour, my list is accompanied by photographic portraits of soldiers.
But, there’s more…
The list is followed by the names of thirty-two other Jewish soldiers fallen on the same day, two in the French Army – the Armée de Terre – and thirty in the Imperial German Army – the Deutsches Heer.I have no idea if any of the German soldiers men fell in combat with British forces during the Somme Offensive. Well, given this number of men, I would suppose some did.
To better describe the historical context of this day, I’ve included links to numerous videos, while my bibliography lists a variety of websites.
_________________________
_________________________
Well, in the lives of nations as much as individual men, irony abounds.
On a major note, the first day of the Somme Offensive, the first day of July in the year 1916, was the 30th day of the month Sivan in the year 5676. That day was Saturday.
That day was Shabbat.
On a minor note, I commenced work on this post, and several other similarly-themed other posts about Jewish military casualties during the Great War (on the opening day of the German Offensive of March 21, 1918; among soldiers in the United States Army on Armistice Day, November 11, 1918; illustrating photographs of WW I soldiers from the state of Pennsylvania, and more) on the morning of February 24, 2022. I hope this doesn’t turn out to have been a case of synchronicity.
Whether in July of 1914, or the year 2023, knowledge of the future is unavailable to men. In this, there is ironic comfort. In this, there will always be the unexpected.
So, in the spirit of the old proverb (supposedly Turkish in origin, but probably universal in concept), “Measure a thousand times, and cut once.”
Is the past calling the future back?
_________________________
_________________________
From the Routledge Atlas of the First World War, this general diagram of the Somme battlefield shows the successive locations of the German front line from the commencement of the offensive in July, through late November.
This accompanying map from the Routledge Atlas provides an example of the layout and relative location of British and German trenches on the Somme. Interestingly, the Atlas’ editors have depicted trench systems located in the far northwest corner of the battlefield – which appears in the very upper left-hand corner of the above map – rather than the “center” (as it were) of the battlefield, near Montauban, Maurepas, or Longueval.
____________________
Videos
What Most People Get Wrong About the Battle of the Somme (Alan Wakefield), at Imperial War Museum (June 23, 2021)
____________________
How Many Died During The First Day Of The Somme?, at Timeline – World history Documentaries (July 10, 2021)
__________
England
There are many striking photographs of British soldiers during the Battle of the Somme, whether in preparation for the offensive, advancing towards German trenches, or after combat, with the latter category particularly including images that are evocative and haunting. However, the picture below, taken by Lieutenant Ernest Brooks and entitled “British sentry going up to his post near Beaumont Hamel. July 1916,” is especially notable – in photographic terms, that is! – in clarity, composition, and contrast. The picture really shines on levels symbolic and emotional, because of the soldier’s anonymity (his position, posture, and, backlighting by the sun, combine to make him unrecognizable), and, on a visual level at least (certainly other soldiers would have been nearby, but they don’t appear in the image), his solitude.
Though the photo in its original form is Imperial War Museum Photo Q 729, the colorized version of the image shown here, from WarHistoryOnLine, is by Marina Amaral.
_____
Casualty List published in The Jewish Chronicle on July 14, 1916
Killed: William Berson (see more below), Jack Cohen, Michael I. Freeman
Missing: Eli Gerber, Joseph Josephs, Wilfrid A. Kohn
News item about Raymond Litten; see more below…
__________
Casualty List published in The Jewish Chronicle on July 21, 1916
Killed: Michael G. Klean
Missing: Barnet Griew, Harold W. Marsh, Joseph D. Wiener, Aubrey Fraser (about whom see news item below…)
__________
Casualty List published in The Jewish Chronicle on July 28, 1916
Killed: Percival (“Percy”) Braham, Abraham Hansell, Harry Zodickson, and Aubrey Fraser (about whom see news item below…)
Missing: Joseph Tobias
__________
Casuyalty List published in The Jewish Chronicle on August 11, 1916
Killed: John Cohen, Lewis Levy
News item about Leonard Nathan; see more below…
__________
________________________________________
________________________________________
The Fallen
Saturday, July 1, 1916 – Shabbat, 30 Sivan, 5676
.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
May his soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life.
Killed in Action or Died of Wounds
Abrahams, Stanley, Rifleman, 2278 (British Jewry Book of Honour lists serial as 2268) London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), 1st/6th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Caroline Abrahams (parents), Donald (brother), 1 Riffel House, Riffel Road, Cricklewood, London, NW Born Willesden, London, 1889 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 13C The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/14/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 77, 461
____________________
Althansen, Morris, Pvt., 3629 King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 1st Battalion, D Company (Wounded previously; gassed ~ 4/21/15) Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Millie (“Milly”) (Tropp) Althansen (parents), 47 Tower St., Mare St., Hackney, London Also 28 Darnley Road, Hackney, London, NE Born St. Georges in the East, Middlesex, London, 1896 Occupation: Laborer Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 5D and 12B The Jewish Chronicle 5/21/15, 7/28/16, 3/2/17 (TJC 5/21/15 lists name as “Althausen, M.”, and status as wounded (“gas poisoning”), TJC 7/28/16 lists name as “Althusen, M.” and status as wounded, TJC 3/2/17 lists name as “Althusen, M.” and status as missing) British Jewry Book of Honour – 77, 239; photo section 116, 151
The below correspondence, concerning an inquiry about Pvt. Althansen’s well-being by B.N. Michelson of the United Synagogue, on behalf of the soldier’s mother Millie, was found at Ancestry.com, within “UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920”.
United Synagogue SAILROR’S AND SOLDIER’S DEPENDENTS COMMITTEE Beth Hamedrash and Jewish Institute
Dear Sir
Re Pte M. Althansen 3629 M.G.S. 1st King’s Own
May I enquire on behalf of Mrs Althansen, 52 Devonshire Rd. whether anything is known of her son above. She has not heard from some considerable time.
Yours faithfully B.N. Michelson
__________
52 Devonshire Rd. Hackney, N.E. 2/8/16
R.L. 3629
Sir
The Rev B.N. Michelson kindly wrote for the enquirant as to my son’s state of health on the 27th ult. You sent A.F.B. 104-85 numbered to above in answer. I have since received letters which I addressed to my son. The envelopes of which I am sending you herewith. I should be glad if you can give me any further information & where I may now address him.
Yours faithfully, Milly Althansen
This portrait of Pvt. Althansen appears in the photographic section of the British Jewry Book of Honour. Though the image as published in the book is diminutive in size (quite typical of other portraits in the monograph) it’s nonetheless of excellent quality.
____________________
Berson, William, Pvt., 18156 Essex Regiment, 13th Battalion, D Company Mr. and Mrs. Myer and Rachel Berson (parents), Albert, Annie, Bernard, Eva, Lizzie, and Mathew (brothers and sisters) 77 North Street, Leeds Born Yorkshire, Leeds, 1885 Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, Pas de Calais, France – II,C,15 The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16, 7/21/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 80, 337; photo section 308
This image of Pvt. Berson’s matzeva is by FindAGrave contributor M.H. Barksdale.
On July 21, twenty days after Pvt. Berson’s death, the following tribute and news item about the soldier appeared in The Jewish Chronicle:
With reference to the death of Private A. Berson, who, as reported in our issue of the 14th inst., has been killed in action, Mr. T. Gerald Morton, the manager, at the performance on Friday at the Stratford Empire, read to the audience the following letter, which had been received from the Captain of a Company of the Essex Regiment: –
I should like to stand on the stage of the Stratford Empire and tell the people of it. Pte. Berson joined up at Stratford as anyone else, just one of the crowd. In civilian life I believe he was assistant manager at the Empire. As an infantryman in our ‘D’ Company he was a nuisance; he could not soldier somehow. He was far too sensible, too much of a gentleman to commit crime, but it was just that ‘something’ which prevented him becoming a smart soldier. When he was attached to a Trench Mortar Battery we felt somewhat relieved. He took a fancy to his new work and an interest in it – the change suited him. The night of our little ‘show’ his Battery Commander called for a volunteer. Berson was the first, arguing that as his regiment was going over the top he wished to be in it, and thought it only right that he should! He was ordered to work his gun for a certain time at ‘A,’ then move to position ‘B’. He did work his gun; he moved – but when they found him it was as a corpse, the gun in his arms, and his body covering it. His was the last body I visited to identity, and as I looked at his poor dear face and reviewed his association with ‘D’ Company, I thanked God for the example of courage and devotion to duty of the Jew.
____________________
Braham, Percival (“Percy”), Pvt., 21941 The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 20th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Sampson (1868-6/17/37) and Annie / Hannah (Neiman) (1868-4/5/20) Braham (parents) Ida, May, and Sydney (1905-3/58) (sisters and brother) 31 Madeline St., Liverpool, England Born Toxteth Park, Lancashire, 10/98 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 1D, 8B, and 8C The Jewish Chronicle 7/28/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 82, 286
Private Braham’s mother Annie’s matzeva, as seen in this Ancestry.com image from David Wilson, includes a tribute to her son, who – like so many men killed in this battle; so very many men killed during the Great War – has no grave.
Also In Affectionate Remembrance OF HER SON PERCY, WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION 1ST JULY 1916 AGED 17 YEARS.
____________________
Cohen, Benjamin, Pvt., 26196 Manchester Regiment, 21st Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Reuben and Yetta Cohen (parents), Bella, Jacob, and Miriam (sisters and brother) 146 Broughton St., Cheetham, Manchester Born Manchester, Lancashire, 1898 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 13A and 14C British Jewry Book of Honour – 83, 364
____________________
Cohen, Jack, Pvt., 17176 The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), 18th Battalion, D Company Mr. Simon Cohen (father), 109 Paddington, Liverpool Born Middlesex, London, 1894 Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France – VIII,U,7 The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Memorial notices) 9/1/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 84, 287
The image of Pvt. Cohen’s tombstone is by FindAGrave contributor Richard Andrew Roberts.
____________________
Cohen, John, Rifleman, 5467 Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion Mrs. Annie Cohen (mother) Isaac, Rebecca, Reuben, and Solomon (brothers and sister), 86 Boundary St., Shoreditch, NE, London Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 16B and 16C The Jewish Chronicle 8/11/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 84,382
____________________
Davis, Harry, Company Sergeant Major, 4827 East Yorkshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Mrs. Kate Davis (wife) (died 5/6/08), Lilian Madeline Davis (daughter) (born 7/20/07) Esther Elizabeth Benjamin (guardian), 6 St. Gabriel’s Place, Cricklewood, London Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Kate Davis (parents), S.M. Benjamin and Lillie Davis (sisters), 12 Soho St., Soho Square, London, NW Also 6 St. Gabriel Road, London, NW Born 1877 Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, Somme, France – X,B,5 The Jewish Chronicle 8/25/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 8/11/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 83, 302
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: Far from home he is laid to rest – What God ordains is for the best
Freeman, Michael Isaac, Pvt., 15579 Highland Light Infantry, 17th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Simon (1847-1907) and Rhoda Yetta (Summ) (1854-1937) Freeman (parents) Alexander, Eli (Ellis), Harry, Joseph, and Louis C. (brothers) 51 (or # 7 ?) Avoca St., Belfast, Ireland Born Latvia, 1881 Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France – II,B,7 The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 6/27/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 90, 375; photo section 164
____________________
Gerber, Eli, L/Cpl., 18620 Lancashire Fusiliers, 19th Battalion, D Company Mr. and Mrs. Samuel (1861-1919) and Sarah (3/16/68-1/43) Gerber (parents) Pvt. Joe Solomon Gerber (brother), Ada, Dora, Esther, Hyman, Gertie, Jacob, and Jane Gerber (sisters and brothers) 16 Whitfield St., Cheetham, Manchester Born Prestwich, 4/91 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 3C and 3D The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16, 2/15/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 91, 308; photo section 244
FindAGrave contributor Bob the Greenacre Cat took this photo of the matzeva of Samuel Gerber, L/Cpl. Gerber’s father. The English-language text engraved on the lower part of the matzeva appears below the photo…
In Loving Memory of SAMUEL GERBER WHO DIED NOV 16TH1919 AGED 60 YEARS DEEPLY MOURNED BY HIS SORROWING WIFE & CHILDREN ALSO L CPL ELI GERBER KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE JULY 1ST 1916 AGED 25 YEARS ALSO PTE SOLOMON GERBER DIED OF WOUNDS IN FRANCE MAY 26TH 1916 AGED 24 YEARS
A member of D Company, 1st/18th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Pvt. Joe Solomon Gerber (3266), born in 1894, is buried at the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France (I,C,39). His name appeared in a casualty list published in The Jewish Chronicle on June 23, 1916, and can be found on pages 91 and 379 of the British Jewry Book of Honour. Though his father’s matzeva lists his date of death as May 26, 1916, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists the date as May 27.
As can be seen above, Samuel died just over one year after the war’s end.
____________________
Gilbert, Sidney, L/Cpl., 4421 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 2nd Battalion Mrs. Annie Gilbert (mother), Pvt. Louis Gilbert (serial 3596) (brother), 7 High St., Stepney, E, London / 46 Crispin St., Spitalfields, London Also 21 Hawking St., London, E Gommecourt British Cemetery No. 2, Hebuterne, Pas de Calais, France – III,G,3 The Jewish Chronicle 8/4/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 91, 469; photo section 262
____________________
Goldstein, Harry, Pvt., 5107 Rifle Brigade, 2nd Battalion (Wounded in Action previously; approximately 2/19/15) Mr. and Mrs. John B. and Helen Poke (uncle and aunt) Born Spitalfields, Middlesex Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 16B and 16C The Jewish Chronicle 3/19/15 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Gordon, Myer, Rifleman, 301364 (serial also 2520) London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lazarus and Judith Gordon (parents), 16 Marine Ave., Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex Albert, Cecil, Francis, Minnie, and Moss (brothers and sisters), 186 Dalston Lane, London, NE Born Shoreditch, London, 1897 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9D The Jewish Chronicle 2/22/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 93, 469
Myer Gordon’s name appears in “UK, Naturalisation Certificates and Declarations, 1870-1916” at Ancestry.com, where (at the age of four months, on June 22, 1898), it was recorded by his father, Abraham Lazarus, along with the names of his brothers Albert and Moses (“Moss”?), and sister Minnie (“Minna”).
____________________
Griew, Barnet, Rifleman, 300863 (serial also listed as #1398) London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Solomon and Rebecca Griew (parents) (surname was originally “Grenvitsky” or “Grewvitsky”) Alice, David, Fanny, Harry, Joseph, and Maurice (sisters and brothers) 171 Amherst Road, London, N Born St. John at Hackney, London, 1897 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9D The Jewish Chronicle 7/21/16, 2/22/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 94, 469
An excellent portrait of Rifleman Griew, by FindAGrave Contributor Nancy Wright.
____________________
Hansell, Abraham, Pvt., 9444 Manchester Regiment, 17th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Mark (1864-6/29) and Paulina (born 1866) Hansell (parents) Esther and Joseph (sister and brother), Fanny, Jacob, and Rachel (half-sisters and half-brother) 27 Brunswick St., Cheetham, Manchester Born Manchester, Lancashire, 1895 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 13A and 14C The Jewish Chronicle 7/28/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 94,365
____________________
Hart, Cecil Lyon, Captain Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), 3rd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Moss Alexander and Marguerite Hart (parents), Reni Victoria and Netta Adelaide Hart (sisters) 12 Alexandra Mansions, London, NW Born Kimberly, South Africa, 1889 Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamp, Somme, France – I,H,10 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/7/16, 7/5/18, 7/4/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 71, 176; photo section 362
Like the above portrait of Pvt. Althansen, this image of Capt. Hart is also from the British Jewry Book of Honour.
This image of Capt. Hart’s matzeva, which also appears in the British Jewry Book of Honour (albeit there of lesser photographic quality than “this” web image) is from Capt. Hart’s biographical profile at British Jews in the First World War.
____________________
Hart, Samuel, Rifleman, 300116 (serial previously #9521) London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel and Matilda Hart (parents), Elizabeth Marion, Joseph, Myer, and Rebecca (sisters and brothers) 19 Anson Road, Cricklewood, London, NW2 Born Hackney, London, 1895 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9D British Jewry Book of Honour – 95, 471; photo section 293
Also in the British Jewry Book of Honour is this portrait of Rifleman Hart.
____________________
Isaacs, Alexander, Pvt., 5835 London Regiment (London Scottish), 1st/14th Battalion Mr. Lewis Isaacs (father), 34 Tottenham Court, London, W Born London Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9C and 13C The Jewish Chronicle 2/22/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 94, 473
____________________
Josephs, Joseph (Avraham Yosef ben David), 2nd Lieutenant London Regiment (The Rangers), 1st/12th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. David and Sabina Josephs (parents), 206 Willesden Lane, NW, London Address also 72 Highbury New Park, London, N Born 1897 Gommecourt British Cemetery No. 2, Hebuterne, Pas de Calais, France – I,C,4 The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16, 6/29/17 British Jewry Book of Honour – 72, 459
Lt. Josephs’ portrait at FindAGrave, uploaded by Contributor Nancy Wright, is Imperial War Museum photo IWM HU 116509…
While at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Lt. Josephs’ name appears as entry 44, with the notation, “For particulars of layout inscription etcetera see schedule PC.”…
…and at the bottom of the form appear the instructions:
NOTE TO CONTRACTOR: – An inscription in Hebrew characters is to be engraved on this Stone (No. 54.) execution of this Stone should therefore not be proceeded with until an Inspector of the Commission visits your works when he will provide you with the necessary Layout and Inscription and the manner in which the Inscription is to be set out.
Moving over a century forward, two images of Lt. Josephs’ matzeva, taken by his great niece Lola Fraser, appear at British Jews in the First World War. Notice the phrase, “BELIEVED TO BE” engraved at the top of the stone.
This first image is an overall view of the stone…
…while a close-up of the above-mentioned Hebrew inscription appears below.
The first line is Josephs’ Hebrew name, Avraham Yosef ben David, while the lower line isה’ נתן וה’ לקח, יהי שם ה’ מבורך, the English-language translation being, “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord”, taken from Job 1:21, another translation being, “The Lord gave and the Lord took; may the name of the Lord be blessed.” (Special thanks to Ari Dale for the translation! – Thanks, Ari!)
Though tombstones provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission conform to strict requirements of size, design, composition and color, and, the amount (total number of characters) of text engraved on the stone, it is notable that the CWGC does provide allowance for textual characters other than English, an example paralleling that of Lt. Josephs’ being the matzeva of WW II Canadian Sergeant Samuel Moses Hurwitz.
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: In loving memory – Of our dear Michael
Klean, Michael Graham, 2nd Lieutenant Northumberland Fusiliers, 16th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Simeon and Lenora (“Leonora”?) Klean (parents), 26 Hatton Garden, London, EC Elsie and Bluebell (sisters), 8 Golder’s Green Crescent, Golder’s Green, London, NW Born Middlesex, London, 1878 Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuile, Somme, France – IV,T,1 The Jewish Chronicle 7/21/16, 7/28/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/21/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 72, 241; photo section 42
____________________
Kohn, Wilfrid Arthur, 2nd Lieutenant East Lancashire Regiment, 11th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Rose C. Kohn (parents), Madelene D. Cohn (sister), 79 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London, SW Born Kensington, London, 1892 Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France – I,D,13 The Jewish Chronicle 7/14/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 72, 320
____________________
Lapinski, Albert, Pvt., 16400 (served as “Lappin”) Royal Fusiliers, 20th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. David (1863-5/22/33) and Rebecca (Grossmith) (1866-4/16) Lapinski (parents) 18 Osbaldeston Road, Stoke Newington / 44 Colvestone Crescent, Dalston, London, NE Esther, Jacob, Leah, and Pearl (sisters and brother) Born Middlesex, London, 1897 Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France – VIII,T,1 (Crucifix on matzeva) The Jewish Chronicle 8/4/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 8/11/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 101, 237; photo section 122
____________________
Lazarus, Raphael (Ralph), Pvt., 5851 Lincolnshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion Mrs. Maggie May (Clifford) “Margaret” Lazarus (wife) (9/87-1947), Miriam and Mildred “Millie” Marie (daughters) Mr. and Mrs. Lasser (1944-11/27/12) and Rose (Trauslitier) (1859-10/18/32) Lazarus (parents), Hannah, Harry, Joseph, Joshua, Moses, and Rebecca (sisters and brothers) Born Whitechapel, Middlesex, 3/83 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 1C British Jewry Book of Honour – 293 (Not specifically listed in British Jewry Book of Honour – Roll of Honour)
____________________
Levy, Harold, L/Cpl., 12086 Devonshire Regiment, 9th Battalion Mrs. Elsie Levy (mother), 1 Gwy Cliffe Cottages, Oakleigh Road, Whetstone, London Born London Devonshire Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France – B,1 The Jewish Chronicle 11/17/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 104, 294; photo section 270
L/Cpl. Levy is buried immediately alongside six comrades, as seen in the below FindAGrave image by chris(tine) eaton. Of this group of seven soldiers, six – all killed during the first day of the Somme Offensive – are from the Devonshire Regiment.
Inscription on matzeva: Nobly he answered – His duty’s call
Levy, Lewis, Pvt., 18418 Hampshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Mrs. Sarah (Springer) Levy (wife), Henry and Evie (children), 104 Eric St., Mile End Road, London Mr. and Mrs. Henry (11/28/44-11/5/21) and Mary Ann Eva / Eve (Griffin) (1850-3/11) Levy (parents) Rebecca (sister), 132 Bridge St., Bow, London, E3 Born Bethnal Green, London, 1892 Bertrancourt Military Cemetery, Somme, France – Plot I, Row G, Grave 13 The Jewish Chronicle 8/11/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/14/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 104, 329
Akin to other soldiers listed in this post, Pvt. Levy has no grave. His name and memory are commemorated on the matzeva of his father Henry, as seen in this Ancestry.com photo at the “Marquis French Family Tree”, by RCTreeby.
Also LEWIS, DEARLY BELOVED SON OF HENRY AND THE LATE EVE LEVY, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 1ST JULY 1916 AGED 23. שָׁלוֹם ____________________
Inscription on matzeva: All you had hoped for – All you had you gave – To save mankind
Litten, Raymond, Captain Royal Berkshire Regiment, 6th Battalion, B Company “He was killed in action … at the head of his Company (‘B’) within the first hour, in the first wave of the attack.” Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Raphael and Frances Litten (parents), Adelaide D., Edith Miranda, Hilda, Maude, and Violet (sisters) 21 Pembridge Villas, Notting Hill, London, W Born Kensington, London, 8/83 Carnoy Military Cemetery, Somme, France – Q,19 The Jewish Chronicle (biography) 7/14/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/7/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 73, 343
He was Killed In Action on the 1st.July 1916, (First Day of The Battle of The Somme) Aged 32, at the head of his Company (‘B’) within the first hour, in the first wave of the attack. Seven brother officers of the 6th.Btn. died this day with six buried in a row together in Carnoy cemetery, the seventh is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing.
From The Jewish Chronicle:
Capt. Raymond Litten, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who was killed in action on July 1st, was the only son of the late Mr. Tobias Raphael Litten and of Mrs. Litten, of 21, Pembridge Villas. Capt. Litten was born in August, 1883, and was educated at the City of London School. He joined the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps on August 3rd, 1914, and received his commission six weeks later. He went in the front in July, 1915, and was enrolled a Freeman of the City of London on December 15th last. He was a member of the Stock Exchange. A photograph of Capt. Litten is printed in the current issue of the Jewish World.
Lt. that of like Josephs’, Captai Litten’s portrait at FindAGrave, uploaded by Contributor laurinlaurinespie, is an Imperial War Museum photo, in this case IWM HU 124199…
…while this portrait of Capt. Litten is c/o FindAGrave Contributor Jofen
And so, here is an image of his matzeva, by FindAGrave Contributor Jofen
____________________
Marcus, Dudley Harold, Rifleman, 470364 (British Jewry Book of Honour lists serial as 2216) London Regiment (The Rangers), 12th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Julius (4/2/44-6/30/13) and Ida Selma (Koppel) (3/3/53-8/14/03) Marcus (parents) Emily Walter, Evelyn J., Gladys F., and Rudolph B. Marcus (sisters and brother) 76 Melrose Ave., Cricklewood, London, NW Born Hampstead, London, 4/95 Gommecourt British Cemetery No. 2, Hebuterne, Pas de Calais, France – I,A,21 The Jewish Chronicle 5/11/17 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 5/18/17 British Jewry Book of Honour – 107, 480
____________________
Marsh, Harold William, Rifleman, 30162 London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Elijah (12/2/73-11/8/51) and Emily Harriett (Cusack) (born 4/9/73) Marsh (parents), Bertram G. and Thomas L. Marsh (brothers) 6 Woodland Road, Loughton, Essex Born Dalston, London, 1898 Thiepval Memorial, France – Pier and Face 9D The Jewish Chronicle 7/21/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 3/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed (Baptised 9/25/98 at Dalston, St. Mark, England) The Jewish Chronicle lists name as “Marsh, H.W.”, and serial as 2505, while CWGC lists secondary serial as 3505
____________________
Polakoff, Jacob, Rifleman, S/15089 Rifle Brigade, 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Leah Polakoff (parents), Esther, Gershon, Herman, Marks, and Samuel (sister and brothers) 41 Osbaldeston Road, Stoke Newington, London, N Born 1894 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 16B and 16C The Jewish Chronicle 10/19/17 British Jewry Book of Honour – 112, 361; photo section 63
The following documents, at from “UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920” at Ancestry.com, pertain to his mother’s inquiry about the disposition of her son’s possessions (a silver cigarette case, a pipe with gold rim, a tobacco pouch, an illuminated wrist-watch, and a bone knife), which I would think were gifts from his family. No information would ever be forthcoming about these items, but then again, perhaps no information could ever be forthcoming, for his body was never identified.
The following articles were with Rfn. J. Polakoff when he was killed, but have not yet been received: –
Silver cigarette case. Briar pipe with gold rim. Tobacco pouch. Illuminated wrist-watch, And bone knife.
Yours Truly L Polakoff
Replied no further effects 4-12-17
__________
J. Polakoff S/15089 Rfn. 2nd Batt R B
1 pipe 1 5 photo’s 1 regulation Ca[p?]
____________________
Ramus, Ernest Isaac, Cpl., 1599 London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), 1st/9th Battalion (Seriously wounded previously; approximately 12/29/14) (Wounded previously; approximately 2/19/15) Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Alfred (12/27/58-3/47) and Esther (Bloomfield) (3/62-6/36) Ramus (parents) Arthur N., Elizabeth Leah, Norman J., Sidney A., and Stanley L. Ramus (brothers and sister) 23 Park Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Born Hendon, Middlesex, 7/91 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9C The Jewish Chronicle 3/19/15, 7/21/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/28/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 113, 484
____________________
Rittenberg, Charles, Pvt., 5791 Machine Gun Corps, 107th Company Mrs. Edith (Connor) Rittenberg (wife), Charles Jr. (son; born 1909) 19 Guthrie St., Upper Baker St., Liverpool Jacob and Harriet Rittenberg (parents), Clara and Leah (sisters) Born West Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire, 1886 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 5C and 12C British Jewry Book of Honour – (Married 7/4/09 at Church of Saint Philip)
____________________
Rosenberg, Harry, Pvt., 10640 Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), 2nd Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Barnett Louis and Jane Ross (parents), 18 Preston St., Roundhay Road, Leeds Also 13 Lovell Road, Leeds Born Yorkshire, 1897 Thiepval Memorial, France – Pier and Face 6A and 6B The Jewish Chronicle 6/8/17 British Jewry Book of Honour – 114, 325 Served as “Ross, Harry”. Listed in British Jewry Book of Honour – and The Jewish Chronicle as “Ross, H.”
____________________
Rosenbloom, David, Pvt., 19263 Welch Regiment, 9th Battalion Mrs. Leah (Rosenbloom) Goldenberg (mother), 7 St. Jame’s Churchyard, Bristol Born 1895 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 7A and 10A British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: Sadly missed – By his dear mother – Brother, sisters – And all relatives
Rosenthal, Maurice, Pvt., 27547 Lancashire Fusiliers, 15th Battalion, C Company Mr. and Mrs. Simon (1857-1899 or 1901) and Betsy (born 1860) Rosenthal (parents), Jacob, Jane, Kate, Mathilda, Sarah, and Yetta (brother and sisters) 41 Exchange St., Manchester Born Manchester, Lancashire, 1889 Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval, Somme, France – II,G,9 The Jewish Chronicle 1/12/17 British Jewry Book of Honour – 115, 309
FindAGrave Contributor “geoffrey gillon” took this photo of Pvt. Rosenthal’s matzeva.
____________________
Schwartzburg, Moses, Rifleman, 471204 London Regiment (The Rangers), 1st/12th Battalion Mrs. Louisa (Holliday) Schwartzburg (wife; married 7/26/14), Maurice Leon (son) (born 1/14/15) 57 Rawstone St., St. John’s, Clerkenwell EC, London Mrs. Charlotte Schwartzburg (mother), Joseph (brother) Born Clerkenwell, London, 1890 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9C British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
____________________
Telfer, Henry Adam, Lieutenant King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 9th Battalion (attached to 64th Trench Mortar Battery) Mr. and Mrs. William Telfer and Catherine (“Florrie”) Leviansky (parents), 90 & 91 Queen St., London Lt. Claude William Telfer (brother), 16 Belsize Park, London, NW25 Born 1893 Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, Somme, France – II,N,9 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/14/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 75, 346; photo section 44
____________________
Inscription on matzeva: The Lord gave the Lord hath taken – Blessed be – The name of the Lord
Tobias, Joseph, Rifleman, B/397 Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion Father Isaac; Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Rebecca Cohen (step-parents), Benjamin (step-brother), Hyman (brother) 6 Elsie House, Philip St. (Backchurch Lane East), Commercial Road, London, E Born Liverpool, Lancashire, 1896 Redan Ridge Cemetery No. 1, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme, France – A,18 The Jewish Chronicle 7/28/16, 2/15/18 British Jewry Book of Honour – 121, 387; photo section 164
____________________
Weiner, Joseph Davis, Rifleman, 301649 (or 2538) London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 1st/5th Battalion Mr. and Mrs. Davis (1865-6/27) and Jane (1867-6/28) Weiner (parents) Abraham, Barbara, Bertha, Sybil / Sarah (brother and sisters) 25 Spital Square, London, E Born London, 1899 Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France – Pier and Face 9D The Jewish Chronicle 7/21/16, 2/28/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 123, 489
____________________
Zodickson, Harry, Pvt., 11057 The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, 18th Battalion 11 Southampton St., Firtzroy Square, London, W Mrs. Hyman Zodickson (father), Abram, Charles, Louis, Max, Moses, Myer, Sammy, and Sarah (brothers and sisters) Born Russia, 1896 Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, France – IV,S,8 The Jewish Chronicle 7/28/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – 124, 291
Prisoner of War: Died of Wounds
Fraser, Aubrey, Rifleman, 2818 London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), 5th Battalion Prisoner of War; Died of wounds 7/9/16 at Cologne Military Hospital, Germany Mr. and Mrs. Israel (9/26/69-12/26/41) and Fanny (Featherman) (6/14/71-1/19/46) Fraser (parents) 1-4 Argyll Place, Regent St., London, W1 Beatrice, Edna, Joseph, and Joshua (sisters and brothers) 96 Maide Vale, London, W Born Manchester, Lancashire, 1898 Deutz Jewish Cemetery, Cologne, Germany – Grave 1660 The Jewish Chronicle 7/21/16, 7/28/16 The Jewish Chronicle (Obituary section) 7/28/16, 7/4/19 British Jewry Book of Honour – 89, 468
The following news item, about Pvt. Fraser’s death in Germany as a wounded prisoner of war, appeared in The Jewish Chronicle on July 28, 1916. Though I cannot cite specifics (as I type this blog post!), I believe that the Chronicle, at least in the early part of the Great War, did on occasion publish transcripts of communications from Jewish religious leaders in Germany, and, brief articles touching upon Jewish life in that country.
THE LATE RIFLEMAN AUBREY FRASER TOUCHING LETTER FROM A GERMAN RABBINER.
Rifleman Aubrey Fraser (the second son of Mr. I. Fraser, member of the Board of Management of the St. John’s Wood Synagogue, and Mrs. Fraser) who was reported wounded and missing in our last issue died from the effects of his wounds on July 9th.
Mr. Fraser has received the following letter, in German, from Rabbi Dr. Ludwig Rosenthal, of Cologne.
Dear Sir, – It is my sad duty to inform you that your son Aubrey, of the London Rifle Brigade, who was brought here severely wounded and taken to the hospital succumbed to his wounds on the 9th July. I was with him at the time of his death, 2 a.m., and the last conscious words of your dying son were of his father and mother. A religious service was held in the hospital, after which he was interned in the Jewish cemetery. Full military honours were accorded him. May God comfort you and endow you with strength to submit to the words recited by me at the burial: “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Prisoner of War: Severely Wounded; Survived
Information about Commonwealth and French Jewish prisoners of war of the First World War in German captivity (not Jewish POWs from the Central Powers in Allied captivity!) is scanty, but does exist. One such soldier was Sergeant Leonard Nathan, who was awarded the Military Medal, probably and specifically for his actions during the Somme Battle. Very badly wounded, missing, and later determined to have been captured, Sgt. Nathan survived, to return to his family.
Nathan, Leonard, Sgt., 390263, Military Medal Queen Victoria’s Rifles Prisoner of War Seriously wounded in action: “Gunshot wound face, cranium, ear, blind eye”. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick (4/29/58-9/33) and Sarah (Jacobs) Nathan (born 1964 (parents), 73 Fountain Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham Reuben and Violet (brother and sister); Sergeant Major M. Nathan (uncle) Born Warwickshire, Birmingham, 9/20/88; Died March, 1961, Warwickshire, Birmingham The Jewish Chronicle 8/11/16 British Jewry Book of Honour – Not Listed
Though Sgt. Nathan’s name didn’t appear in any casualty list published in the Chronicle, that newspaper did publish this news item on August 11, 1916:
“Mr. and Mrs. F. Nathan, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, have just heard from their son, Sergt. Leonard Nathan, Q.V.R.s. He has been missing since July 1st. He was badly wounded and a prisoner of war in a German Hospital, where he is being well treated and doing well. Sergt. Nathan has received a note from the Divisional General complimenting him in his work with his machine gun team and informing him that he was awarded the Military Medal for his distinguished conduct. He went out with the attackers into the German lines and fought his gun until it was put out of action when he found a Lewis gun and worked that for three quarters of an hour until he was wounded and captured. We are indebted to Sergt.-Major M. Nathan, the boy’s uncle, for the interesting information.”
The following Fold3.com documents, in Sgt. Nathan’s Pension Ledger, attest to the grievous nature of his wounds. His injuries comprised a gunshot wound to the face, cranium, and ear, and blindness in one eye. On December 7, 1922, at the age of 34, he was categorized as being 70% disabled, and awarded 24 1/3 (weekly?) for the rest of his life, commencing retroactive to January 29, 1919.
While the Great War ended for Sgt. Nathan on July 1, 1916, his own war never really ended.
____________________
From the British Jewry Book of Honour (page 116 in the Photographs Section, to be specific!), this image is entitled “On active Service: Rev. Michael Adler, S.C.F., and group, Rouen, May 19, 1915”. Particularly relevant for this post is the fact that the image includes two soldiers mentioned above.
In the back row, Sergeant Leonard Nathan, MM, is fourth from left.
In the middle row, Pvt. Morris Althausen is eighth from left.
The men’s names are listed below the photo.
Back Row
Schweitzer, S., Driver, Army Service Corps Levy, L., Pvt., Manchester Regiment, 2nd Battalion Spero, J., Pvt., Army Service Corps Nathan, L., Sgt., Military Medal, Queen Victoria’s Rifles Hepstone, J., Pvt. – Killed in Action (Actually, Pvt. Julius Epstein, 11508, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, 1st Battalion (Gassed ~ 4/21/15; died of effects of gas 6/7/15, Commemorated at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium – Panel 12 (The Jewish Chronicle 5/21/15, 5/28/15, 6/25/15)) Abrahams, J., Pvt., Indian Veterinary Corps Goldman, A., Pvt., West Riding Regiment, 2nd Battalion Cohen, D., Rifleman, London Regiment, 12th Battalion Carlish, A., Pvt., Army Service Corps
Middle Row
Hershman, J., Driver, Army Service Corps Lessman, S., Pvt., London Regiment, 3rd Battalion Spicker, F., Pvt., Army Service Corps Friedlander, R., Pvt., London Regiment, 7th Battalion Needle, M., Pvt., Army Service Corps Goodman, R., Pvt., Royal Army Medical Corps Gavson, M., Pvt., Army Service Corps Althausen (incorrectly listed as “Althusen”), M., King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, 1st Battalion, KIA Levy, M., Pvt., Army Service Corps Lyons, B., L/Cpl., West Yorks Regiment, 1st Battalion
Front Row
Blush, L., Pvt., Army Service Corps Bernstock, J.H., Pvt., London Regiment, 4th Battalion Harris, J., Sgt., Cyclist Corps Polack, M.M., Sgt., Army Service Corps Adler, Michael, Reverend, Senior Chaplain to the Forces Joseph, M., Capt., Indian Pay Corps Salmon, B., Pvt., Army Service Corps Simmons, R., Pvt., Royal Army Medical Corps Goldstuck, N., Pvt., Royal Army Medical Corps Constad, H., Pvt., Army Service Corps
________________________________________
________________________________________
France
French Army – Armée de Terre
From the April 14, 1916 issue of l’Univers Israelite, this image shows a group of Jewish Zouaves at Verdun.
____________________
Note that Caporal Heller served in the Foreign Legion, and Soldat Rigal, though not listed in Les Israelites dans l’Armée Française, was born in Warsaw.
.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
Heller, Marcel, Caporal, 19595 Infanterie, 219eme Regiment d’Infanterie Killed by the enemy (Tué a l’ennemi) at Foucaucourt, Somme Born 8/7/84, 9eme Arrondissement, Paris, France Les Israelites dans l’Armée Française – 42
____________________
Rigal, Schoel, Soldat de 2eme Classe, 23787 Infanterie, Légion étrangère, Regiment de Marche de la Legion Etranger (“En subsistance au 22eme Regiment d’Infanterie”) Killed by the enemy (Tué a l’ennemi) at l’Eclusier, Somme Born 6/1/94, Varsovie (Warsaw), Pologne Les Israelites dans l’Armée Française – Not Listed
A list of Jewish military casualties in the Imperial Germany Army on July 1, 1916, follows below.
The names of 30 men, all of whom presumably were killed in action or died of wounds, are listed, while a 31st, Hauptmann (Captain) Alfred Rosenfelder, died in Germany under unexplained circumstances – it s e e m s (?) that he was murdered. Though I don’t know the identity of the German military units assigned to or serving along the Somme front, I’m certain that – by virtue of the sheer number of men listed – at least some of the 30 must have fallen in combat with British forces on this opening day of the Somme Offensive.
But first, a video at Mc C’s YouTube Channel: The Germans on the Somme. As captioned, “The Germans saw with interest the success of the British film “The Battle of the Somme” by Malins (the most watched film until Star Wars was released) and the value of propaganda, so decided to make their own version, it was never as successful and very unknown, but nonetheless very interesting.”
.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
Adler, Hermann, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 17, 2nd Battalion, 5th Kompagnie Declared legally dead Born 6/1/80, in Rhina Resided in Kreuznach Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 267
____________________
Barth, Ludwig, Gefreiter Infanterie Regiment 60, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 3/14/93, in Flehingen Resided in Frankfurt am Main Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 209
____________________
Bernheim, Wilhelm, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 111, Maschinen-Gewehr Scharfschutzen Truppe Missing Born 3/9/88, in Wangen Resided in Wangen (Baden) Kriegsgräberstätte in Rancourt (Frankreich), Block 5, Grab 239 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 355
____________________
Bielschowsky, Adolf, Gefreiter, Schutze Reserve Infanterie Regiment 202, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 1/12/94, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 132
____________________
Bock, Arthur, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 167, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 3/7/94, in Neubrandenburg Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 133
____________________
Courant, Ernst, Vizefeldwebel Reserve Infanterie Regiment 91, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 11/30/91, in Glatz Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Neuville-St.Vaast (Frankreich), Block 12, Grab 1114 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 136
____________________
Ellenstein, Bernhard, Leutnant, Eiserne Kreuz 2 Klasse, Eiserne Kreuz 1 Klasse, Bayerisch Militarverdienstorden 4 Klasse mit Schwerten (Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st Class, Bavarian Military Order of Merit 4th Class with Swords) Bayerisch Reserve Infanterie Regiment 6, 2nd Battalion, 7th Kompagnie Mametz-Montauban, Somme, France Mr. and Mrs. Siegfried and Rosa Ellenstein (parents), Nurnberg, Germany Born 1/8/87, in Wixhausen Resided in Nurnberg Kriegsgräberstätte in Fricourt (Frankreich), Kameradengrab Freudenthal, p. 49-50 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 304
____________________
Faber, Moritz, Soldat, Musketier Infanterie Regiment 69, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 5/16/76, in Mertloch Resided in Philippsburg Kriegsgräberstätte in Achiet-le-Petit (Frankreich), Grab 313 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 315
____________________
Grunebaum, Isidor, Soldat Bayerisch Reserve Infanterie Regiment 8, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 6/29/92, in Diedelsheim Resided in Aschaffenburg Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 124
____________________
Jesse, Fritz, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 99, 1st Battalion, 2nd Kompagnie Born 9/17/87, in Warburg Resided in Warburg Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 355
____________________
Kahn, Moritz, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 110, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 12/26/84, in Kulsheim Resided in Kulsheim Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 268
____________________
Kaufmann, Nathan, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 109, 3rd Bataillon, 9th Kompagnie Born 1/13/81, in Baiertal Resided in Mannheim Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 282
____________________
Kochmann, Alwin, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 201, , Maschinen-Gewehr Kompagnie Born 2/11/87, in Munster Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 146
____________________
Korbchen, Ludwig, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 90, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 4/24/91, in Bremen Resided in Bremen Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 176
____________________
Kuhl, Alfred, Soldat Bayerisch Reserve Infanterie Regiment 13, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnie At Mylsk, Russia Born 3/1/96, in Unsleben Resided in Schopfloch Ingolstädter Gesichter: 750 Jahre Juden in Ingolstadt – 257 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 332
____________________
Laband, Manfred, Soldat Fuhrpark Kolonne 233 Born 10/28/90, in Myslowitz Resided in Hindenburg Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 245
____________________
Levy, Eugen, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 111, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnie Born 9/30/88, in Albersweiler Resided in Albersweiler Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 120
____________________
Loebmann, Max, Gefreiter Pionier Bataillon 6, 3rd Kompagnie Maurepas, France Born 9/24/84, in Hindenburg Resided in Antonienhutte Kriegsgräberstätte in Rancourt (Frankreich), Kameradengrab (?) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 124
____________________
Marx, Bernhard, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 109, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie Born 8/30/79, in Schriesheim Resided in Karlsruhe (Baden) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 253
____________________
Moses, David, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 111, 1st Battalion, 4th Kompagnie Born 8/16/76, in Kirchen Resided in Kirchen (Baden) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 257
____________________
Nehab, Julian, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 52, 2nd Battalion, 5th Kompagnie Declared legally dead Born 1/31/86, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 155
____________________
Neuhaus, Martin, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 82, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 2/2/90, in Bremke / Gottingen Resided in Gottingen Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 229
____________________
Picard, Wilhelm, Vizefeldwebel Reserve Infanterie Regiment 111, 1st Battalion, 1st Kompagnie Born 5/6/86, in Wangen Resided in Konstanz Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 265
____________________
Simoni, Martin, Soldat, Reservist Bayerisch Reserve Infanterie Regiment 6, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Mametz-Montauban, Somme, France Declared legally dead Born 8/19/99, in Stettin Resided in Stettin Kriegsgräberstätte in Fricourt (Frankreich), Kameradengrab Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 341
____________________
Stern, Benjamin, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 109, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie Born 3/27/81, in Gissigheim Resided in Konigheim Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 262
____________________
Ullmann, Alfred, Vizefeldwebel Fussartillerie Batterie 471 Born 10/31/91, in Strassburg Resided in Strassburg, Elsass-Lothringen Kriegsgräberstätte in Pontfaverger (Frankreich), Block 1, Grab 13 (?) GVDK says 7/3/16; Gefreiter Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 393
____________________
Walter, Siegfried, Soldat Reserve Infanterie Regiment 109, 3rd Battalion, 11th Kompagnie Declared legally dead Born 5/23/96, in Schwegenheim Resided in Walldorf (Baden) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 354
____________________
Warschauer, Ernst, Sanitats Unteroffizier Garde Infanterie Regiment 6, 3rd Bataillon, 9th Kompagnie Born 11/17/93, in Berlin Resided in Berlin Kriegsgräberstätte in Romagne-sous-les-Cotes (Frankreich), Block 1, Grab 179 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 165
____________________
Weil, Friedrich, Soldat Infanterie Regiment 169, 1st Battalion, 3rd Kompagnie Born 6/27/95, in Steinsfurt (Baden) Resided in Steinsfurt (Baden) Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 339
____________________
Weiss, Fritz, Unteroffizier Reserve Infanterie Regiment 111, 2nd Battalion, 6th Kompagnie Born 8/21/95, in Mannheim Resided in Mannheim Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 283
____________________
Murdered? – No further information available
Rosenfelder, Albert, Hauptmann Bayerische Infanterie Regiment 21, Ersatz Bataillon 1 Murdered: Shot in the head while en route home from military exercise at Hainburg (near Furth), Germany Born 9/9/64 (!), in Furth Resided in Furth (i. Bay.) Gavish and Groschel, Over the Front, Summer, 2001 Die Jüdischen Gefallenen – 221
____________________
____________________
Finally, to conclude, here are two videos about the Somme battlefield, as it appeared in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Also at Mc C’s You Tube Channel: The Somme then and now… 1916 – 2016, uploaded to YouTube on August 1, 2016, one hundred years and one month after the opening day of the offensive. As captioned: “After watching the film many times, over many years, I wanted to find these locations and stand in their foot prints and re-film. Some locations were easy to find, some took much research and some I haven’t yet been able to locate, but all the ones in this documentary are within yards to feet of where they filmed originally, none are guesses or just possibilities. I hope you enjoy watching and it helps you to understand please leave comments this is worth more to me than earning money I ask for nothing but love remarks.”
Adler, Michael, and Freeman, Max R.G., British Jewry Book of Honour, Caxton Publishing Company, London, England, 1922 (Republished in 2006 by Naval & Military Press, Uckfield, East Sussex)
Boas, Harold (Hon Lt. – Compiler), Australian Jewry Book of Honour – The Great War 1914-1918, Perth, Western Australia, 1923 (Covers New Zealand)
Gilbert, Martin, The Routledge Atlas of the First World War (second edition), Routledge, London, England, 2002
Henshaw, Trevor, The Sky Their Battlefield – Air Fighting and The Complete List of Allied Air Casualties from Enemy Action in the First War, Grub Street, London, 1995
Macdonald, Lyn, Somme, Michael Joseph, London, England, 1983
Middlebrook, Martin, First Day on The Somme – 1 July 1916, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1972
Richards, Frank (DCM, MM), Old Soldiers Never Die, Berkley Publishing Corporation, New York, N.Y., 1966 (Berkley paperback edition book number S1191; specifically see pages 118-140, for chapters: “The Somme: Capture of High Wood”, and, “Trenches in High Wood”)
Books (…No Specific Author…)
Die Jüdischen Gefallenen Des Deutschen Heeres, Deutschen Marine Und Der Deutschen Schutztruppen 1914-1918 – Ein Gedenkbuch, Reichsbund Jüdischer Frontsoldaten, Forward by Dr. Leo Löwenstein, Berlin, Germany, 1932
Les Israelites dans l’Armée Française (Israelites [Jews] in the French Army), Angers, 1921 – Avant-Propos de la Deuxième Épreuve [Forward to the Second Edition], Albert Manuel, Paris, Juillet, 1921 – (Réédité par le Cercle de Généalogie juive [Reissued by the Circle for Jewish Genealogy], Paris, 2000)
Serving Their Country – Wartime Memories of Scottish Jews, Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, November, 2001 (c/o Harvey L. Kaplan, Glasgow, Scotland)
Other References
Lists of [South African] Jews Who Served in the Forces in the First World War 1914/18 List of [South African] Jews Who Lost Their Lives in the First World War 1914/18 (Both lists c/o Dr. R. Musiker, Johannesburg, South Africa)
NAJEX Detail, June, 2001
Australian War Memorial File “25 171/12”
Casualty Figures – as listed at Wikipedia – from:
Edmonds, J. E. (1993) [1932]. Military Operations France and Belgium, 1916: Sir Douglas Haig’s Command to the 1st July: Battle of the Somme. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. I (Imperial War Museum & Battery Press ed.). London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-89839-185-7.
Prior, R.; Wilson, T. (2005), The Somme, Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10694-7.
Whether in war or peace, the nature of man has many facets, which, depending on the circumstance and time, can vary as much within the soul of one person as between different individuals: Courage. Fear. Deliberation. Rashness. Boldness. Hesitation. Judgement. Foolhardiness. Discernment. Obtuseness. Bravery. Cowardice. Cunning. Naivete. And so much more.
One way in which these aspects of the human character have been chronicled, whether in fiction, popular culture, or the “historical record”, is in accounts of the escape from captivity of prisoners of war. Whether described in official documents, letters and diaries, family stories, legends, passing anecdotes, or the unexpressed memories of men, there are innumerable such tales. One such account – of very many – from the Second World War, appeared as a three-part series in the New York-published German exile newspaper Aufbau – “Reconstruction” – on October 15, 22, and 29, 1943, under the simple and apropos title “Ich war ein Kriegsgefangener der Nazis” – “I Was a Prisoner of War of the Nazis”.
Written by an un-named Yishuv soldier who escaped from German captivity (the events of the story having transpired in German-occupied Greece) the series commences with the soldier’s interrogation by German officers, continues with fleeting recollections of his life as a POW (always with escape and defiance in mind), follows with accounts of thwarted escape attempts, and concludes with the soldier’s first encounter – while “on the run” after his eventual, successful escape – with Greek civilians.
In terms of the soldier’s escape attempts, the first attempt – well, contemplated escape attempt! – would have involved the author and his friend “Sch.” jumping from a moving freight car during a moonlit night. This plan was aborted at the last moment when rifle fire was heard and a guard entered the car, after which the author and Sch. seem to have been reproached other POWs for jeopardizing the well-being of their comrades. However, during the next train stop, a POW from the adjacent freight car did escape: That man momentarily distracted a guard with the light of a match, and then concealed himself by lying between the rails and allowing the cards to pass over him.
Subsequently, another escape was planned, again involving a night-time train jump by the author and Sch. This was aborted when Sch. pulled the author back into the train, after the author had been “noticed” (again?) … by other POWs?
The second escape attempt occurred as a group of POWs were marching through the pass of Thermopylae: The narrator and Sch. jumped into a nearby ditch during a moment when the column of POWs was temporarily unguarded. Their immediate escape occurred unnoticed, but the uncoordinated, spontaneous “escapes” of other POWs attracted the attention of a lieutenant and some guards. Before the arrival of these German soldiers, Sch. and the author managed – unnoticed – to rejoin the main column of POWs. The other “random” escapees were returned to the POW column to the accompaniment of rifle butts. Tellingly, two escapees never returned.
So, the third time was the charm.
After leaving Thermopylae the POWs were again loaded onto freight cars. At night, alone – Sch. having no further interest or motivation in escaping – the narrator jumped from a moving freight car as the train passed over a bridge. Pursued by rifle fire, he reached the bridge’s railing, and – taking very much of a leap of faith – fell into a stream or river, remaining underwater. Upon reaching the limit of his endurance, unable to hold his breath any longer, he rose to the surface of the water and saw that he had been left behind: The train has crossed the bridge, without him.
He was a free man.
The tale is well-written, compelling, and inspiring, yet also (deliberately?!) enigmatic, for absolutely nothing is revealed about the soldier’s experiences prior to his capture, let alone the events surrounding his post-escape evasion and eventual return to Allied forces – which together almost certainly encompassed a time period vastly longer than the brief duration of his actual captivity. Though I’m certain information about each and every aspect of his escape was recorded, corroborated, and archivally preserved by the British military (and probably still exists somewhere – where?! – within The National Archives (not theNational Archives!)) for security reasons, this information obviously could never have been released to the news media in wartime. This, the tale’s “truncated” nature and abrupt end, at least in a literary sense.
Despite the story’s gripping nature and its direct relevance to the nature of the Jewish military service during the Second World War (well, at least in the European Theater…), to the best of my knowledge nothing relating to the tale appeared in any other wartime Jewish periodical. This was probably attributable to lack of awareness on the part of publishers and editors of other English-language organs of the Jewish news media (whether in the United States, England, South Africa, the Yishuv, or elsewhere) to the very venue of the article’s publication – Aufbau, let alone the article having been published in German.
One of the most interesting aspects of the story is apparent from its first installment: The author’s identity is a mystery; neither his rank nor his name are given. His identity is only resolved – and at that, partially resolved – in the third and final part of the series. However, a general idea of his background can be gained from these clues: 1) Quoting from the introduction to the first installment: “The author of the following diary pages fled as a very young man from Nazi Germany to Palestine and became a member of kvutzah [kibbutz]”. 2) The soldier (and three fellow POWs, “S. and D. and R.”) hailed from the kvutzah of Ashdoth-Ya’akov, now known as Kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov (Ihud); just south of Lake Tiberias. 3) He was born in Germany and graduated from high school there, his parents (…alas, alas…) remaining in that country as of the summer of 1941. 4) He was living in Haifa through 1938.
____________________
This Mapple App Apple Map shows the location of Kibbutz Ashdot Yaakov: Designated by the red pointer, it’s just south of Lake Tiberias.
____________________
So, who was this anonymous author? If you scroll to the very end of this post, you’ll see that the series’ final installment (unlike the first and second installments) published on October 29, 1943, concludes with the initials: “F. J-n.” Though – perhaps deliberately? – not an exact match, I am confident that these initials refer to Private Y.M. El-Jo’an (serial number PAL/12083), who was reported in The Palestine Post of August 15, 1943, as having escaped from German captivity. The time-frame of Aufbau’s series fits the August 15 news item perfectly, strongly implying that El-Jo’an evaded (certainly with the assistance of Greek civilians?) for over a remarkable two years, given that the fall of mainland Greece to German forces occurred at the end of April, 1941.
____________________
Here’s the Post’s front page for August 15, 1943, with the article highlighted…
…and, here’s the brief article itself:
PALESTINIAN P.O.W.’S ESCAPE
Three Palestinian soldiers, serving in the Royal Fusiliers, who were previously reported prisoners of war, are now officially announced to have escaped from enemy hands. They are:
Pal/23163, Spr. D. Chaver; Pal/23183, Spr. J. Menachem; Pal/23317, Spr. S. Dalah.
Another Palestinian soldier previously reported a prisoner of war, has now been recaptured from enemy hands, is Pal/12083 Pte. El-Jo’an, Y.M., P.C.
____________________
So, assuming “F. J-n.” was in reality Private Y.M. El-Jo’an – as I’m confident he was – I have absolutely no idea of what became of him afterwards. Paralleling this, I have no information about Sappers Chaver, Menchem, or Dalah. Perhaps they, too, evaded or escaped from captivity in Greece. I’m certain their stories would be as compelling as that of Private El-Jo’an, if they could be found.
Of the forty-five Yishuv soldiers captured by the Germans who did not return from or eventually survive captivity, there were thirteen men who attempted to escape, but did not succeed. They were:
Disappeared after escaping
Private Menashe Durani: 9/5/41 – jumped from train
Escaped; apprehended 5/17/44, but shot shortly after recapture
Private Dov-Berl Eisenberg – died of wounds 6/28/44 Private Eliahu Krauze – died immediately
Of these thirteen soldiers, some of their stories are partially known; some are barely known; and some will never be known. (Well, among men.)
Very brief biographical profiles of these soldiers are presented below, based on information in both volumes of Henry Morris’ invaluable two-volume work We Will Remember Them, random issues of The Jewish Chronicle and The Palestine Post, plus, information available via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and, Izkor, The Commemoration Site of The Fallen of the Defense and Security Forces of Israel, where their portraits were found.
Note that eight of the thirteen have no known graves.
And so, they are…
– .ת. נ. צ. ב. ה –
תהא נפשו צרורה בצרור החיים
Arman, Aharon (אהרון ארמן), Sapper, PAL/23378, Royal Engineers 1039th Port Operating Company Stalag 344 Lamsdorf 1/26/45: Shot during escape attempt Born 1921 Mr. and Mrs. Nathan [Natan] and Miriam Arman (parents), Tel Aviv, Israel Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery, Poland – 2A,C,6 We Will Remember Them II – 42 German POW # 4784; Year of birth: CWGC 1926; izkor.gov.il: 1921
____________________
Brajer, Michael Chaim [Chaim-Michail] (חיים-מיכאל ברייר), Cpl., PAL/23009, Royal Engineers 1039th Port Operating Company Stalag 8B Teschen 1/16/45 or 1/26/45: Killed while fleeing POW camp Born Kandesh, Hungary, 9/2/13 Mrs. Malja Brajer (wife), Tel Aviv, Israel Mr. Batseva [Bat-Sheva] Brajer (father) Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 4 The Jewish Chronicle 7/25/41 We Will Remember Them I – 239 German POW # 4334; POW List as “Breyer, Michail Chain”; LJC gives name as “M.C. Breyer”, and rank as “Sapper”; CWGC and Izkor.gov.il. dates differ.
____________________
Durani, Menashe (מנשה דורני), Pvt., PAL/13216 603rd Palestinian Port Company Stalag 344 Lamsdorf 9/5/41: Jumped off train during transfer of POWs to Austria, and disappeared Born Peta Tikva, Israel, 1918 Mr. and Mrs. Yosef and Shvedia Durani (parents), Raanana, Israel Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 9 The Jewish Chronicle 7/25/41 German POW # 4869
____________________
Eisenberg, Dov [Dov-Berl] (דב-ברל אייזנברג), Pvt., PAL/11797, Mentioned in Despatches Pioneer Corps POW in Poland 5/17/44: Escaped Died while POW 6/28/44 (murdered) “All the days of his captivity Dov did not fall in his spirit, he tried to escape from his captivity, and at the first opportunity he escaped with a friend and the two hid in secret. Squads of German soldiers set out in search of them and later captured them and led them back to the camp. On the way to the camp, they met a German officer who ordered them to come with him to look for another escaped prisoner. As they walked in front of the officer, [?] pulled out a gun and shot them in the back. Dov’s friend was killed on the spot and Dov was fatally wounded. A [?] asked the Germans to take him to Bloomsdorf Hospital, but they did not comply with his request and brought him to a military camp. On 6/28/44, Dov died of his wounds. He was laid to rest in the British Military Cemetery in Krakow, Poland.” Born Lodz, Poland, 2/24/21 Mr. and Mrs. Haim and Hava Eisenberg (parents) Crackow Rakowicki Cemetery, Crackow, Poland – 4,A,9 We Will Remember Them I – 242; We Will Remember Them II – 65 We Will Remember Them I as “Eisenberg, Dov”; CWGC as “Eisenberg, Berl”; Izkor.gov.il as “Dov-Berl Eisenberger”
____________________
Elimelech, Abraham (אברהם אלימלך אל-מלך), Sapper, PAL/23170, Royal Engineers 1039th Port Operating Company POW in Greece 7/19/41: Wounded and killed while attempting to escape Born Komotini, Greece, 1915 Mr. Hajim [Haim] and Roza Elimelech (parents), Tel Aviv, Israel Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 4 The Jewish Chronicle 7/25/41 We Will Remember Them I – 242
____________________
Gabriel, Norbert [Norbert-Nahum] (נוברט-נחום גבריאל), Pvt., PAL/11574 Palestine Regiment POW in Greece 11/1/41: Killed while attempting to escape Born Moglanice, Poland, 5/2/03 Mr. and Mrs. Yaakov and Ernestina Gabriel (parents) Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece – 12,B,11 The Palestine Post 8/19/41 We Will Remember Them I – 244 We Will Remember Them I as “Gavriel, Norbert”; CWGC as “Gabriel, Norbert”; Name not present in Prisoners of War – Allies and Other Forces of the British Empire
____________________
Gelbart, Avraham [Avraham-Yitzhak] (אברהם-יצחק גלברט), Pvt., PAL/13746 Pioneer Corps POW in Greece 4/25/42: Died during escape attempt “Following his service, his unit was transferred to the Kalamata Peninsula in Greece, where he was taken prisoner. They were put on a train and on their way from Athens to Thessaloniki, when slowing down from journey in the mountains Abraham took advantage of the darkness and jumped out. After a few days of wandering in the mountains he arrived at one of the villages where he was warmly received by the residents and also given shelter in an attic room. Stayed with them for about two years, working as a shoemaker and liked all the people of the village. One day, after learning that a patrol of Italian and German soldiers was approaching the village for search purposes, Avraham fled to the forests and took an old shotgun with him. While in the woods a bullet was fired from his rifle and he was wounded in the leg. A few days later, he returned to the village, but in the meantime he lost a lot of blood and developed necrosis in his leg. He died, and was buried in the Christian cemetery in the village. It was written on the monument that he was not afraid of the Germans. In 1945, his body was in the main military cemetery near Athens where he was buried as an unknown soldier. In 1961, when it was clarified beyond any doubt that this was indeed Abraham’s grave; a ceremony was held there. A new monument was erected with a Star of David and an inscription in Hebrew, stating, among other things: “From the depths of the past, you have returned to the bosom of faith that has been restored.”” Born Germany, 5/8/12 Mrs. Penira Gelbart (wife), Herzlia, Israel Mr. and Mrs. Shlomo and Hana Gelbart (parents) Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece – 3,C,15 The Jewish Chronicle 10/19/45 We Will Remember Them I – 244 We Will Remember Them I as “Gelbart, Avraham”; CWGC as “Gelbart, Abraham”; Year of birth: CWCGC 1902; izkor.gov.il: 5/8/12
____________________
Goldman, Itzchak [Icchaak] (יצחק גולדמן), Sgt., PAL/10889 Pioneer Corps POW in Greece 4/29/41: Killed while attempting to escape Born Yaroslavl, Poland Mr. Shmuel Goldman (father) Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 9 We Will Remember Them I – 244 We Will Remember Them I as “Goldman, Y”; CWGC as “Goldman, Icchaak”; Yad Vashem Studies XIV, p. 90
____________________
Krauze, Eliahu (אליהו קראוזה), Pvt., PAL/11786, Mentioned in Despatches Pioneer Corps POW in Poland 5/17/44: Murdered “On the first day of his internment in the POW camp he began to look for a way to escape and return to the front. After three years in a POW camp in Buiten, Germany, he came to terms with a captive friend, Dov Eisenberg. On 5/17/44 they tried to escape but were immediately captured and returned to the camp. One of the Nazi sergeants ordered them to accompany him on the pretext of searching for a third captive who had disappeared and in the field shot them from behind. Dov was seriously injured and Eliyahu was killed on the spot. He was laid to rest in the British Military Cemetery in Krakow, Poland.” Born Lodz, Poland, 1920 Mr. and Mrs. Gronem [Gronam] and Frida Krauze (parents) Mr. Abram Feldman (uncle), Bnai Brak, Israel Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery, Poland – 4,A,5 We Will Remember Them I – 249
____________________
Tzabari [Zabary], Saadia [Shlomo] (סעדיה צברי), Pvt., PAL/13145 Pioneer Corps POW in Greece 4/28/41: Jumped off train during transfer to Germany via Yugoslavia; spotted and killed by German guards Born Sanaa, Yemen, 1925 Mr. and Mrs. Seadya and Zehava Tzabari (parents) Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 9 We Will Remember Them I – 260 We Will Remember Them I as “Tzabari, Saadia”; CWGC as “Zabary, Saadia”
____________________
Tzarfati [Zorfati], Shlomo (שלמה צרפתי), Cpl. PAL/23152, Royal Engineers 1039th Port Operating Company POW in Greece 10/1/41: Killed while attempting to escape Born Thessalonika, Greece, 1916 Mrs. Sarah Zorfati (wife), Tel Aviv, Israel Mr. and Mrs. Aron [Aharon] and Bienvenida [Benvenida] Zorfati (parents) Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 4 We Will Remember Them I – 260 We Will Remember Them I as “Tzarfati, Shlomo”; CWGC as “Zorfati, Shlomo”
______________
Weissberg [Waisberg], Jakub [Jacob] (יעקב ויסברג), Pvt., PAL/00890
Pioneer Corps
POW in Greece
10/30/42: Killed while attempting to escape
Born Poland, 1903
Mr. Adolf Weissberg (father)
Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 9 We Will Remember Them I – 261 We Will Remember Them I as “Weissberg, Y”; CWGC as “Waisberg, Jakub”
______________
Weissman, Aaron [Aron] (אהרון וייסמן), L/Cpl., PAL/23026, Royal Engineers
1039th Port Operating Company
Stalag 8B Teschen
8/19/41: Killed while attempting to escape
Born Bucharest, Rumania, 1/1/14
Mr. and Mrs. Itzhak David and Feige Weissman (parents), Tel-Aviv, Israel
Athens Memorial, Athens, Greece – Face 4 We Will Remember Them I – 274
German POW # 4875; POW List as “Weisman, A.”
So, here are all three parts of “F. J-n.” / Private Y.M. El-Jo’an’s story as published in Aufbau. Transcribed verbatim and presented in chronological order, each segment is followed by an English-language translation. Note that the first installment of the series is given a prominent “above the fold” presentation, but the last two parts are allocated to the newspaper’s last page.
Ich war ein Kriegsgefangener der Nazis October 15, 1943
Der Verfasser der folgenden Tagebuch blätter floh als ganz junger Mensch aus Hitler-Deutschland nach Palästina und wurde dort Mitglied einer Kwuzah. Bei Ausbruch des Krieges trat er als Freiwilliger in die britische Armee ein, in der er jetzt einen hohen Offiziersrang bekleidet. Während der Kämpfe in Griechenland geriet er in Nazi-Gefangenschaft, aus der er sich nach kurzer Zeit befreien konnte. Die Schilderung dieser Gefangenschaft und Flucht ist nicht allein als individuelles Schicksal interessant, sondern sie gibt auch Aufschluss über die Art, wie aus Deutschland stammende jüdische Soldaten der alliierten Armeen behandelt werden, wenn sie in Nazi-Gefangenschaft geraten.
Ende Mai war es, als man uns — endlich! — zum Verhör auf die Kommandantur brachte. In der Zwischenzeit hatte die Gestapo alle Dokumente, die sie über uns ehemalige deutsche Juden hatte, herbeigeschafft. Gemäss internationalen Recht sollte uns genau die gleiche Behandlung wie den britischen Gefangenen zuteil werden; dieses Recht wurde in der Weise umgangen, dass versucht wurde, uns nachzuweisen, dass wir uns in Deutschland vor der Flucht irgendwelcher Vergehen schuldig gemacht hatten. Einer der Gefangenen wurde unter Sonderarrest gesetzt, weil in den Gestapo-Akten verzeichnet war, dass er beim Verlassen Deutschlands die letzte Rate für eine gekaufte Schreibmaschine geblieben war. Dies ist ein Beispiel.
Mein Name wird aufgerufen. Ich trete in das Zimmer des Lagerkommandanten und salutiere. Er erwidert den Salut. Die strengen Blicke dreier deutscher Offiziere richten sich auf mich. Just in diesem Augenblick gewinne ich meine ganze Sicherheit wieder: Was kann mir schon Schlimmeres passieren, als dass man mich erschiesst! So muss man mit Deutschen reden.
‘‘Sie haben Eltern in Deutschland?” fragt der Kommandant scharf, ja drohend.
“Ja”, antworte ich ruhig.
“Sie haben ein deutsches Gymnasium absolviert?”
“Ja.”
“Sie kennen Deutschland?”
“Gewiss.”
“1938 hat der deutsche Konsul in Haifa Sie aufgefordert, sich zum Armeedienst zu stellen; wie kommt es, dass Sie als Freiwilliger in der britischen Armee gegen Deutschland gekämpft haben?”
“Weil Deutschland unser Feind ist; ich hasse meinen Feind!”
Wider Erwarten erhob sich der Offizier vom Stuhl, trat auf mich zu und klopfte mir auf die Schulter: “Sehr gut!”
Ich gestehe: aus mir sprach nicht allein verzweifelter Mut, sondern auch Erfahrung. Ich wusste bereits, dass diese Frage uns allen gestellt wird, und dass es das Beste sei, kurz angebunden und wahrhaft zu sein. Einige jüdische Soldaten aus Palästina hatten geantwortet, sie seien in die Armee eingetreten, weil sie arbeitslos waren. Sofort flogen sie zur Tür hinaus, wurden dort von der Wache mit Fusstritten behandelt und weiter befördert. Das gleiche passierte einem jüdischen Offizier, der in England der Armee beigetreten war. Er hatte die Frage mit “Konskription” beantwortet. Er flog alle Treppen hinunter und musste vom Platz getragen werden. Drei meiner Kameraden aus Ashdoth-Jaacov (Name einer Kwuzah in Palästina. D. Uebers.) S. und D. und R. gaben die gleiche Antwort wie ich und kamen glimpflich davon. Ich wurde also nicht hinausgeschmissen, sondern verlies erhobenen Hauptes das Kommandanturzimmer.
Vor dem Abtransport ins Reich
Wir hungerten sehr. Je zwölf von uns erhielten einen Laib Brot. Täglich wurden Tausend von uns aus dem Lager wegtransportiert. Unser Brigadier Plenigton liess uns, bevor man ihn wegtransportierte, den folgenden Befehl zugehen:
“Soldaten der britischen Armee, Australier und Neuseeländer! Euer Schicksal hat es gewollt, dass Ihr in Gefangenschaft geraten seid — für Kriegsdauer. Der Feind war uns an Zahl überlegen. Ihr werdet nun Deutschland mit eigenen Augen zu sehen bekommen. Vielleicht wird Euch vieles dort gefallen; doch hütet Euch vor jeder Beeinflussung. Es sind Gerüchte in Umlauf, dass am Ufer von Corinth unsere Unterseeboote warten, um flüchtige Gefangene aufzunehmen. Ich halte das für ausgeschlossen. Unser Schicksal ist besiegelt. Gefangenschaft.”
Die letzten Tausend zu denen auch ich gehörte, wurden am 9 Juni abtransportiert. Ich hatte wieder einen bösen Malaria-Anfall, und die Hitze war unerträglich. Nackt standen wir vor der Kommandantur. Unsere Kleider und Schuhe hatten wir zur Desinfektion abgeben müssen, jeder bekam einen Fetzen, wie ein Taschentuch gross, um seine Blösse zu bedeken. So schritten wir durch die Gässchen von Corinth zur See, um ein Reinigungsbad zu nehmen. Die Einwohner entsetzten sich, als sie diesen von bewaffneten Deutschen flankierten Zug der Nackten erblickten; sie stürmten, ständig sich bekreuzigend, in die Häuser. Wir aber vergassen, dass wir nackt waren: endlich aus der Baracke heraus und frei marschieren dürfen! Wir vergangen, dass wir bewacht wurden, stürzten in die Gemüsegärten, gruben mit den Fingern die Rüben und Gurken heraus und assen sie mit der Gartenerde. Endlich wieder sich den Magen füllen können, gleichgültig mit was! Schliesslich wurden wir von der aufgeregten Wache wieder zu einem Zug zusammengeprügelt und zum Strand gebracht. Dort wurden wir mit Karbol bespritzt, und die unbarmherzige Sonne briet unsere Haut. Doch als wir endlich in der See “frei” schwimmen durften, vergassen wir alle Not. Wir schrien vor Lust.
Auf dem Rückwege marterte uns wieder der Gedanke: Gefangenschaft. Wir blickten sehnsüchtig zum Meer zurück, das uns mit den Ufern Erez Israels verbindet. Und morgen geht’s nach Deutschland. Bei mir stand der Entschluss fest: Ich werde fliehen. Ich habe meinem Mädel — im Lande dort — versprochen wiederzukommen, ich werde mein Versprechen halten!
Wir beschliessen die Flucht
Die letzte Nacht verbrachten wir im Hofe vor der Kommandantur. Von Corinth her knallten in regelmässigen Abständen Salven. Wer waren die Opfer? Aus unserer Mitte wurden die Kranken und Schwachen ausgesondert und weggebracht. Wir haben sie nie wieder gesehen. Wenige nur hatten sich krank gemeldet, jeder wollte bei den “Seinen” bleiben. Ich und Sch., ein Jugendlicher aus Kfar-Jehoschua, und die vier Brüder S. aus Petach-Tikvah beschlossen, zusammenzuhalten und nach Fluchtmöglichkeiten Ausschau zu halten. Unsere Wasser flaschen sollten immer gefüllt sein und unsere Eiserne Ration, bestehend aus drei Schachteln Biscuit und Kränzen getrockneter Feigen, durfte bis zur Flucht nicht angerührt werden. Mich quälte es, dass ich keine Chinin-Tabletten mehr hatte, denn jeden Tag konnte sich eine Malaria-Attacke einstellen. Das griechische Wörterbuch “Anu Nachsuy arzah” hegte ich wie ein Kind.
Bei Morgengrauen brachen wir auf: tausend Mann in Dreier-Reihen. Wir sangen: “Anu nachasor arzah — libnoth ulebaloth bah” (Wir werden ins Land zurückkehren, es aufzubauen und zu bewohnen). Unsere Stimmen waren die von Verhungernden, doch sie klangen trotzig, ja mutig. Die Häuser von Corinth antworteten uns im Widerhall, die Einwohner rissen Fenster und Türen auf, um uns ein “Victory” – Zeichen zuzuwinken. Wir marschierten wie Sieger, während die Nazi-Wache die Geschäftigkeit nervöser Büffel zeigte und zwangsweise zum Takt unseres Liedes marschieren musste. So sahen uns die Einwohner von Corinth zum letzten Male.
Ein kleines Automobil flog an uns vorbei. Es trug in gotischen Buchstaben die Aufschrift: “Deutsches Konsulat, Kalamata.” Ja, Kalamata war die Stadt, wo wir die britische Flotte vergeblich erwartet hatten — just in der Nacht, da wir palästinensischen Jungens die Deutschen aus dem Ort vertrieben hatten. Das hatte unser Los besiegelt. Oft seither träumte ich, dass vor Kalamata drei Panzerschiffe halten, um uns aufzunehmen.
Durch aufgerissene Strassen, an zerstörten Häusern und niedergebrannten Stadtvierteln vorbei, marschieren wir. Durch Wiesen, Felder und Gärten marschieren wir. “Nach Deutschland” — denken die meisten, ich und Sch. neben mir jedoch denken: in die Freiheit. Heute schon oder morgen wollen wir es versuchen. Unsere Blicke wärmen sich aneinander. Die anderen merken es uns an. Einer der vier Brüder S. flüstert mir zu: “Auch wir sind entschlossen. In Bulgarien oder Rumänien brennen wir durch und schlagen uns von dort nach Russland.” “Meine besten Wünsche”, antworte ich; ‘‘ich bin sicher, es wird euch gelingen. Wir aber machen es schon in Griechenland.”
Hakenkreuz über der Akropolis
In Isthmia am Isthmus werden wir verladen: je 50 Mann in einen Viehwagen. Griechische Frauen sind eifrig bemüht, uns frisches Wasser heranzubringen, unsere Flaschen zu füllen. Es wird aber nicht gewartet, bis alle versorgt sind, man stösst, quetscht uns in die Wagen. Die Hälfte kann sitzen, die andere Hälfte muss stehen. Wie der Zug sich in Bewegung setzt, werden die Türen zugemacht, ein Riegel wird draussen vorgeschoben, doch eine Türspalte bleibt offen, durch die etwas Licht und Luft eindringt. Diese Spalte muss fur uns breiter werden!
Nahe einer Schule halten war. Es ist Unterrichtspause. Die Kinder rufen uns mit hellen Stimmen Grusse zu, auch rufen sie: “Kerenda Mussolini!” Ja, das griechische Volk ist mit uns, das wird unsern Fluchtplan fördern. Man lässt uns aussteigen, wir werden in den Hof einer Kaserne gebracht. Wir merken jetzt: Wir sind in Athen. Wir sind an der gleichen Stelle, von der wir zum Kampf gegen die Deutschen ausgerückt waren. Jetzt aber weht von der Akropolis eine riesige Hakenkreuzfahne.
Wir haben seit einer Woche kaum etwas zu essen bekommen. Jetzt werden jedem Gefangenen ein Stückchen Käse und zwei Biscuits ausgehändigt, das soll für zwei Tage langen. Wann wird das ständige Hungergefühl, ein Ende haben?
Osterreichisch Artilleristen betreten den Hof, lassen sich mit uns in ein Gespräch ein: “Ja, wir können in Deutschland Fachleute gut gebrauchen”, sagt einer. “Ich bin Landwirt”, wehre ich ab. “Auch gut”, fährt er fort. “Auf meinem Hof arbeiten zwei Franzosen und ein Pole, es wird noch Platz sein für einen Engländer. Seien Sie froh, für Sie ist der Krieg zu Ende.”
Grüsse für zuhause
Die Kameraden wissen, was ich im Schilde führe. Sie schleichen sich einzeln zu mir und tragen mir Grüsse für Frau und Kinder auf. D. aus Petach Tickwah händigt mir zwei goldene Manschettenknöpfe ein: “Nutze sie auf deinem Wege auf die beste Art! Sag meiner Freundin, dass ich alles Schwere, was immer es sein mag, ertragen werde, denn ich gebe die Hoffnung nicht auf, sie wieder zu sehen.” Sch. vom Ohel-Theater in Tel-Aviv trägt mir einen Gruss an seine Frau und seinen “Dreikäsehoch” auf. “Du siehst ein bisschen verrückt aus”, witzelt er. “Ich habe meinem Mädel versprochen zurückzukommen; ich muss Wort halten”, murmele ich. “Wir sind verrückt, die wir uns wie Schafe zur Schlachtbank treiben lassen”, gibt er schliesslich zu.
Ein baumlanger Nazi donnert durch den Hof: “Sammeln! Und ohne jüdische Nervosität!”
Wie viele Juden hast du in deinem Deutschland schon gequält und getötet, du Nazihund! denke ich bei mir. Von da her kennst du die jüdische Nervosität. Ich habe sie nicht mehr, mich hat Palästina abgehärtet. Wenn wir uns einmal Auge in Auge gegenüberstehen werden, du Missgeburt, wirst du es sein, der von Nazi-Nervosität geschüttelt werden wird”.
Der erste Fluchtversuch
Wieder auf dem Bahnhof von Athen. Je 50 Mann weiden in einen Viehwagen gepresst. Ich und Sch. nehmen abermals den Platz an der Türspalte ein. Man überlässt ihn uns gern. Auf dem ersten und dem letzten Wagen des Zuges sind Maschinengewehre montiert, in jedem zweiten Wagen sitzt auf einer Kiste ein Nazi mit Gewehr und Revolver. “Wir versuchen es im ersten Tunnel”, flüstere ich Sch. zu. Während der Zug langsam durch die Vorstädte fährt, säumen die Bewohner, in der Mehrzahl Frauen, Mädchen und Kinder, das Geleise zu beiden Seiten, rufen uns ermutigende Wort zu, machen das Victory-Zeichen. Die verärgerten Nazis lassen die Maschinengewehre knallen, doch das schreckt die Athener nicht. Wir strecken unsere Arme durch die Türspalte, rufen und singen, vergessen für eine Weile unsern Hunger. Zur Strafe wird nun auch die schmale Türspalte geschlossen. Die Enge ist unerträglich, die Luft zum Ersticken. Viel später erst wird die Spalte wieder geöffnet, wir fahren an Flugfeldern vorbei; Flugzeuge brennen, Tanks liegen verendet auf den Wegen. Wege und Brücken sind stark bewacht. Man traut den Griechen nicht; das aber macht die Ausführung unseres Planes schwerer als wir es uns dachten. Die Nacht bricht an, es ist starkes Mondlicht. Das ist gut, denke ich mir; wenn der Mond auf der einen Seite scheint, springen wir auf der anderen Seite ab. Es ist abgemacht, dass ich als erster abspringe. Sch. wirft mir das Säckchen zu und springt nach mir. Verlieren wir uns, stosse ich drei Schakalrufe aus, Sch. antwortet mit dem gleichen Signal. Sind wir aber zu weit auseinandergekommen, so treffen wir uns am Morgen vor der Kirche des nächsten Dorfes.
(Wird fortgesetzt)
____________________
I Was a Prisoner of War of The Nazis October 15, 1943
The author of the following diary pages fled as a very young man from Nazi Germany to Palestine and became a member of kvutzah [kibbutz]. When war broke out, he joined the British army as a volunteer, in which he now occupies a high officer’s rank. During the fighting in Greece he fell into Nazi captivity, from which he was able to free himself after a short time. The description of this captivity and escape is interesting not only as an individual fate, but it is also indicative of the way Jewish soldiers of the Allied armies coming from Germany are handled when they fall into Nazi captivity.
It was at the end of May, when we arrived – finally! – brought to the headquarters for interrogation. In the meantime the Gestapo had all the documents brought in, that they had about us former German Jews. According to international law, we should receive exactly the same treatment as the British prisoners; this law was bypassed in an attempt to prove to us that we were guilty of escaping any misdemeanor in Germany. One of the prisoners was placed under special arrest because it was listed in the Gestapo files, that the last payment remained on a typewriter purchased when leaving Germany. This is an example.
My name is called. I step into the room of the camp commandant and salute. He returns the salute. The strict glances of three German officers are directed at me. Just at that moment, I regain all my confidence: What possibly worse can happen to me, than being shot! So, you have to talk to Germans.
“Do you have parents in Germany?” asks the Commandant sharply, even threateningly.
“Yes,” I answer calmly.
“You graduated from a German high school?”
“Yes.”
“You know Germany?”
“Certainly.”
“In 1938 the German consul in Haifa asked you to join the army service; how is it that as a volunteer in the British army you fought against Germany?”
“Because Germany is our enemy; I hate my enemy!”
Contrary to expectations, the officer rose from his chair, came up to me and patted me on the shoulder: “Very good!”
I confess: that not only desperate courage but also experience spoke to me. I already knew, that this question is asked of all of us, and that it is best, to be short and to be true. Some Jewish soldiers from Palestine had replied, that they had joined the army, because they were unemployed. Immediately they flew out the door, were treated there with footsteps by the guard and further “promoted”. The same happened to a Jewish officer, who had joined the army in England. He had answered the question with “Conscription”. He flew down all the stairs and had to be carried off the square. Three of my comrades from Ashdoth-Ya’akov (name of a kvutzah in Palestine, D. Uebers.) S. and D. and R. gave the same answer as me and got off lightly. So I was not thrown out, but left the commandant’s room with head held high.
Before Transport to the Reich
We were very hungry. The twelve of us were given a loaf of bread. Every day, thousands of us were taken away from the camp. Our brigadier Plenigton sent us the following order, before being transported away:
“Soldiers of the British Army, Australians and New Zealanders! Your fate has willed it that you are in captivity – for the war period. The enemy was superior to us in numbers. You will now see Germany with your own eyes. Maybe you will like a lot there; but beware of any influence. There are rumors circulating that on the shores of Corinth our submarines are waiting to pick up fleeing prisoners. I think that is out of the question. Our fate is sealed. Captivity.”
The last thousand to which I belonged, were transported on 9 June [1941]. I had another bad attack of malaria, and the heat was unbearable. We stood in front of headquarters naked. We had to hand over our clothes and shoes for disinfection; everyone got a rag, like a large handkerchief, to cover his nakedness. So we walked through the streets of Corinth to the sea to take a cleaning. The inhabitants were horrified when they saw this train of naked men, flanked by armed Germans; they stormed into the houses, constantly crossing each other. But we forgot that we were naked: finally out of the barracks out and allowed to march freely! We passed that we were guarded, rushed into the vegetable gardens, dug out the turnips and cucumbers with the fingers, and ate them with the garden soil. Finally to be able to fill your stomach again, no matter what! Finally, we were beaten up again by the excited guards to a train and taken to the beach. There we were splashed with carbolic, and the merciless sun roasted our skin. But when we finally were allowed to swim “freely” in the sea, we forgot all hardship. We shouted for joy.
On the way back we were tortured again by the thought: imprisonment. We looked back longingly to the sea, which connects us to the banks of the Land of Israel. And tomorrow we go to Germany. The decision was made for me: I will flee. I promised my girl – back home – I will keep my promise!
We Decide to Escape
The last night we spent in the courtyard in front of headquarters. From Corinth burst salvos at regular intervals. Who were the victims? From our midst the sick and the weak were separated and taken away. We never saw them again. Few people had called in sick; everyone wanted to remain with “his”. I and Sh., a youth from Kfar-Yehoshua, and the four brothers S. from Petach-Tikvah decided to stick together and look for escape opportunities. Our water bottles should always be filled, and our iron ration, consisting of three boxes of biscuits and wreaths of dried figs, was not to be touched until the flight. It tormented me, that I did not have any quinine tablets any more, because every day a malaria attack could set in. The Greek dictionary “Anu Nachsuy arzah” I cherished as a child.
At dawn we started: a thousand men in rows of three. We sang: “Anu nachasor arzah – libnoth ulebaloth bah.” (We will return to the land to build and inhabit it.) Our voices were those of starving people, but they sounded defiant, even courageous. The houses of Corinth responded to us, the inhabitants broke open windows and doors, to wave a “Victory” sign to us. We marched as victors, while the Nazi guard showed the activity of nervous buffalo and was forced to march to the beat of our song. So we saw the people of Corinth for the last time.
A small automobile flew past us. It bore in Gothic letters the inscription: “German Consulate, Kalamata.” Yes, Kalamata was the city where we had waited in vain for the British fleet – just at night, when we Palestinian boys drove the Germans out of the village. That had sealed our lot. Many times since then I dreamed that three battleships are stopping before Kalamata to receive us.
We are marching through torn-up streets, past destroyed houses and burnt-down neighborhoods. Through meadows, fields and gardens we march. “To Germany” – think most, me and Sch. thinking next to me: into freedom. Today or tomorrow we want to try it. Our eyes warm each other. The others notice us. One of the four S. brothers whispers to me: “We are also determined. In Bulgaria or Romania, we burn through and beat ourselves from there to Russia.” “My best wishes,” I reply; ‘‘I am sure you will succeed. But we already do it in Greece.”
Swastika on the Acropolis
In Isthmia on the isthmus we are loaded: 50 men in each cattle car. Greek women are eager to bring us fresh water; to fill our bottles. But it is not waited until all are supplied; you push; squeezes us in the car. Half can sit; the other half must stand. As the train begins to move, the doors are closed, a bolt is pushed out, but a door gap remains open through which some light and air penetrate. This crack must be wider for us!
A school was holding [class] near us. It is class break. The children greet us with bright voices, they also shout: “Kerenda Mussolini!” Yes, the Greek people are with us, that will promote our escape plan. We are dropped off, we are brought into the yard of a barracks. We now note: we are in Athens. We are in the same place from which we were debarked to fight the Germans. But now blowing from the Acropolis a huge swastika flag.
We have hardly had anything to eat for a week. Now, each prisoner is given a piece of cheese and two biscuits, which will last for two days. When will the constant feeling of hunger come to an end?
Austrian artillerymen enter the yard; engage in a conversation with us: “Yes, we can make good use of experts in Germany,” says one. “I am a farmer”, I refuse. “Also good,” he continues. “On my farm there are working two Frenchmen and a Pole, there will still be room for an Englishman. Be glad, the war is over for you.”
Greetings for Home
The comrades know what I’m up to. They sneak up to me individually and give me greetings for wife and children. D. from Peta Tikva handed me two gold cufflinks: “Use them on your way in the best manner! Tell my girlfriend that I will endure all hardship, whatever it may be, because I will not give up hope to see her again.” Sch. from the Ohel Theater in Tel-Aviv gives me a greeting to his wife and his “Drei Käse Hoch”. “You look a bit crazy,” he jokes. “I promised my girl to come back; I have to keep my word,” I mutter. “We are crazy, we drive like sheep to the slaughter,” he finally admits.
A skinny Nazi thunders through the yard: “Gather! And without Jewish nervousness!”
“How many Jews have you already tormented and killed in your Germany, you Nazi dog!”, I think to myself. From there you know the Jewish nervousness. I no longer have it; Palestine hardened me. When we meet face to face, you freak, it will be you who will be shaken by Nazi nervousness.”
The First Escape Attempt
Back at the station of Athens. 50 men pressed in every cattle car. Sch and I take the place again at the the door crack. You leave it to us. Machine guns are mounted on the first and last cars of the train; in every second car sitting on a box a Nazi with rifle and revolver. “We try in the first tunnel,” I whisper to Sch. As the train slowly drives through the suburbs, the inhabitants, mostly women, girls and children, line the tracks on both sides, calling encouraging words, making the victory sign. The angry Nazis crack the machine guns, but that does not scare the Athenians. We stretch our arms through the crack in the door, shout and sing, forget our hunger for a while. As a punishment, the narrow doorway is now closed. The narrowness is unbearable; the air suffocating. Much later, the crack is opened again; we drive past airfields; burning aircraft; destroyed tanks lying on the roads. Paths and bridges are heavily guarded. One does not trust the Greeks; but that makes the execution of our plan harder than we thought it would be. The night is breaking, it’s strong moonlight. That’s good, I think; when the moon shines on one side, we jump on the other side. It’s settled that I’ll jump first. Sch. throws me the little bag and jumps after me. If we lose ourselves, I’ll make three jackal calls, Sch. responds with the same signal. But if we have come too far apart, we meet in the morning in front of the church of the next village.
(To be continued)
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
Ich war ein Kriegsgefangener der Nazis October 22, 1943
In unserem Artikel in der vorigen Nummer wurde berichtet, wie ein in Deutschland geborener Palästinenser, der in der britischen Armee diente, von den Nazis gefangen genommen wird und nach Deutshland abtransportiert werden soll. Im ersten Artikel beschrieb er das Verhör vor Nazi- Offizieren, die Behandlung der Gefangenen, die Reise im Viehwagen durch Griechenland und seinen ersten missglückten Fluchtversuch.
II.
Einer schaffts
Bei der ersten Weg krümmung strecke ich die Hand heraus, um den Riegel zurückzuschieben und drücke dabei den Körper nach. Da schiesst man auch schon. Auf der nächsten Haltestelle betritt eine Wache unsern Wagen. Wer war es gewesen? Wir stellen uns alle schlafend; doch als die Wache den Wagen verlässt, setzt es Vorwürfe von allen Seiten: Um der Verrücktheit des Einen willen dürfen licht alle gefährdet werden! Jetzt dringt Geschrei aus dem benachbarten Wagen. Dort hat einer Magenkrämpfe. Seit Athen hat man uns keine Gelegenheit gegeben, unsere Bedürfnisse zu verrichten. Jetzt schreien auch andere. Hier eröffnet sich eine Möglichkeit…, denke ich mir. Endlich wird der Zug zum Halten gebracht, man erlaubt uns, in kleinen Gruppen auszusteigen. Nein, da ist keine Fluchtmöglichkeit. Doch ich sollte beschämt werden: Als der Zug sich schon weiter bewegte und die wenigen Gefangenen draussen brutal in die Wagen zurückgestossen wurden, fiel es einem ein, sich eine Zigarette anzuzünden. Er hielt das Streichholz so, dass es dem Nazi für eine Sekunde die Augen blendete. Diese Sekunde benützte er, um zu verschwinden. Wie aber verschwand er? Plötzlich war er selber wie ein Zündholz erloschen. Es war uns allen ein Rätsel. Später einmal traf ich ihn in Corditza, und da erzählte er mir, er sei einfach durch die Räder zwischen die Schienen geschlüpft, habe sich längelang ausgestreckt, bis der ganze Zug über ihn hinweggefahren war. Ja, so war er: ein geborener Palästinenser, ein “Sabre” (hartes, Palästina eigentümliches Kaktus-Gewächs; Bezeichnung für das unverwüstliche Landeskind).
Als der Zug den ersten Tunnel passierte, machte ich abermals einen Versuch herunterzuspringen; auch diesmal wurde ich bemerkt, Sch. zog mich in den Wagen zurück. Ich war sehr enttäuscht, denn bald kamen wir in das Flachland hinter Larissa, wo die Möglichkeit zu einer Flucht stark gemindert war. Müdigkeit übermannte mich nach all der Anspannung. Die meisten Insassen waren krank nach der ganztägigen Fahrt im überfüllten Viehwagen. An der Haltestelle Gradia stiegen wir aus: Wir durften marschieren. Wie das gut tat! Doch, ach, wie weh das tat, als wir viele, viele Stunden lang auf steinigen Wegen über das Massiv der Termopylen marschieren mussten. Eine wundervolle Landschaft! Auf jenem hohen Pass, den wir bald betreten werden, hat, 480 Jahre v. Chr. Leonidas mit dreihundert Spartanern Xerxes. Riesenheer aufgehalten. Man kann nur mit schmerzenden Augen in die Landschaft sehen, nur mit schmerzendem Kopf an ihre grosse Geschichte denken. Hätte man uns Palästinenser an dieser Stelle eingesetzt, wir hätten wie Leonidas gekämpft; jetzt führt man uns, stösst man uns mit Gewehrkolben durch den Termopylenpass in die Gefangenschaft nach Deutschland. Ja, man stösst uns; denn die Nazi- Wachmannschaft fühlt sich in dieser Einsamkeit, fern von einer Militärbasis, nicht ganz wohl. Rennen müssen wir, schnell, schnell!
Vor dem ersten Dorf jenseits des Passes kommen uns die Bauern entgegen und helfen uns die Packe tragen. Manche von uns haben nichts mehr von ihren Sachen, sie hatten in ihrer Müdigkeit alles auf dem Wege von sich geworfen. Wir dürfen rasten. Wenn wir uns hinlegen, zittern unsere Knie. Wir sind auf einer Bergspitze. Eine deutsche Aufschrift am Wege lautet: “Vorsicht! 18 Kilometer bergab.”
Zweiter Fluchtversuch
Ich gebrauche die Ausrede, dass ich ein Bedürfnis verrichten will, gehe seitwärts und beschliesse, den abschüssigen Hang hinunterzurollen. Sch. schleicht mir nach, will das gleiche tun. Schon aber steht ein deutscher Soldat an meiner Seite. Ich flüstere Sch. zu: “Ich versuche es bei der nächsten Krümmung des Weges, du hinter mir. Die erste Wache wird uns nicht mehr, die zweite noch nicht sehen.”
Wie gesagt, so getan. Ich springe, verschwinde in einem Graben; Sch. und einige andere folgten meinem Beispiel. Diese anderen verdarben uns den Brei. Denn durch sie, die spontan und ohne Ueberlegung und Vorsicht handelten, wurde die Aufmerksamkeit der Wache auf uns gelenkt. Ein Soldat schrie: “Herr Leutnant, es ist was passiert!’’ Der Leutnant und einige seiner Leute umzingelten mit gestreckter Waffe den Graben; bis aber die Aktion durchgeführt werden konnte, hatten die meisten von uns Zeit in die Reihen zurück zuschleichen. Die Nazis schössen in den Graben hinein, brachten einige Flüchtlinge mit Kolbenstössen zuruck. Zwei fehlten. Waren sie von den Kugeln getroffen worden?
Jetzt ist die Stimmimg unter den Kameraden einheitlich gegen uns. Man hetzt gegen uns, doch man verrät uns nicht der untersuchenden Wachmannschaft. Sch. flüstert mir zu, ich dürfe nicht mehr auf ihn rechnen, er sei mit seinen Nerven zu Ende. Schliesslich wolle er noch einmal sein Mädchen wiedersehen. Dann mache ich’s allein, erwiderte ich ihm; auch ich will meine Geliebte wiedersehen.
Wir marschieren, marschieren; es ist keine Kraft mehr in uns, automatisch tun die Beine ihren Dienst. Auch die Wachmannschaft ist vollkommen erschöpft. Wir haben die Thermopylen bereits hinter uns und bewegen uns auf Lamia zu. Auf dem Bahnhof angelangt, sinken wir wie leere Säcke zu Boden. Doch nein, auf müssen wir und schnell in die Wagen hinein je 50 in einen Viehwagen. Wir bilden alle einen einzigen verworrenen Knäuel. Ich habe mir meinen Platz an der Türspalte zu wahren gewusst.
Frei!
Jetzt fahren wir über eine Brücke. Ist das Wasser tief genug? Kann man springen? — geht es mir durch den Kopf. Ich warte nicht, bis ich mir selbst eine Antwort gegeben habe. Riegel weg, Tür auf und an das Geländer gesprungen! Die ersten Schüsse knallen. Ich schwinge mich über das Geländer und springe. Ja, das Wasser war tief genug. Ich bleibe unter der Fläche, solange mein Atem es verträgt, dann tauche ich auf: der Zug ist über die Brücke hinweg und fährt in seinem normalen Tempo weiter. Wahrscheinlich hat man mich nicht wieder auftauchen gesehen. Ich bin ein freier Mann!
Ich schwimme zum Ufer zurück, strecke mich hin und trockne in der Sonne. Ich sollte eigentlich ein Versteck suchen, doch ich bin zu müde dazu. Ich liege zwischen hohen Weiden, ich entwerfe einen Plan für weitere Handlungen. Ich bin jetzt meine eigene Armee und mein eigener Kommandant. Ich unterstehe keinem Gesetz ausser dem meines Gewissens; ich werde stehlen, wenn nötig rauben, um mich in der Freiheit zu behaupten. Mir ist gut. Nur tut mir Sch. leid. Er ist ein feiner Kerl.
Ich hole meine Eiserne Ration hervor; es ist alles durchnässt, die Feigen schmecken trotzdem gut. Die Nacht ist angebrochen, Schlaf will mich übermannen, ich kämpfe mit allen Kräften dagegen. Die Nacht ist die Wanderzeit für den Flüchtling. Bis zum Morgen muss ich aus der Zone von Lamia heraus sein. Ich wandere zurück zu den Thermopylen — quer durch Weingärten und Felder und längs enger Stege. Alles kann Gefahr bedeuten, jeden darfst du verdächtigen, sage ich mir. Irgendwo werde ich eindringen und mir zivile Kleider verschaffen, in meiner britischen Uniform darf ich nicht mehr gesehen werden. Nach mehreren Stunden Wanderung falle ich entkräftet hin. Mosquitos peinigen mich, doch ich habe nicht die Kraft, sie abzuwehren. Ich sinke in Schlaf.
(Schluss folgt)
____________________
I Was a Prisoner of War of The Nazis October 22, 1943
In our article in the previous issue, it was reported how a German-born Palestinian serving in the British Army was captured by the Nazis and was to be transported to Germany. In the first article he described the interrogation before Nazi officers, the treatment of prisoners, the journey in the cattle car through Greece and his first unsuccessful escape attempt.
II.
One [Escape Attempt] Is Made
At the curve of the route, I stretch my hand out to push back the latch, while pushing the body forward. [There are already shots.] At the next stop, a guard enters our car. Who was it? We all go to sleep; but when the guard leaves the car, reproaches from all sides: For the sake of the madness of one, all will be endangered! Now shouting comes from the neighboring car. There are stomach cramps. Since Athens we have been given no opportunity to meet our needs. Now others are screaming too. This opens up a possibility…, I think. Finally the train is stopped, we are allowed to get off in small groups. No, there is no escape. But I should be ashamed: As the train moved on and the few prisoners outside were brutally pushed back into the cars, it occurred to one to light a cigarette. He held the match in such a way that it blinded the Nazi for a second. He used that second to disappear. But how did he disappear? Suddenly he was extinguished like a match. It was a mystery to all of us. Later, I met him in Corditza, and he told me that he had simply slipped through the wheels between the rails, stretching himself out for a long time, until the whole train had passed over him. Yes, that’s how he was: a born Palestinian, a “Sabra” (a tough, peculiar Palestinian cactus plant; a nickname for the indestructible child of the land).
As the train passed the first tunnel, I made another attempt to jump off; I was also noticed this time, Sch. pulled me back in the car. I was very disappointed, because soon we came to the plain behind Larissa, where the possibility of an escape was greatly reduced. Fatigue overwhelmed me after all the tension. Most of the inmates were ill after the full day’s journey in the crowded cattle car. At the Gradia station we got out: we were allowed to march. How that did good! But, alas, how much it hurt when we had to walk for many, many hours on rocky paths over the massif of Thermopylae. A wonderful landscape! On that high pass, which we will soon enter, 480 years before Christ Leonidas stopped Xerxes’ giant army with three hundred Spartans. One can only look with aching eyes into the landscape, only think of their great story with an aching head. If Palestinians had been used here, we would have fought like Leonidas; now they lead us, they push us with rifle butts through the pass of pass of Thermopylae into German captivity. Yes, they push us; because the Nazi guards do not feel well in this solitude, far from a military base. We have to race, fast, fast!
In front of the first village on the other side of the pass, the farmers meet us and help us carry packs. Some of us have nothing left of their belongings; they had thrown everything off in their fatigue. We are allowed to rest. When we lie down, our knees are shaking. We are on a mountaintop. A German inscription on the way reads: “Caution! 18 kilometers downhill.”
Second Escape Attempt
I use the excuse that I want to do something; go sideways and decide, to roll down the steep slope. Sch. sneaking after me, wants to do the same. But a German soldier already stands by my side. I whisper to Sch.: “I will try at the next bend of the path, you behind me. The first guard will not be with us any more, the second will not yet see us.”
As I said, so is done. I jump; disappear in a ditch; Sch. and some others followed my example. These others spoiled the porridge. Because by those, who acted spontaneously and without thought and caution, the attention of the guard was directed to us. A soldier shouted, “Lieutenant, something has happened!” The lieutenant and some of his men surrounded the ditch with their weapons outstretched, but until the action could be carried out, most of us had time to sneak back into the ranks. The Nazis shot into the ditch, bringing back some fugitives with piston-like thrusts. Two were missing. Were they struck by the bullets?
Now the voice among the comrades is uniformly against us. One agitates against us, but we are not betrayed to the investigating guards. Sch. whispered to me, I should not count on him anymore; he was over his nerves. He wanted to finally to see his girl again. Then I’ll do it alone, I told him; I too want to see my beloved again.
We march, march; there is no power left in us, the legs automatically do their job. The guards are also completely exhausted. We already have Thermopylae behind us and are moving towards Lamia. Arriving at the station, we sink to the ground like empty sacks. But no, we have to quickly get into the cars, 50 in each cattle car. We all form a single tangled ball. I’ve been able to save my place at the door crack.
Free!
Now we drive over a bridge. Is the water deep enough? Can you jump? – it goes through my head. I will not wait until I have given myself an answer. The latch is off; open the door and jump to the railing! The first shots crack. I swing myself over the railing and jump. Yes, the water was deep enough. I stay under the surface as long as my breath can withstand it, then I emerge: the train is across the bridge and continues at its normal pace. I guess they did not see me resurface. I am a free man!
I swim back to the shore, stretch myself and dry in the sun. I should be looking for a hiding place, but I’m too tired. I lie between high pastures; I design a plan for further action. I am now my own army and my own commander. I am not subject to any law except that of my conscience; I will steal, rob if necessary, to maintain myself in freedom. I am good. Now my Sch. Is suffering. He is a fine fellow.
I bring out my Iron Ration; everything is soaked, but the figs taste good anyway. The night has come, sleep wants to overwhelm me, I fight against it with all my strength. The night is the walking time for the fugitive. I have to be out of the zone of Lamia by morning. I walk back to Thermopylae – across vineyards and fields and along narrow walkways. Everything can be dangerous, you can suspect anyone, I tell myself. I will enter somewhere and get civilian clothes; I can not be seen anymore in my British uniform. After several hours of hiking, I fall over exhausted. Mosquitoes torment me, but I do not have the strength to fight them off. I sink into sleep.
(Conclusion follows)
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
Ich war ein Kriegsgefangener der Nazis (Schluss)
Der Morgen danach October 29, 1943
Das Geräusch eines Motors weckt mich am Morgen. Das Klopfen eines Motors, der mit Ersatzmaterialien angetrieben wird. Ein deutscher Motor also. Und ich trage noch meine englische Uniform! Ich verkrieche mich, und obwohl ich am Verdursten bin, rühre ich mich nicht von der Stelle. Wieder sinke ich in Schlaf. Der Hall von Axtschlägen weckt mich. Ich richte mich auf, der Holzfäller erblickt mich, kommt unschlüssig auf mich zu. ‘‘Ich bin ein britischer Soldat, aus der Gefangenschaft entflohen”, sage ich in meinem Wörterbuch – Griechisch. Er hat mich verstanden, drückt mir fest die Hand, küsst mich. Er überlässt mir seinen Krug Wasser, etwas Wein und Brot; gibt mir zu verstehen, dass ich den Tag über hier bleiben müsse. Am Abend werde er kommen und mich holen.
Er kam mit seinem Esel. “Andaki”, flüstert er mir zu. Das heisst: “alles in Ordnung.” Er stülpt mir einen Riesen hut auf und wirft einen Shawl über meine Schulter, um die Uniform zu verdecken. Er geht voraus, ich in Sehweite hinter ihm. Wir machen einen Umweg durch das Dorf, gelangen durch Gärten und Hecken zu seinem Haus. Ein kleines Mädchen fasst meine Hand, ich spüre, wie ihr Herzchen in freudiger Erregung pocht. Es bringt mich ins Haus: Mutter und Kinder, sowie andere Familienmitglieder begrüssen mich herzlich. Er ist dunkel, der ganze grosse Raum wird von dem Lichtlein am Hausaltar schwach erhellt. Die Holzfällerfrau bringt einen alten schweien Stuhl heran, ladet mich zum Sitzen ein, und alle kauern auf der Diele um mich herum. Ein Mädchen zieht mir die Schuhe ab, wäscht und trocknet mir die Füsse. Ich bin verlegen, doch lasse ich es geschehen. Mir fällt ein: das war Tradition im alten Griechenland. Soll sich seither hier nichts geändert haben?
“Lechajim”
Der Bauer-Holzfäller tritt ein: freudig und stolz, dass ich mich in seinem Hause befinde. Er bringt Kuchen und Wein. Wir trinken. Mir fällt das nötige griechische Wort nicht ein, ich sage das hebräische “Lechajim” (Trinkgruss: “zum Leben”). Sie sprechen mir das Wort schlecht und recht nach, in der Meinung wohl, es sei der englische Trinkgruss. Die Bäuerin bringt Brot und warme Suppe. Obwohl die Suppe nur massig warm ist, brennt sie mir im Magen, der so lange schon nichts Warmes gespürt hat. Der Bauer schneidet das Brot, teilt jedem sein Stück zu: mir zuerst, dann der Bäuerin, dann den übrigen Familienmitgliedern. Nach dem Essen bringt er ein paar abgetragene Hosen und einen Rucksack. Er weist mir ein Holzgestell zum Schlafen an und verspricht mir, mich vor Morgengrauen zu wecken.
Als er mich weckt, springe ich erfrischt auf. Ich bin trunken vor Freude: ich bin ein freier Mann, habe Zivilkleider an, mich werden “sie” nicht kriegen. Die Bäuerin segnet mich, wünscht mir Schutz vor dem Antichrist, dem “Germanus”. Ich verneige mich tief und schreite los.
Ich schreite durch fruchtbares Gebirgsland. Bächlein rieseln. Alle 500 Schritte fülle ich meine Flasche neu. Ich bin wassertrunken, ich spiele mit Wasser. Ich erinnere mich, wie wir britische Soldaten in der lybischen Wüste nach Wasser vergebens lechzten. Ich esse von dem Brot und dem Käse, die mir von der Holz fäller-Familie als Wegzehrung mitgegeben worden waren. Ich brauche mir nicht mehr den Bissen von. Munde zu sparen. Arbeten werde ich — als Viehjunge oder un Stall, ich hab’s ja in Palastina gelernt – bis ich mich wieder zur Armee durchschlagen kann.
In Sicherheit
Durch Weingärten geht es. In einem sehe ich einen zerschmette_ten Junkers, einige Grabkreuze daneben: deutsche Namen und der Zusatz: “Gefallen für Grossdeutschland.” Mit “Deutschland erwache, Juda verrecke” hat es begonnen und mit “Gefallen” endet es.
Ich nähere mich einem Dorf. Dort sind Deutsche. Ich sehe Spuren von Autorädern, höre Hupen und Klingeln. Ich schlage einen aufwärts führenden Steg ein, verstecke mich nahe einem Brunnen mit Heiligenbild. Gegen meinen Willen schlafe ich ein. Als ich aufwache, kniet eine Frau vor dem Altar. Ich frage sie: “T’unoma hurian?” (Wie heisst das Dorf?) “Germanus messo?” (Sind Deutsche hier?) Sie erwidert mit einer Frage: “Ssiss stratiatus?” (Bist du Soldat?)
Als ich ihr sage, ich sei ein aus der Gefangenschaft entflohener britischer Soldat, eilt sie auf mich zu, drückt mir die Hände, weint, erzählt, ihr Mann und ihr Sohn seien in Albanien gefallen. Sie geht, kommt nach kurzer Zeit mit einem Esel zurück, gibt mir zu essen. Dann lässt sie mich aufsitzen und schreitet neben mir her. Aufwärts geht es. Sie lehnt entschieden ab, aufzusitzen und mich den Esel antreiben zu lassen. Sie bedeutet mir, ich brauche die Kraft gegen diesen verfluchten “Italius”. Ich blicke ins Dorf hinunter: im Zentrum flattert die Nazi-Fahne. Diesen Weg zurück werde ich nicht gehen – steht bei mir fest.
Immer aufwärts geht es durch Gärten und Tabakfelder. Plötzlich bietet sich ein schönes Bergdorf zwischen Obst- und Weingärten meinen Blicken dar. Die Frau weist auf eine Bergspitze, auf der ein Kloster — “Monastir” sagt sie — steht. Ich steige ab, atme froh die dünne Bergluft ein.
Einige Minuten später betreten meine Füsse den Boden des Bergdorfes “Ypati”. Gesegnet sei es.
F. J-n.
____________________
I Was a Prisoner of War of The Nazis (Conclusion) October 29, 1943
The sound of an engine wakes me in the morning. The knocking of a motor, powered by substitute materials. So, a German engine. And I still wear my English uniform! I crawl, and although I’m dying of thirst, I do not move. Again I fall asleep. The echo of an ax-strike awakens me. I sit up, the wood cutter sees me, comes hesitantly toward me. ‘‘I am a British soldier, escaped from captivity,” I say in my dictionary – Greek. He has understood me, presses my hand firmly, kisses me. He leaves me his jug of water, some wine and bread; gives me to understand that I have to stay here all day. In the evening he will come and get me.
He came with his donkey. “Andaki,” he whispers to me. That means “all right.” He puts on a giant hat and throws a shawl over my shoulder to cover the uniform. He goes ahead, I in sight behind him. We make a detour through the village, passing through gardens and hedges to his house. A little girl holds my hand; I feel her heart beating in joyful excitement. He brings me into the house: Mother and children, as well as other family members greet me warmly. It is dark, the whole big room is dimly lit by the little light at the family altar. The wood cutter’s wife pulls up an old sweaty chair, invites me to sit, and everyone in the hallway is huddled around me. A girl takes off my shoes; washes and dries my feet. I am embarrassed, but I let it happen. I remember: that was a tradition in ancient Greece. Should anything not have changed here since then?
“Lechaim”
The farmer-wood cutter enters: happy and proud that I am in his house. He brings cake and wine. We drink. I do not remember the necessary Greek word; I say the Hebrew “Lechaim” (drinking greeting: “to life”). The word is spoken to me badly and right after, in the sentiment probably, it is the English drinking greeting. The farmer’s wife brings bread and warm soup. Although the soup is just moderately warm, it burns in my stomach, which has not felt anything warm for so long. The farmer cuts the bread, distributing to each his piece: me first, then the farmer’s wife, then the other family members. After dinner, he brings a pair of worn pants and a backpack. He instructs me to sleep on a wooden frame and promises to wake me up before dawn.
When he wakes me, I jump up refreshed. I am drunk with joy: I am a free man, have on civilian clothes, “they” will not get me. The farmer’s wife blesses me, wishing me protection from the Antichrist, the “Germanus”. I bow deeply and start walking.
I walk through fertile mountain land. Trickling brooks. Every 500 steps, I refill my bottle. I drink water; I’m drunk on water. I remember how, as thirsting British soldiers we craved in vain for water in the Libyan desert. I eat the bread and cheese that I got from the wood cutter’s family as a treat for the way. I do not need the bite of it. To save money. I will work – as a cattle boy or in a stable; I learned it in Palestine – until I can make my way back to the army.
In Safety
I go through vineyards. In one I see a smashed Junkers, some grave crosses next to it: German names and the addition: “Fallen for Grossdeutschland.” It started with “Germany awake, Judah perish” and ends with “Fallen”.
I’m approaching a village. There are Germans. I see traces of car wheels, hear horns and ringing. I strike an up-leading footbridge, hide myself near a fountain with a holy image. Against my will I fall asleep. When I wake up, a woman kneels before the altar. I ask her: “T’unoma hurian?” (What’s the name of the village?) “Germanus messo?” (Are Germans here?) She replies with a question: “Ssiss stratiatus?” (Are you a soldier?)
When I tell her that I am a British soldier escaped from imprisonment, she rushes towards me, shaking my hands, crying, telling me that her husband and son have died in Albania. She leaves, comes back after a short time with a donkey, gives me food. Then she lets me sit up and walks next to me. It goes uphill. She resolutely refuses to sit, and let me drive the donkey. It means to me, I need the strength against this accursed “Italius”. I look down into the village: in the center the Nazi flag flutters. I will not go back this way – I am sure.
It always goes uphill through gardens and tobacco fields. Suddenly, my view of a beautiful mountain village between orchards and vineyards. The woman points to a mountain top on which is a monastery – “Monastir” she says – stands. I climb off, breathe in the thin mountain air.
A few minutes later my feet enter the bottom of the mountain village “Ypati”. Blessed be it.
“Gelber 1984” – Gelber, Yoav, Jewish Palestinian Volunteering in the British Army During the Second World War – Volume IV – Jewish Volunteers in British Forces, World War II, Yav Izhak Ben-Zvi Publications, Jerusalem, Israel, 1984
“We Will Remember Them I” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Gerald Smith, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, Brassey’s, London, England, 1989 “We Will Remember Them II” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Hilary Halter, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945 – An Addendum, AJEX, London, England, 1994
Prisoners of War – Armies and Other Land Forces of The British Empire, 1939-1945 (“All Lists Corrected Generally Up to 30th March 1945″), J.B. Hayward & Son, in Association with The Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books, Polstead, Suffolk, England, 1990 (First published in 1945 by His Majesty’s Stationary Office)
More names of fallen soldiers will appear in future posts – covering men of the Palestine Regiment who died on active service prior to the Brigade’s establishment in September of 1944, and, Brigade members who died after the war’s end on May 8 (or May 9, if you prefer) 1945.
However, this post presents names of Brigade soldiers in another context: Men who received military awards, but who were not casualties. As you can see from the records below – primarily derived from an article in The Palestine Post of June 10, 1946, Volume II of Henry Morris’ We Will Remember Them (1994), and to a minor extent The Jewish Chronicle – the majority of these awards are in the category of Mentioned in Despatches (Mid), and secondarily, the Military Medal (MM). Other awards include the Africa Star, British Empire Medal (BEM), Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), and Military Cross (MC). Unfortunately, none of the above-mentioned references actually included the citations for these awards, which I assume would be available (where, I don’t know) at The National Archives.
And so, the names…
Abeles, L., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Appell, E., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Appell, H., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Bachar, M., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Bagadi, K., Sapper, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Bauro, H.H., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Ben Artzi / Ben Azri, Ephraim, Major, 239824, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 57
Berman, H., Lt. 282466, Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Gazette; Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 58
Casper, Bernard Moses, Captain (Senior Chaplain), Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 61
Cornfeld / Cornfield, M., Major, Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Gazette; Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 63
Dab, Jacob, Pvt., Military Medal Tel Aviv, Israel Jewish Chronicle 11/6/42; We Will Remember Them II – 64
David, M., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Doppelt, C., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Epstein, M., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Eshell, Y.A., Lance Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Even, I., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Feldman, A., Sgt., Royal Engineers, Mentioned in Despatches 6/1/44 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 66
Fichman, Leib, Pvt., British Empire Medal 1/31/46 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 66
Flaker, N., Sapper, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Frank, B., Sgt., Mentioned in Despatches 7/19/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 67
Friedberg, Julius, Captain, Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Gazette; Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 67
Friedenthal, Jonathan, Lt., Military Cross 12/12/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 068
Fruchter, I., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Gelber, I., WO 1C, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Goldfarb, _____, CSMA, Royal Engineers, Mentioned in Despatches 1/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 70
Goldsmith, Uri, Pvt., Bren-Gunner, Military Medal Born 1922 From Bat Galim, Israel Palestine Post 7/13/45
Grossman, H. (or, “R. Grossman”), Private or Lieutenant, Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Gazette; Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 71
Gurari, G.M., WO 2C, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Haddad, N., L/Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Hanuch, A., Staff Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Hausman, Fritz Sigmund, L/Cpl., Royal Army Service Corps, Distinguished Conduct Medal Jewish Chronicle 9/8/44; We Will Remember Them II – 79
Hecht, M., Sapper, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Jacobi, S., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Jellishevitz, A., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Jerushalami, Aharon, C/Sgt., Royal Engineers, Military Medal Sokolow St., Tel Aviv, Israel 3/1/45 Gazette; Jewish Chronicle 4/27/45; We Will Remember Them II – 82
Jordon, F., Pvt., Distinguished Conduct Medal Jewish Chronicle 5/14/43; We Will Remember Them II – 82
Kamenkowitz, Z.M., L/Cpl., Royal Engineers, Mentioned in Despatches Jewish Chronicle 3/1/45; We Will Remember Them II – 83
Kantoruwicz, _____, Pvt., Royal Army Medical Corps, Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 83
Kathein, R., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Katz, Arieh, Sgt., British Empire Medal Kfar Joshua, Israel Jewish Chronicle 2/12/42, 12/18/42; We Will Remember Them II – 83
Keleterar, R., Gunner, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Kirshner Smalback, M., Pvt., Royal Army Service Corps, Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 84
Kohen, Bernhard, Sgt., Military Medal 11/13/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 85
Kohen, Daniel, Pvt., Military Medal 12/13/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 85
Kopel, P., WO 2C, Royal Army Service Corps, Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 85
Kopewicz, C., Private, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Kubrik, A., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Leiser, A., Private, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Levitt, I., Driver, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Levy, S., Sgt., Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 88
Levy, W., Gunner, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Licht, Jehoshua, Capt., Africa Star Born 1907 The Jewish Chronicle 8/25/44
Mandel, M., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Millewitz, Y., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Murkis, _____, Private, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Negrine, Samuel, Sgt., Military Medal 12/31/41 Times; We Will Remember Them II – 95
Platzko, Karel, Lt., Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Gazette; Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 96
Polishuk, T., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Pollack, Joseph, Pvt., Distinguished Conduct Medal 11/9/44 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 96
Provisor, Erwin Vienna, Austria Aufbau 9/7/45
Rabinovitch, Israel, Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches Jewish Chronicle 6/22/45; We Will Remember Them II – 96
Riesenfeld, F., Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Rooz, Itzchok, Lt., Royal Engineers, British Empire Medal 6/14/45 Honors List; We Will Remember Them II – 97
Schugarensky / Schugurensky, Abraham, Major, Mentioned in Despatches 5/23/46 Palestine Post 6/10/46; We Will Remember Them II – 100
Sharony, M., L/Sgt., Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 101
Shopono, G., Lance Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Silberbusch, Jacob, Sgt., Military Medal 5/10/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 102
Silberman, L., Sgt., Mentioned in Despatches 7/19/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 102
Silberman, S., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches 5/30/44 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 102
Spegel, N., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Sugar, M., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Teplicki, A., Cpl., Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Uhlman, F., Signalman, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Uziella, A., Lance Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Wajsblatt, I., WO 2C, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Werner, O., WO 2C, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Yofe, D., Driver, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Zadik, M.G., Lance Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Zeidman, A., Pvt., Mentioned in Despatches 11/29/45 Gazette; We Will Remember Them II – 107
Zilzerbaum, A., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
Ziorn, J., Sergeant, Mentioned in Despatches Palestine Post 6/10/46
____________________
Reference
“We Will Remember Them II” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Hilary Halter, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945 – An Addendum, AJEX, London, England, 1994
While searching for information concerning fallen soldiers of the Jewish Brigade – via the website of the National Library of Israel – I was startled to find records not heretofore published – well, that I’d previously known of! – whether as pixels or in print: Lists of names of the Jewish Brigade soldiers who were wounded in action, but survived the war.
The names of these men appear in four of five Casualty Lists (I suppose issued by the British War Office and covering Jewish Brigade casualties) and published in The Palestine Post, Haaretz, and other Yishuv newspapers on April 13, and 27, and May 6 and 15, of 1945, the “first” list covering Jewish Brigade casualties having been published in the first week of April. The lists are simple in content: They comprise a soldier’s surname, the initial of his first name, rank, and serial number, albeit the latter without any “PAL/” prefix commonly associated with Commonwealth soldiers from the Yishuv.
As published in The Palestine Post, the lists by definition appear in English. And so, here’s an example: The fifth Brigade casualty list, as it appeared in the Post on May 15, 1945:
In Haaertz, Haboker, and other Hebrew newspapers, the lists of course appear in Hebrew, and it’s lists published on May 4 and May 15 that are of particular historical value, for these two papers arranged the names therein by the specific calendar dates on which the soldiers were casualties, with – linguistic “curveball” here – the month published as Hebraicized English, not Hebrew. For example, in Haaretz on May 15, we have the date of April 6 given as “bayom 6 v’aprele 1945”, rather than the Hebrew equivalent of 23 Nisan 5705. I have to give Haaretz and Haboker historical “credit” here, for The Palestine Post did not publish this information!
Here’s the fifth Brigade casualty list, as it appeared in Haaretz on May 15, 1945…
…and in Haboker on the same date. This newspaper even took the step of arranging casualty information by date headings:
In this manner, of the total of 77 Jewish Brigade soldiers who were wounded in action and survived the war, the specific day when this occurred – April 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13 – is known for 39 men. So, fortunately, the lists exist.
So, unfortunately, an enigma, albeit an enigma unrelated to the editorial policies of The Palestine Post, Haaretz, Haboker, and other Yishuv newspapers, which I assume were working in conformance with information released and rules mandated by the British War Office: The lists include absolutely no other information about these soldiers: No next of kin; no country of origin (if from outside the Yishuv); city, town, village, moshav, or kibbutz of residence; no residential address are listed. Though I’m not directly familiar with British policies regarding the release of information pertaining to Commonwealth military casualties in WW II – in terms of content and timing – perhaps the limited nature of these lists was simply reflective of the information released by the War Office?
____________________
Digressing, this stands in interesting contrast with the information in Casualty Lists released to the American (print) news media by the United States War Department. Examples of two such lists are shown below.
This is the Casualty List of October 2, 1945, as published in The New York Times on October 3.
…and the Casualty List of April 20, 1946, as published in the same newspaper on April 21:
Note that American Casualty Lists obviously lists a serviceman’s name and rank, they also include names of next of kin, residential addresses, and the general military theater where a soldier was killed, wounded, missing in action. The same holds true for liberated prisoners of war, though the specific theater in which they were captured and liberated – Europe or the Pacific – isn’t listed.
For every man’s name there is a story, and for every story there is a name. One of the names appearing in both of these lists is that of 1 Lt. Philip Schlamberg. A pilot in the 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, 7th Air Force. Last seen near Futagawa, Japan on August 15, 1945, he was probably shot down by anti-aircraft fire. A little over a half-hour later, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender. (Perhaps the subject of a future post.)
____________________
So, returning to the topic at hand, the names of the 77 wounded Jewish Brigade soldiers are presented below.
Those records where the date is prefixed by a squiggle (“ ~ ”) indicate that neither Haaretz nor Haboker published the date on which the soldier was wounded, so the date is my approximation, consistent with (and certainly not before!) the Brigade’s start of combat operations.
Six of these soldiers (Pvt. L. Bermanes / Bermanis, Pvt. Y. Bulka, Sgt. A. Kaplanskis, Pvt. Aharon Ben Kimchi / Kimchy, Pvt. Moshe Silberberg, and Sgt. B. Zarhi) received military awards, as indicated in articles published in The Palestine Post in June of 1946, and, The Jewish Chronicle.
Finally, a bit of a caveat: The wartime residence – literally, the street address – of one of these men was revealed in The Palestine Post on June 13, 1945: Pvt. Aharon Ben Kimchi / Kimchy lived at 4 Rehov Rabbi Akiva in Bnei Brak. An Oogle Street View (vintage 2015) image of this building appears below.
________________________________________
Abramovski, H., Pvt., PAL/17851 Wounded in Action 4/6/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Adelmai, A., Pvt., PAL/60150 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Ahavov, D., Pvt., PAL/17117 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
“Botzhaim”, M., Pvt., PAL/17044 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Bahbut, M., Pvt., PAL/17026 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Becker, R., Sapper, PAL/46382 Wounded in Action 4/13/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Ben-Arie, M., Cpl., PAL/17487 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Ben-Dror, Shmuel, Sgt., PAL/16632 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Peta Tikva, Israel Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Ben-Moshe, Z., Pvt., PAL/7082 Wounded in Action 4/6/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Ben-Yaakov, J., Pvt., PAL/12946 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Berlan, S., Pvt., PAL/38302 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Bermanes / Bermanis, L., Pvt., PAL/17738, Mentioned in Despatches Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45, 6/10/46
Blau, Y., Pvt., PAL/38350 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Brinker, J., Cpl., PAL/16746 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Bulka, Y., Pvt., PAL/16832, Mentioned in Despatches Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45, 6/10/46
Bunim, S., Cpl., PAL/16108 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Cohen, D., Pvt., PAL/17012 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Danouch, H., Pvt., PAL/15365 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Efrat, S., Pvt., PAL/16745 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Ehrlich, J., L/Cpl., PAL/2662 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Ellendmann-Pompann, O., Pvt., PAL/17573 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Engel, H.H., Pvt., PAL/15996 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Etinger, G., Driver, PAL/33106 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Forst, H., Cpl., PAL/15145 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Frank, R., Pvt., PAL/38544 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Gluz, E., Pvt., PAL/17296 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Goldfarb, E., Pvt., PAL/17781 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Goolasa, S., Pvt., PAL/15028 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45,Palestine Post 4/13/45
Greenhoot, A., Pvt., PAL/17158 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Grinberg, A., Sgt., PAL/17888 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
“Haages”, I., Cpl., PAL/16791 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Hazi, O., Cpl., PAL/15130 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Hecht, P., Pvt., PAL/32731 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45, 4/27/45
Imbrik, J., L/Cpl., PAL/17706 Wounded in Action 4/6/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Jackont, A., L/Cpl., PAL/15183 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
____________________
Kaplanskis, Abraham “Avremele”, Sgt., PAL/12220, Silver Star (United States) citation: “There was fierce combat near the Senio River and the enemy was dug in very strongly. Despite being gravely injured, Sergeant Kaplanski showed bravery and steadfastness, which encouraged his people to advance in spite of unceasing gunfire that rained on them from enemy machine guns, and in spite of danger on the road, which was heavily mined. During all that action, Kaplanski didn’t attend to his wounds, and he walked at the head of his group until he fell from loss of blood. By his brave behaviour, Sergeant Kaplanski was a source of encouragement to his people, and in spite of the fact that his small group suffered losses, it succeeded in advancing to the enemy outposts and forced them to retreat.” (FromJewishGen.Org – Yizkor – Skuodas) Date of action: 4/11/45 3rd Battalion Born 8/9/19, Shkud (Skuodas), Lithuania Mr. and Mrs. Yaakov and Tovah Kaplanskis (parents) Made Aliyah in 1938 Fell in defense of Eretz Israel, during battle for Jenin, on June 3, 1949 Buried in collective grave at foot of Mount Herzl, on August 3, 1950 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Jewish Chronicle 3/20/41; Supplement to the London Gazette 3/20/47; We Will Remember Them II – 83
____________________
Kimchi / Kimchy, Aharon Ben, Pvt., PAL/38518, Mentioned in Dispatches, Military Medal 1st Battalion From 4 Rehov Rabbi Akiva, Bnei Brak, Israel Seriously wounded in action 3/31/45 We Will Remember Them II – 58; Haaretz 4/27/45; Jewish Chronicle 6/22/45 (as “Aharon Ber Kimche”); Palestine Post 4/27/45, 6/13/45
Koltun, N., L/Cpl., PAL/17416 Wounded in Action 4/8/45 Haaretz 5/4/45,Palestine Post 5/6/45
Kopstik, S., Pvt., PAL/17677 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Kornitzer, A., Pvt., PAL/15138 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45,Palestine Post 5/6/45
Krausz, E., Cpl., PAL/38144 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Kugler, B., Pvt., PAL/16725 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Liberman, E., Pvt., PAL/16699 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Lifshitz, Z., Pvt., PAL/17258 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Lunz, B., Pvt., PAL/38243 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Manusevics, V., Gunner, PAL/8460 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Matatiah, Y.Y., Pvt., PAL/15023 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Meiri, S., Gunner, PAL/9095 Wounded in Action 4/6/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Mugrabi, M., Driver, PAL/16868 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Neufeld, Reuven, Pvt., PAL/16698 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Peta Tikva, Israel Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Pakal, D., Cpl., PAL/17486 Wounded in Action 4/8/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Pranski, M., Pvt., PAL/16586 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Rabinovici, S., Pvt., PAL/38238 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Rapaport, N., L/Sgt., PAL/16760 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Redlich, J., Pvt., PAL/16244 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Redlich, J., L/Cpl., PAL/17304 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Rivlin, D., Pvt., PAL/38471 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Rosenkranz, I., Pvt., PAL/16642 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Rosental, H., Pvt., PAL/17301 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Roth, S., Pvt., PAL/15119 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Rubinstein, E., Pvt., PAL/38276 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Schembeck, G., L/Cpl., PAL/17137 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Schetzer, E., L/Cpl., PAL/16497 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Schongut, S., L/Cpl., PAL/16687 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45,Palestine Post 4/13/45
“Shahory”, J., Pvt., PAL/38367 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Shaoul, D., Pvt., PAL/38489 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45,Palestine Post 5/6/45
Shtoper, Y., Pvt., PAL/38709 Wounded in Action 4/11/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Silberberg, Moshe, Pvt., PAL/17548, Military Medal Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 We Will Remember Them II – 102; Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45; Jewish Chronicle 6/22/45
Sukiennik, M., Cpl., PAL/17378 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Sznitkies, B., L/Cpl., PAL/17914 Wounded in Action 4/6/45 Haaretz 5/4/45,Palestine Post 5/6/45
Tanai, L., Pvt., PAL/17900 Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45, Palestine Post 5/6/45
Torczin, I., Pvt., PAL/38569 Wounded in Action 4/12/45 Haaretz 5/15/45, Palestine Post 5/15/45
Tsukerman, I., Pvt., PAL/17488 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45 (lists surname as “Cukerman”)
Vishnievsky, Y., L/Cpl., PAL/38111 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Walner, F., Pvt., PAL/38344 Wounded in Action ~ 3/30/45 Haaretz 4/13/45, Palestine Post 4/13/45
Weil, C., Pvt., PAL/17376 Wounded in Action ~ 4/1/45 Haaretz 4/27/45, Palestine Post 4/27/45
Zarhi, B., Sgt., PAL/16716, Mentioned in Despatches Wounded in Action 4/7/45 Haaretz 5/4/45,Palestine Post 5/6/45, 6/10/46
____________________
References
“Gelber 1984” – Gelber, Yoav, Jewish Palestinian Volunteering in the British Army During the Second World War – Volume IV – Jewish Volunteers in British Forces, World War II, Yav Izhak Ben-Zvi Publications, Jerusalem, Israel, 1984
Lifshitz, Jacob (יעקב, ליפשיץ), The Book of the Jewish Brigade: The History of the Jewish Brigade Fighting and Rescuing [in] the Diaspora (Sefer ha-Brigadah ha-Yehudit: ḳorot ha-ḥaṭivah ha-Yehudit ha-loḥemet ṿeha-matsilah et ha–golah ((גולההקורותהחטיבההיהודיתהלוחמתוהמצילהאתספרהבריגדההיהודית)), Shim’oni (שמעוני), Tel-Aviv, Israel, 1950
“We Will Remember Them I” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Gerald Smith, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, Brassey’s, London, England, 1989 “We Will Remember Them II” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Hilary Halter, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945 – An Addendum, AJEX, London, England, 1994
Prisoners of War – Armies and Other Land Forces of The British Empire, 1939-1945 (“All Lists Corrected Generally Up to 30th March 1945), J.B. Hayward & Son, in Association with The Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books, Polstead, Suffolk, England, 1990 (First published in 1945 by His Majesty’s Stationary Office)
There are stories, and then, memories within stories, and finally, names within memories.
Several of my recent posts have presented brief accounts of the history of the Jewish Brigade – during battle, and, shortly after the war’s end – as published in the German Exile Newspaper Aufbau (for example, here, here, and here), The Palestine Post, and earlier, in the British military newspaper Parade. (More, I hope, to follow!) While these accounts are windows upon the military history of the Brigade, and shed moving light on encounters of Jewish soldiers from the Yishuv with survivors of the Shoah, European civilians, and German prisoners of war, by nature such stories largely render the identities of soldiers as abstractions, only giving brief glimpses of their thoughts and life stories, yet very rarely touching upon their individual identities – at best. Well, such is often the nature of history.
So, to more fully honor and commemorate the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group, this post presents the names of the thirty-seven Brigade soldiers who fell in battle, based on information in a variety of print and digital sources. Such as…
The Book of The Jewish Brigade: The History of the Jewish Brigade Fighting and Rescuing [in] the Diaspora (גולההקורותהחטיבההיהודיתהלוחמתוהמצילהאתספרהבריגדההיהודית), by Jacob Lifshitz. This 1950 hardcover book largely comprises brief biographies and photographs of fallen Brigade soldiers. To the best of my knowledge, this book, neither a history of the Brigade in terms of its ideological and political origins, nor a chronicle of its military engagements, I think remains untranslated, and probably the main, if not only, monograph about these men in terms of their life histories as individuals.
We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, published in 1989, with a second supplementary volume released in 1994. A magnificent and invaluable effort by Henry Morris, the organization of these two books somewhat parallels the design of the 1947 publication American Jews in World War Two, being a comprehensive list of servicemen’s names alphabetically arranged (under branch of service), with entries comprising each man’s rank, major branch of service, military awards, place of residence, and date of death.
Otherwise, I know of no other single English-language work – whether monograph or journal article – in which the names of and biographical information about these men can be found.
So, I hope the list of names below – comprising nominal biographical and bibliographical information about these fallen soldiers – contributes to the historical record about the Brigade.
As such, this list represents a composite of information derived from the website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Henry Morris’ two above-mentioned books, and issues (digital issues, of course!) of Haaretz, The Palestine Post, and other Yishuv newspapers, the latter available via the National Library of Israel, and to a very limited extent (for this post), the The Commemoration Site of Fallen Defense and Security Forces of Israel. Some information also derives from The Jewish Chronicle, which was accessed – amidst the “world” that existed before the COVID Coup of 2020 – via 35mm microfilm at the New York Public Library.
Lifshitz’s book containing a wealth of biographical information about all the fallen of the Brigade, I’ve thus far translated four of the profiles within it (for Gamble, Goldring, Koslovitz / Kozlowicz, and Zilberger) so I’m only including – for reference – the page numbers where relevant biographies and photos for each soldier can be found within that book. “Stepping back”, how did I put this list together?
I searched the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) database – using Henry Morris’ two books as primary references – for records for every man listed in his chapter “The Palestinian Volunteers”. Then, I searched the CWGC database using the search string “Palestine Regiment”. The names and records obtained thus covered soldiers who fell in combat during the Brigade’s military operations in Italy, from March of 1945 through the war’s end, let alone many, many other men (and several women) from the Yishuv (and beyond) whose names don’t appear in this post.
Being that all (I think all?) CWGC records for military personnel include soldier’s serial numbers – in the case of soldiers from the Yishuv, the serial number typically comprising the prefix “PAL/” followed by a string of digits (e.g. “PAL/16323”) – the next step involved searching the National Library of Israel’s website to find relevant wartime issues of Yishuv newspapers in which the soldier’s name appeared: In English in the Palestine Post, and, in Hebrew in Haaretz and other newspapers.
So. Biographical records of varied depth appear below, the record for each man following a format I established in prior posts at this blog. As such:
Soldier’s surname, first name, rank, and serial number Military awards. (Two of the fallen Brigade soldiers – Eliyahu Herschkovits / Hershkovitz, and, Moshek Josif Zilberberg – received military awards.) Specific battalion within the Jewish Brigade (if known) Date on which the soldier was killed in action. (Mattathiahu Koslovitz / Kozlowicz was wounded on 4/12/45 and passed awayon May 22 of the same year.) Soldier’s date and place of birth Soldier’s next of kin, and their place of residence Soldier’s place of burial Sources of information about the soldier, with name and date of relevant newspaper, followed by page number in Henry Morris’ books. (Finally, comments about variations in spelling of a man’s name.) Note that for a number of the records, no English-language information is available concerning the soldier’s year of birth, next of kin, or place of residence. This information might … I think … in some cases … maybe … perhaps? … be in The Book of The Jewish Brigade.
Of the thirty-seven names below, five appeared in The Jewish Chronicle: WO 2C / Company Sergeant Major Eliyahu Herschkovits / Hershkovitz; Cpl. Chaim Kurtzrock; Pvt. Baruch Lewin; Sgt. Yitzchak Rizhi; and Pvt. Aryeh Shechter. Though Lieutenant David Anthony Van Gelder was not specifically a member of the Brigade, appearing in the CWGC database under “The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)”, Lifshitz’s book does include his portrait and biography, while he is listed under “The Palestinian Volunteers” in Henry Morris’ book, and, he was killed while serving with the Brigade. Likewise, the name of WO 2C John Alan Gamble, a Christian soldier serving with the Brigade, appears in both Lifschitz’s and Morris’ books, and will figure in – I hope! – a future blog post covering Jewish military casualties of the 17th of April, 1945. (“Stay tuned.”) In addition, information about Corporal Yoseph Lieberman is absent from Lifshitz’s book.
Every man has a name Given him by God And given by his father and his mother Every man has a name Given him by his stature and his way of smiling, And given him by his clothes. Every man has a name Given him by the mountains And given him by his walls Every man has a name Given him by the planets And given him by his neighbors Every man has a name Given him by his sins And given him by his longing Every man has a name given him by those who hate him And given him by his love Every man has a name Given him by his holidays And given him by his handiwork Every man has a name Given him by the seasons of the year And given him by his blindness Every man has a name Given him by the sea And given him By his death.
Botnik, Yaakov (יעקב בוטניק), Pvt., 38562 2nd Battalion 3/20/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,5 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 244-245; We Will Remember Them I – 68, 239 (CWGC as “Butnik, Yaacov”; Palestine Post as “Botnik, Jacob”; We Will Remember Them as “Botnik, Yaakov”)
Brodt, C. (חיים ברודט), L/Cpl. 38528 3rd Battalion 3/20/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,3 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 246-247; We Will Remember Them I – 66 (Palestine Post as “Brod, Chaim”)
____________________
“FROST, WITH A GESTURE STAYS THE WAVES THAT DANCE.”
Gamble, John Alan (ג’ון-אלן גמבל), WO 2C (Battery Sergeant Major), 938393, Royal Artillery 200th Field Regiment 4/17/45 Born 1918 Mrs. Joan Gamble (wife), Kingsbury, Middlesex, England Mr. and Mrs. Graham and Caroline Susan Gamble (parents) Forli War Cemetery, Vecchiazzano, Forli, Italy – VI,C,23 Lifshitz – 249-250; We Will Remember Them I – 244 (We Will Remember Them lists name as “Gambel, John Alan”)
(Photo from The Book of the Jewish Brigade, p. 249)
(This is transcribed and translated text from The Book of The Jewish Brigade…)
סרגינט מיגיור גאמבל ג’ון אלאן ז”ל.
נפצע ומת מפצעיו ביום 17 באפריל 1945 בתאונת-דרכים באיטליה.
סוללת התותחנים שלו נסעה לחזית ,וג’ון ,שרכב על אופנוע ,שימש כמפקח-התנועה. מכוניות השיירה העלו גלי אבק גדולים לאורך הדרך ,שסינוורו את העינים והאופנוע שלו התנגש עם מכונית-משא גדולה והוא נפצע קשה בברכיו ובשוקיו ומת מפצעיו .נקבר בבית-הקברות הצבאי (Forli) בעיר פורלי.
בן כ”ז במותו .נוצרי יליד אנגליה .נתחנד בבית-ספר ברונט שבמאנספילד .ספורטאי נלהב ,ייצג את בית-ספרו בתחרויות קרירט וכדור רגל והיה חבר פעיל במשד כמה בקלוב חובבי הקריקמ בוודהאוז ;שחייו וצולל מובהק .עסק לפני התגייסותו בהנהלת-חשבונות .גשוי .התגייס לצבא עם פרוץ המלחמה וצורף לחיל התותחנים .עד שנת 1943 שימש כמדריך בשיעורי-תותחנות בדרום וולס ובאירלנד ,אחר כך נשלח לצפון-אפריקה ושירת במחנה השמיני .אתר עבר לאיטליה והצמיין באומץ-לב בפעולות בפיזה וזבה על בך באות-ההצטיינות “עלי אשל” ביום 24 באוגוסט 1944 .ושוב הצטיין באומץ-לב זוכה להיוכר בהודעה צבאית ביום 11 בינואר 1945 .כשהחי”ל נכנס לחזית ,צורף אלאן לחיל התותחנים שבחי”ל.
Sergeant Major John Allan Gamble of blessed memory.
He was injured in a car accident in Italy on April 17, 1945 and died of his injuries.
His artillery battery drove to the front, and John, riding a motorcycle, served as traffic inspector. The convoy cars raised large waves of dust along the road, which dazzled his eyes and his motorcycle collided with a large truck and he was badly injured in his knees and calves and died of his wounds. He was buried in the military cemetery in the town of Forli.
He was 27 years old at the time of his death. A Christian born in England. He became an enthusiastic athlete at the Brunt School in Mansfield. He joined the army when the war broke out and joined the artillery. Until 1943 he served as an artillery instructor in South Wales and Ireland, then was sent to North Africa and served in the camp “Ali Eshel” on August 24, 1944. And again he excelled in courage. He was recognized in a military announcement on January 11, 1945.
____________________
Gilinskas, Gershon Y. (יצחק-גרשון גילינסקי), Pvt., PAL/38500 1st Battalion Died of wounds 4/13/45 Forli War Cemetery, Vecchiazzano, Forli, Italy – VI,C,19 Haaretz 5/4/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45; Lifshitz – 256-257; We Will Remember Them I – 244; Gelber, 1984 – 320 (CWGC as “Gilinskas, I.G.”; Palestine Post as “Gilinskas, I.”; We Will Remember Them as “Gilinks, Gershon Y”)
Goldbov, Yehuda (משה גולומב גולוב), Pvt., PAL/38690 4/11/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,C,8 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 250-251; We Will Remember Them I – 245 (CWGC as “Golobov, Yehuda”; Palestine Post as “Golobov, Y.”; We Will Remember Them as “Goldbov, Yehuda”)
____________________
Goldring, Uszer (אשר גולדרינג), Pvt., PAL/16323 Missing in Action 3/31/45; Presumably captured; Body never recovered; (Murdered while prisoner of war?) Born 1910 Mrs. Chana Goldring (wife), Raanana, Israel Mr. and Mrs. David and Sara Goldring (parents) Cassino Memorial, Cassino, Frosinone, Italy – Panel 13 Haaretz 4/27/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45, 4/27/45; Lifshitz – 253-254; We Will Remember Them I – 244 (Palestine Post as “Goldyring, U.”; We Will Remember Them I – 244, as “Goldring, Asher”)
(Photo from The Book of the Jewish Brigade, p. 253)
משמר בן 12 חיילים מפלוגתו (פלוגה א’ גדוד א’), בפיקוד הסרג’נט לייזר ז”ל, התקיף באותו ערב בית-עמדה אחד בשם “דמפסי” על-יד פוגאנאנא בעמק הסנין. מטר-אש קטלני מ”שמייסר” ומספר גדול של רימוני-יד ניתכו עליהם ממרחק קטן, ואחד הרימונים פגע בלייזר. הוא צעק: “נפצעתי, הגישו עזרה ראשונה”. וגולדרינג הושיטה לו מיד. לייזר פקד לסגת וממלא מקומו מילא את פקודתו. אך גולדרינג לא רצה להיפרד מלייזר ועמד לעורתו עד הרגע האחרון. דבר זה נתגלה בשעה שהמשמר נתרחק מן הבית בתשעים מטר. החיילים לחזור ולהביאם, אבל מחמת ריבוי הפצועים לא היו מוכשרים להליכה וחזרו לעמדתם. כעבור זמן-מה יצא משמר לוחם בן 15 אנשים בפיקודו של קצין לחפש את שני הנעדרים ולהביאם אתם. אבל אלה תעו בדרך והיו מוכרחים לחזור. עם אור הבוקר הוציאו נושאי אלונקות את לייזר מת, ואילו גולדרינג לא נמצא ועקבותיו לא נודעו עד היום. אולי בידי הגרמנים והם לקחוהר אתם? אנו קיווינו שנשבה ונשאר בחיים, אבל עד עתה לא נתקבלה כל ידיעה עליו.
בן 31 אב לשני ילדים. לא היה חייב גיוס לפי צו המוסדות. אבל מצפונו הניעו להתנדב בין הראשונים. השקיע מרץ רב בעסקנות הצבורית שבין החיילים. חיוד תמיד בפניו, שקט בתנועותיו וקסם באישיותו. כשפגע פגז באנשי מחלקתו בתוך הקווים, הגיש הוא את העזרה הראשונה והרגיע את הפצועים. ביחוד הצטיין ביחסו החברי בשעת פעולות של פאטרול. אז כל חיוך וכל מלה טובה מרגיעים והוא היה איש ההומור העדין והאופי החזק כאחד.
__________
He was missing on the night of 17 Nissan [Saturday], March 31, 1945.
A 12-man guard from his company (Company A, 1st Battalion), under the command of the late Sergeant Leiser [Sgt. Shuli Leiser, PAL/17637], attacked a post office “Dempsey” that evening called near Fuganana in the Senin Valley. A deadly barrage of fire from “Schmeisers” [MP-40 submachine guns] and a large number of hand grenades were fired at them from a short distance, and one of the grenades hit Leiser. He shouted: “I’ve been injured; first aid.” And Goldring gave it to him at once. Leiser ordered a retreat and his deputy fulfilled his order. But Goldring did not want to part with Leiser and stood alongside him until the last minute. This was discovered as the guard moved ninety feet away from the house. The soldiers returned to fetch them, but due to the large number of wounded, they were not able to walk and returned to their position. Some time later, a 15-man combat guard under the command of an officer set out to search for the two missing and return with them. But they got lost along the way and had to go back. At dawn the stretcher-bearers removed the dead Leiser, while Goldring was not found and his traces are not known to this day. Maybe [he was] in the hands of the Germans and they took him with them? We had hoped him to have [him] been captured and left alive, but so far no information has been received about him.
A 31 year old father of two children. Did not have to be recruited by order of the institutions. But his conscience motivated him to be among the first to volunteer. He invested a great deal of energy in public activity among the soldiers. A sharpness always in his face; quiet in his movements and charm in his personality. When a shell hit members of his platoon inside the lines, he rendered first aid and reassured the wounded. He especially excelled in his friendly attitude during patrol operations. So his every smile and every good word was soothing and he was a man of gentle humor and strong character alike.
For further information and speculation about Uszer Goldring’s fate, see this.
____________________
Gorfein, Itzchak (יצחק גורפיין), Cpl., 17583 3rd Battalion 4/12/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,3 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 255-256; We Will Remember Them I – 96, 245 (CWGC as “Gorfain, Itzchak”; Palestine Post as “Gorfajn, I.”; We Will Remember Them as “Gorfein, I”)
____________________
Gustin, Yosef (יוסף (יוסקה) גוסטין גורטין), Cpl., 15149 1st Battalion 3/29/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,2 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Lifshitz – 254-255; We Will Remember Them – 98, 245 (Palestine Post as “Gustin, Y.”)
Herschkovits / Hershkovitz, Eliyahu (אליהו הרשקוביץ), Company Sergeant Major (WO 2C), PAL/38333 Military Medal for Awarded for “Extreme determination and courage in ousting the enemy from a succession of positions on Mount Ghabbeo feature on April 11, 1945.” 4/24/45 (mine explosion in front lines) Born Ekron, Israel, 1911 Lived at Givat Brenner, Israel Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,7 Al Ha-Mishmar 5/20/45; Davar 5/21/45; HaMashkif 5/20/45; Jewish Chronicle 5/11/45, 6/2/45; Palestine Post 6/13/46; Lifshitz – 257-258; We Will Remember Them I – 102, 246; We Will Remember Them II – 80
Hirshfeld, Tzvi (צבי הירשפלד), Pvt., 17140 3rd Battalion 4/23/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,6 Lifshitz – 259; We Will Remember Them I – 104, 246 (CWGC as “Hirschfeld, H.”; We Will Remember Them as “Hirshfeld, Tzvi”)
Kahn, J. (יוסף כהן), Cpl., 16706 1st Battalion Died of wounds 4/7/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,C,5 Haaretz 5/4/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45; Lifshitz – 271-272; We Will Remember Them I – 110 (Palestine Post as “Kahn, J.”)
Kalter, Zalman (זלמן קלטר), Pvt., PAL/38462 3rd Battalion 3/20/45 Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Riccione, Italy – III,G,10 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 293; We Will Remember Them I – 247 (Palestine Post as “Kaltair, Zalman”)
____________________
Koslovitz / Kozlowicz, Mattathiahu (מתתיהו קוזלוביץ), Cpl., PAL/17467 1st Battalion Wounded 4/12/45 during crossing of Senio River; Died of wounds 5/22/45 Caserta War Cemetery, Italy – V,B,14 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 292; We Will Remember Them I – 249 (CWGC as “Kozlowicz, M.”; We Will Remember Them as “Koslovitz, Mattathiahu”)
(Photo from The Book of the Jewish Brigade, p. 292)
He was hit in the chest by a shell as his regiment (the First Regiment) passed the Senio River. His wound seemed slight: he was moved from one military hospital to another, recovered, and managed to walk. But when he underwent surgery on 22.5.1945, he died suddenly during the operation.
He came to Israel as a child. He went to elementary school and later to the “Max Fine” professional school and was also occupied in youth jobs. He enlisted into the No. 20 infantry unit and like thousands of his comrades, tolerated inaction and guard duty. When the Jewish Brigade was formed, and especially during the training period in Fuji [sic] he was happy and proud of himself. He would say: “we have a real army”. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal at the front line for his dedication and diligence.
Even as a child he was diligent and loved working, and was also loyal and dedicated to his friends and ideals. He was loved by his friends in his platoon for his kindness, good spirit, cheerfulness, friendly attitude and willingness to help. At the front line he demonstrated courage and willingness to do any job. In the many letters he sent to his friends from the hospitals he was in, he expressed his desire to go back to the front lines.
____________________
Kurtzrock, Chaim (חיים קורצרוק), Cpl., 17526 1st Battalion 3/29/45 Born 1914 Arrived in Eretz Israel in 1933; enlisted 1942 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,7 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Jewish Chronicle 5/11/45; Lifshitz – 294; We Will Remember Them I – 114, 249 (CWGC as “Kurzrock, Chaim Heinrich”; Palestine Post as “Kurzrock, C.”; We Will Remember Them as “Kurtzrock, Chaim”)
____________________
Leizer, Shuli (שולי לייזר), Sgt., 17637 1st Battalion 3/31/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,8 Haaretz 4/27/45 (as “47637”); Palestine Post 4/27/45, 6/13/46; Lifshitz – 277-278; We Will Remember Them I – 118, 250 (CWGC as “Leiser, S.”; Palestine Post as “Leiser, S.”; We Will Remember Them as “Leizer, Shuli”)
(Photo from The Book of the Jewish Brigade, p. 277)
Levy, Martin (מיכאל (מרטין) לוי), Sgt., 15160 1st Battalion 3/31/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,4 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Lifshitz – 282-283; We Will Remember Them I – 120, 250 (CWGC as “Levy, M.”; Palestine Post as “Levy, M.”; We Will Remember Them as “Levy, Michael (Martin)”)
Lewin, Baruch (ברוך (בורקה) לוין), Pvt., 38067 1st Battalion 3/30/45 Born 1914 Mr. D. Levin (father), Tel Aviv, Israel Student at Hebrew University; enlisted 1942 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,6 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Jewish Chronicle 5/11/45; Lifshitz – 280-281; We Will Remember Them I – 122 (Palestine Post as “Levin, B.”)
Lieberman, Yoseph (יוסף ליברמן), Cpl., 38456 3rd Battalion 4/11/45 Born 1921 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,C,7 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; We Will Remember Them I – 122, 250 (CWGC as “Liberman, J.”; Palestine Post as “Liberman, J.”; We Will Remember Them as “Lieberman, Yoseph”)
Mandel, David (דוד מנדל), Pvt., 16641 3rd Battalion 4/12/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,2 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 284-285; We Will Remember Them I – 126, 251 (Palestine Post as “Mandel, D.”)
Mehlman, Moshe (משה מלמן), Sgt., 38412 3rd Battalion Died of wounds 4/6/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,C,4 Haaretz 5/4/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45; Lifshitz – 281-282; We Will Remember Them I – 130, 252 (CWGC as “Mehlman, M.”; Palestine Post as “Mehlman, N.”; We Will Remember Them as “Melman, Moshe”)
Rabinovitz, Tanchum (תנחום רבינוביץ), Pvt., 17351 3rd Battalion 3/21/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,6 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 298; We Will Remember Them I – 142, 255 (CWGC as “Rabinowicz, Tanchum”; Palestine Post as “Rabinovitch, Tanhum”; We Will Remember Them as “Rabinovitz, Tanchum”)
Rizhi, Yitzchak (יצחק ריז’י), Sgt., 15142 1st Battalion Died of wounds 3/29/45 Born 1910 From Ayelet Hashachar, Israel Arrived in Eretz Israel from Poland in 1924; one of the founders of Hanita Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,1 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Jewish Chronicle 5/11/45; Lifshitz – 296-297; We Will Remember Them I – 152, 255; We Will Remember Them II – NL (CWGC as “Ryzy, Isaac”; Palestine Post as “Ryzy, I.”; We Will Remember Them as “Ryzy, Isaac” and “Rizhi, Yitzchak”)
Rusak, Zeev (זאב (וולף) רוסק), Pvt., 17757 3rd Battalion 3/19/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,1 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 299; We Will Remember Them I – 152, 256 (CWGC as “Russak, Wolf”; Palestine Post as “Russak, Wolf”; We Will Remember Them as “Rusak, Zeev (Wolf)”)
Schleifstein, Asher (אשר שלייפשטיין), Pvt., PAL/15091 1st Battalion 4/7/45 Faenza War Cemetery, Faenza, Italy – VII,A,12 Haaretz 5/4/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45; Lifshitz – 303-304; We Will Remember Them I – 256 (CWGC as “Schleifstein, U.”; Palestine Post as “Schleinstein, U.”; We Will Remember Them as “Schleifstein, Asher”)
Schreer, Schlomo (שלמה שרייער), Pvt., 16727 1st Battalion 4/2/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,C,2 Haaretz 4/27/45; Palestine Post 4/27/45; Lifshitz – 300-301; We Will Remember Them I – 156, 257 (CWGC as “Schreer, S.”; Palestine Post as “Schreer, S.”; We Will Remember Them as “Shrier (Shrir), Shlomo” and “Screer, S”)
Shechter, Aryeh (אריה (ליונה) שכטר), Pvt., 17225 1st Battalion 3/31/45 Kibbutz Shamir, Israel Born 1920 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,7 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Jewish Chronicle 5/11/45; Lifshitz – 306-307; We Will Remember Them I – 158 (Palestine Post as “Shechter, A.”)
____________________
Shiefer, Moshe (משה שיפר), Pvt., 38478 3rd Battalion 4/6/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – Collective Grave IV,D,5 Haaretz 5/4/45, 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45 (Missing Believed Killed); Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 307-308; We Will Remember Them I – 258; We Will Remember Them II – Not Listed (CWGC as “Schipper, M.”; Palestine Post as “Shipper, M.”; We Will Remember Them as “Shiefer, Moshe”)
Sima, Yitzchak (יצחק סימא), Pvt., 38081 3rd Battalion 4/6/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – Collective Grave IV,D,5 Haaretz 5/4/45, 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45 (Missing Believed Killed); Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 286-287;We Will Remember Them I – 258 (Palestine Post as “Sima, I.”)
The collective grave of Privates Moshe Shiefer, Yitzhak Sima, and Moshe Ernest Wadel, and, Lieutenant David Anthony Van Gelder, from The Book of the Jewish Brigade (p. 262). According to biographies of the four men at The Commemoration Site of Fallen Defense and Security Forces of Israel, they were killed when their “improved position”, on the bank of the Senio River, was bombed (?) by the Germans and set on fire.
__________
As can be seen in this image from FindAGrave, Moshe and Yitzhak are buried together… (Photo by FindAGrave researcher bbmir)
Van Gelder, David Anthony (דוד-אנטוני ואן-גלדר), Lieutenant, 293265 The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) 4/6/45 Born 1924 Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Leonard and Rebecca Van Gelder (parents), Caterham, Surrey, England 242 Finchley Road, London, NW3, England Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – Collective Grave IV,D,5 The Jewish Chronicle 5/4/45; Lifshitz –263-264; We Will Remember Them I – 170, 260 (We Will Remember Them as “Van-Gelder, David A”; CWGC as “Van Gelder, Anthony David”. Not listed as member of Palestine Regiment or Jewish Brigade, but in Lifschitz’s book.)
Wadel, Moshe Ernest (משה-ארנסט ואדל), Pvt., 38479 3rd Battalion 4/6/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – Collective Grave IV,D,5 Haaretz 5/4/45; Palestine Post 5/6/45 (Missing Believed Killed); Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 261; We Will Remember Them I – 172, 261; FindAGrave
(CWGC as “Wadel, Moshe”; Palestine Post as “Wadel, I.”; We Will Remember Them as “Wadel, M.” and “Wedel, Moshe”)
_____
…while David Anthony and Moshe Ernest share the same resting place. (Photo by FindAGrave researcher bbmir)
Sulgaser, T.Y. (יעקב שולגסר), Pvt., 17809 3rd Battalion 3/20/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,4 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 304-305; We Will Remember Them I – 168 (Palestine Post as “Sulgash, Jacob”)
Sznejer, J.C.H. (יוסף-חיים שניאור), Cpl., 16789 1st Battalion 3/31/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,8 Haaretz 4/27/45; Palestine Post 4/27/45; Lifshitz – 301-302; We Will Remember Them I – 168 (CWGC as “Sznejer, J.C.H.”; Palestine Post as “Sznejer, J.”; We Will Remember Them as “Sznejer, J.C.H.”)
Tankelis, Zelig (זליג טנקל), Pvt., 16160 2nd Battalion Died of wounds 4/13/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,4 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 269-270; We Will Remember Them I – 168, 259 (CWGC as “Tankelis, Z.”; Palestine Post as “Tankelis, Z.”; We Will Remember Them as “Tenkel, Zelig”)
____________________
Weksler, Eliyahu (אליהו וקסלר), Cpl., 38621 3rd Battalion 4/11/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,D,1 Haaretz 5/15/45; Palestine Post 5/15/45; Lifshitz – 264-265; We Will Remember Them I – 174, 261 (CWGC gives name as “Weksler, E.”; Palestine Post as “Weksler, E.”; We Will Remember Them gives name as “Weksler, E.” (p. 174) and “Wechsler, Eliyahu” (p. 261))
Wieshbinski, M. (מיכאל ויז’בייסקי איזביצקי), Pvt., 17427 1st Battalion 3/29/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,3 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Lifshitz – 243-244; We Will Remember Them I – 174 (Palestine Post as “Wieshbinski, M.”)
Yaacoby, Nachum (מנחם יעקבי ברגר), Pvt., 14103 1st Battalion Died of wounds 3/30/45 Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,B,5 Haaretz 4/13/45; Palestine Post 4/13/45; Lifshitz – 272; We Will Remember Them I – 106, 262 (CWGC as “Jaacovi, Nachum”; Palestine Post as “Yaacovi, N.”; We Will Remember Them as “Yaacoby, Nachum”)
____________________
Zilberberg, Moshek Josif (משה זילברברג), Pvt., PAL/15435, Stretcher-Bearer, Military Medal 2nd Battalion 3/20/45 (“…he was shot dead by a sniper as he went into no-man’s land with a Red Cross flag in his hand to bring back a wounded man.”) Ravenna War Cemetery, Piangipane, Ravenna, Italy – IV,A,2 Haaretz 4/1/45, 4/5/45, 4/13/45, 6/13/46; Palestine Post 4/2/45; Lifshitz – 266-267; We Will Remember Them I – 178, 263 (Palestine Post as “Silberberg, Moshe”)
_____
(Photo from The Book of the Jewish Brigade, p. 266)
Friday, April 20, 1945 / Yom Shishi, 7th Iyar, 5705
ביום 19 במארס 1945, ה’ בניסן תש”ה ערכה פלוגתו (פלוגה ג’ של הגדוד השני) התקפה גלויה על האויב במטרה להגיע עד התעלה, שמאחוריה נתבצרו הגרמנים. משה הוציא באלונקות את חבריו הפצועים משדה הקרב, פעם אחר פעם, מתוך סיכון-נפש תחת מטר כדורים והפצצות. עם תום המערכה נשאר מרצונו הטוב בשדה וחיכה לאחרוני השבים כדי להראות להם את המעבר הנוח והבטוח ביותר לשוב בו. באותו ערב אמר לחבר: ,,כנראה שאני מחוסן בפני כדירים, כי יצאתי היום שלם ממטר כדורים,,. המיגיור האנגלי, מפקד פלוגתו, הביע באותו ערב הערכה לאומץ-לבו של משה והמליץ להעניק לו אות-הצטיינות. למחרת היום, ב-20 במארס, כשחידשה פלוגתו את ההתקפה על האויב, חידש גם הוא את מעשי גבורתו ורץ גלוי לעיני האויב מפצוע לפצוע, כשדגל צלב האדום בידו. אחד החיילים נפצע ונאנק, ו על אף אזהרות חבריו שלא להסתכן, יצא להגיש לו עזרה. בו ברגע פגע בו כדור אויב והרגו במקום, ודגל הצלב האדום בידו. אחרי מותו נתכבד באות ההצטיינות הצבאי
נולד בשנת , עם פרוץ מלחמת-העולם הראשונה, בפלונסק שבפולניה להורים דתיים, קיבל חינוך דתי ולמד בישיבה, ויחד עם זה מעורה היה בתנועת-נוער ציונות מימי ילדותו. בגיל 18 היה בין מייסדי פלוגות ההכשרה בנאדבורנה (גליציה). בשנת 1935 עלה לארץ ועבד כפועל. כשפרצו המאורעות בארץ בשנת 1936 היה פעיל בשורות הבטחון. בשנים 1938-1939 עבד כנוטר. פעם בעמדו על משמרתו ביער להגן על אחת הנקודות עם עוד חבר מחברין, הותקפו על-ידי כנופיה ערבית והחבר נפל מת ומשה שנפצע קשה המשיך לירות עד שהדף את המתקיפים ואחר כך הרכיב את חברו על כתפיו והביאו אל המושבה. אותו פצע כמעט הטרידו מן העולם והרופאים אמרו נואש לחיין ,אך הוא חפץ חיים היה ובשארית כוחותיו נלחם במוות ויוכל לו. כאשר החלים ציינו כולם את הדבר כנס ופלא. לאחר שהבריא חזר לנוטרות. כשקמה תנועת הגיוס ל,,באפס,, התגייס ואמר לאשתו: ,,נולדתי בתקופת מלחמה ואני מוכרח להילחם,,. באוקטוכר 1944 עבר יחד עם גדודו לחי”ל.
ספר וחזן ונושא-אלונקות היה בחטיבה, ובכל המקצועות האלה נצטיין הן מבחינת הידיעה והן מבחינת המסירות. כספר היה חביב על כל החיילים והקצינים. בהיותו בעל קול ערב ומוכשר, היה עובר לפני התיבה כחזן קבוע בבית-הכנסת של הגדוד השני והיה מנעים את התפילות לפני קהל החיילים. כל אנשי הגדוד השני זטכרים לו לטוכה את התפילות, שעוך בימים הנוראים ובמועדיה לפי המנגינות המסורתיות. ביחוד נחקקה בזכרונם תפילת ,,כל נדרי,, בליל הכיפורים תש”ה במדבר המערבי בין בנגזי לדרנה תחת כיפת השמים, בשעת מסעם מתחותם הישנה אל-עבייר ליד בנגזי לבורג-אל-ערב, מקום רכוז החטיבה (לעיל פרק’ סעיף ב’). במשך שירותו בצבא שמר על קשרים עם המסורת ועם החיילים הדתיים. עם אירגונו של הגרעין הדתי להתישבות נצטרף אליו. כנושא-אלונקות בז היה לפגזי האויב וצעד בגלוי לחבוש פצועים נקובי-כדורים, זבידם ומחוסרי-הכרה, לחוקם ולעודדם. ולא חלילה מפני שמאס בחיים התנהג כך, להיפך, חפץ חיים היה, כאמור, אלא לנקום רצה מידי הגרמנום אם דם משפחתו ודם בית ישראל, שנשפך בפולנוה, כדכריו במכתבו לביתו מיום 10 במארס 1945: ,,ביד חזקה ובזרוע נטויה נלך קדימה עד נצחוננו הגמור על אויבינו,,. והיות והוא עצמו לא היה לוחם, רצה להציל לוחמום, שיוכלו הם להרוג ולהשמיד את צוררי היהודים, גם טוב-לבו הביאהו להקרבת עצמו.
לבו ניבא לו את מותו. בשעת ביקורו האחרון בביתו אמר לרעיתו: ,,הקריירה שלי כבר נגמרה,,. כן הביע את חרדתו לגורלו במכתביו האחרונים מקווי החזית. נזכרהו כאחד מבני-העם האלמונים והצנועים, שקידש במותו את גבורת ישראל.
__________
He fell on Friday, March 20, 1945
On March 19, 1945, the fifth of Nisan 5705, his company (Company C of the Second Battalion) made an open attack on the enemy in order to reach the canal (Fosso Vetro), behind which the Germans were fortified. Moshe retrieved his wounded comrades from the battlefield on stretchers, time and time again, under mental danger beneath a barrage of bullets and bombs. At the end of the campaign he remained of his own free will in the field and waited for the last of the returnees, to show them the easiest and safe passage to return. That evening he said to a friend: “Apparently I am vaccinated against bullets, because I remained out of the “rain” for a whole day.” The English major, the commander of his company, that evening expressed appreciation for Moshe’s courage and recommended that he be awarded the Medal of Excellence. The next day, on March 20, when his company resumed its attack on the enemy, he also resumed his heroic deeds and ran openly in front of the enemy from wounded to wounded, with the Red Cross flag in his hand. One of the soldiers was wounded and groaned, and despite warnings from his comrades not to take the risk, went out to help him. At that moment an enemy bullet hit him and killed on the spot, with the Red Cross flag in his hand. After his death we will be honored with the Medal of Merit [Military Medal; M.M.].
Born in the same year, with the outbreak of World War I, in Płońsk, Poland, to religious parents, he received a religious education and studied in a yeshiva, and at the same time he was involved in the Zionist youth movement from his childhood. At the age of 18 he was one of the founders of the training companies in Nadborna (Galicia). In 1935 he immigrated to Israel and worked as a laborer. When the events in the country broke out in 1936, he was active in the security ranks. In the years 1938-1939 he worked as a notary. Once standing on his guard in the woods to defend one of the points with another friend of theirs, they were attacked by an Arab gang and the friend fell dead, and Moshe who was badly wounded continued to shoot until he repelled the attackers and then mounted his friend on his shoulders and brought him to the colony. The same wound was almost took him from the world and the doctors said his life was desperate, but he wanted to live and with the rest of his strength he fought death. When he recovered, everyone mentioned the conversation with wonder. After recovering he returned to Notre Dame. When the recruitment movement for “Buffs” arose, he enlisted and said to his wife: “I was born in a time of war and I have to fight.” In October 1944, he moved with his battalion to the army.
Sefer and Hazan and a member of stretcher-bearers in the division, and in all these professions he would excel both in terms of knowledge and dedication. As a sefer he was a favorite of all the soldiers and officers. Having a deep voice and being talented, he would pass in front of the ark as a regular cantor in the synagogue of the Second Battalion and would recite the prayers in front of the soldiers. All the members of the second battalion remember the prayers for him, which are sung during the days of awe and times according to the traditional melodies. In particular, the prayer “Kol Nidre” was engraved in their memory on the night of Yom Kippur 5755 in the western desert between Benghazi and Darna in the open air, during their journey from their old stretch of al-Abiyar near Benghazi to Burg-al-Arab. During his service in the army he maintained ties with tradition and with religious soldiers. With the organization of the religious nucleus for settlement, he will join it. As the subject of stretcher-bearers he was to the enemy shells and openly marched to carry the bullet-ridden and unconscious wounded; to arm and encourage them. And, not God forbid, because he was tired of life behaving like this, on the contrary, Hefetz Chaim was, as mentioned, but seeking revenge from the Germans for the blood of his family and the blood of Beit Yisrael, spilled in Poland, as he wrote in his letter to his home dated March 10, 1945: “On our enemies …” And since he himself was not a warrior, he wanted to save warriors, so that they could kill and destroy the oppressors of the Jews; even his kindness led him to sacrifice himself.
His heart foretold his death. During his last visit to his home, he told his wife: “My career is over”. He also expressed his anxiety about his fate in his recent letters from the front lines. He is remembered as one of the anonymous and humble people who consecrated the heroism of Israel in his death.
“Gelber 1984” – Gelber, Yoav, Jewish Palestinian Volunteering in the British Army During the Second World War – Volume IV – Jewish Volunteers in British Forces, World War II, Yav Izhak Ben-Zvi Publications, Jerusalem, Israel, 1984
Lifshitz, Jacob (יעקב, ליפשיץ), The Book of the Jewish Brigade: The History of the Jewish Brigade Fighting and Rescuing [in] the Diaspora (Sefer ha-Brigadah ha-Yehudit: ḳorot ha-ḥaṭivah ha-Yehudit ha-loḥemet ṿeha-matsilah et ha–golah ((גולההקורותהחטיבההיהודיתהלוחמתוהמצילהאתספרהבריגדההיהודית)), Shim’oni (שמעוני), Tel-Aviv, Israel, 1950
“We Will Remember Them I” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Gerald Smith, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, Brassey’s, London, England, 1989 “We Will Remember Them II” – Morris, Henry, Edited by Hilary Halter, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945 – An Addendum, AJEX, London, England, 1994
Prisoners of War – Armies and Other Land Forces of The British Empire, 1939-1945 (“All Lists Corrected Generally Up to 30th March 1945), J.B. Hayward & Son, in Association with The Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books, Polstead, Suffolk, England, 1990 (First published in 1945 by His Majesty’s Stationary Office)
Perhaps symbolically (and not coincidentally!) Ted Lurie’s fifth and final article about Yishuv troops in the Eighth Army was entitled “The Flying Fifth”; it’s subject, the 5th Water Tank Company of the Royal Army Service Corps. This company was one of nine companies comprised of troops from the Yishuv, albeit Lurie specifically mentions only one other: the 6th. Like other military units mentioned in this series, the company’s location is not specified, though it is revealed to the reader that the unit was stationed somewhere close to the Mediterranean Sea, near the 738th Artisan Works Company.
Though tasked with a responsibility nowhere near as dramatic and dangerous as that of armor or infantry – especially for cinema and the popular press – the task of military units such as the 5th W.T.C. was nonetheless absolutely essential to Allied victory. At least two soldiers from the Yishuv were killed while serving in the unit. They were:
– .ת. נ. צ. ב. ה –
תהא נפשו צרורה בצרור החיים
Driver Heinrich Eduard Freud, PAL/988, killed in action on May 10, 1942, commemorated on Column 74 of the Alamein Memorial
…and…
Driver Nochum Undi Hochman, PAL/1129, killed in action on August 7, 1942, buried at collective grave XXXIII, D, 23-26, at the El Alamein War Cemetery
____________________
And so, this is the last of Ted Lurie’s five 1942 Palestine Post articles about Jewish soldiers from the Yishuv in North Africa.
In future posts, I hope to present lists of the names of Jewish Brigade soldiers who received military awards, as well as men who were killed or wounded in action.
________________________________________
THE FLYING FIFTH By T.R. LURIE The Jerusalem Post May 12, 1942
This is the last of a series of five articles by The Palestine Post News Editor who has just returned from a tour of the camps of the Palestinians in Egypt and Libya.
THE Flying Fifth is the name that was given to the Fifth Water Tank Company of the R.A.S.C. during last November’s push across the wire into Libya. They piloted, not planes, but heavy trucks containing water tanks, with such speed and precision across hundreds of miles of desert that they well earned their title.
Today “No. 5 Water Tank” are the farthest forward of all the nine Palestinian companies serving in Egypt and Libya. Of these nine companies, five belong to the R.A.S.C., including two new companies formed only last week. The two oldest R.A.S.C. Palestinian companies, No. 5 M.T. and No. 6 M.T., were both much larger than normal strength, and detachments of these companies have been spread too far afield, so that they now have been split up. And so were born two daughter companies known as Q and W General Transport Companies.
I SAW “W” G.T. Company on the day of its formation. The first new draft from Palestine was just arriving, and I found their youthful Commanding Officer busily engaged with his new men. Another officer showed me round their new camp site, of which they were justly proud. They have pitched or rather dug in their tents on the sea-shore, on dunes formed of sand and white limestone – just as white as the tents themselves.
The sand along the shore is really as white and fine as snow. Indeed, from only a short distance away, the tents look like a winter sports’ camp in snow-covered hills, but only a few feet away is the blue Mediterranean warmly bathing the beautiful beach. A swim in the sea is most welcome after a hard day’s driving of the long-nosed Chevs [Chevys], but the men have other recreations as well.
One of their officers is specially detailed to look after this side of the men’s life, and from what I could see in a short visit his good work is appreciated. Apart from their canteen, they have two other tents in which to relax: one for games and other recreations and the other an “educational tent,” both large and roomy, and the latter with a special “reading-room” curtained off.
“W” G.T. company are off to a fine start. The have a first-class group of young officer, and the men seem keen and more than pleased at being camped on so fine a site – no desert dust for them. They are only a couple of miles away from 738 of the R.E.s, and there are already indications of the sappers and driver becoming fast friends. The narrow roadway along the shore connecting the two camps they call the Johore causeway as it is usually flanked by waterpools on both sides.
Their football fields will, no doubt, shortly see really hot matches between the two companies. “W”, being new, needs football gear and other sport equipment. Any Palestine club that has some of last season’s jerseys still on hand would be doing a good turn by sending them on to the Jewish Soldier’s Welfare Committee for “W” Company.
Speaking of sports, No. 6 M.T., which is “W’s” parent company, has a gymnasium rigged up in part of one of its large barrack sheds at its camp somewhere along the Canal.
BUT to get back to the desert, No. 5 Water Tank – the Flying Fifth – arrived in the desert in October, 1941, equipped with trucks that were real museum pieces, most of them having already done their hundred thousand miles. This “fleet” got more than one laugh on its first appearance, but it soon earned the respect and admiration of all who met them. In their first month as water carriers they only had short hauls, so that they returned to camp each night, but they learned the desert and how to drive across it. When the push began, their first order was to carry water to a point which was, at the time the order was given, still in enemy hands. They crossed the wire into Libya with 40 of their trucks. The point to which they brought their tanks was over 200 miles from their camp, and that not on roads or tracks buy across bumpy desert.
The trucks had to make a long detour southwards to outflank the enemy positions along the wire and to reach the attacking forces. Minefields and black desert nights did not prevent them from getting through. From November 18 until Christmas the company transported half a million gallons of water, in these old derelict trucks.
They drove by day and by night. Trucks broke down from time to time, and some had to be left with their drivers in the midst of the desert. There was one case of a driver who stayed with his truck eleven days in the desert until help could reach him, but in no case did a driver leave his vehicle, and never was a broken-down vehicle abandoned. Every one was brought in and repaired, and after doing eighteen thousand miles in two and a half months the company was given new vehicles.
DURING all this time they took their trucks back and forth with such clock-like precision, a Headquarters officer told me, that it was unnecessary to detail them each time. They did the job almost automatically, under all conditions, and another officer remarked that they seemed to have solved the problem of perpetual motion.
Later they took their tanks off the lorries and were employed as a General Transport Company. One of their convoys was in Benghazi attached to a division detailed to fight a rea-guard action. This convoy got out of Benghazi only half an hour before the enemy arrived. As a G.T. company the Flying Fifth transported defence materials during the withdrawal and were later employed in transport work at the new desert railhead.
Despite air attacks the company suffered no losses, and now they have moved forward again with bigger and more important jobs before them. They are, like all Palestinian soldiers in the desert, in excellent spirits, and the kind of support they need from their people at home to keep up these spirits is more and more recruiting. An increased flow of fresh men from home is what they are looking for. They should not be let down.
On May 11, the Post published Ted Lurie’s article about women from the Yishuv in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. Like other articles in his series, the location of their military unit is not revealed, but it is revealed that they were stationed within relatively close travel distance of Cairo and the Canal Zone. Unlike the women profiled in the Parade issue of February 12, 1944, the soldiers in camp visited by Lurie were not drivers as such (though he alludes to this), instead serving in an Ordnance stores and Accounting Department.
________________________________________
The A.T.S. ARE DOING WELL By T.R. LURIE The Palestine Post May 11, 1942
This is the fourth of a series of articles by The Palestine Post News Editor who has just returned from a tour of the camps of the Palestinians in Egypt and Libya.
PALESTINIAN women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service who got into uniform only six weeks ago are at work on important jobs in Egypt, and have already won high praise from the Colonels in command of the Ordnance Depos to which they are attached.
They are still digging-in their new homes which they are rapidly converting from bare barrack rooms to attractive, home-like hutments. I visited two of the three camps occupied by the first contingent of ATS to arrive from Palestine in Egypt and found them both to be surprisingly comfortable.
The women live in large sheds fixed more like dormitories than like barracks. They have proper spring beds and small bed-tables which they themselves are curtaining. The sappers who had the job of converting these barracks into women’s quarters outdid themselves in ingenuity. In one they provided a special hairdressing saloon. They built shower rooms with specially low showers (hot and cold) so that the women can shower without getting their hair wet.
BUT all these comforts do not mean that the ATS are soft. They are doing mens’ jobs, whether as ordinance clerks, storewomen or drivers – and not just drivers of small cars, for they are already driving three-ton lorries. At one Ordnance Vehicle depot, the Colonel told me that the ATS were already handling the “flow,” that is, driving new vehicles around the huge depot from their arrival through the various inspections, equipping and greasing stages to their final issue.
More Women Volunteers
Although busy fixing up their living quarters and comforts, the girls are chiefly occupied with their work, which they have taken to with an enthusiasm that has aroused comment everywhere. The only “crime” reported by one Commanding Officer was that of two ATS who went to work when the doctor said they should have gone sick.
I happened to visit one camp during an inspection by the D.D.O.S. [Deputy Director of Ordnance Services], who was, of course, very pleased to find the girls so keen. He spoke of the importance of their work and their efficiency, and stressed the need for more and more Auxiliaries, as indeed did all the officers. Their reputation is traveling fast, and one looks forward to this vanguard of ATS being followed by thousands more to replace more and more men. Men are thus relieved for other jobs, without the work suffering at all. If anything there will be greater efficiency, as there will no longer be any danger of trained personnel being taken away from these jobs at the base to be sent up to the front.
CAIRO, which today sees more varied womens’ uniforms than probably any other city in the world, has already noticed the ATS. While their khaki may not be as colorful as the Navy blue of the WRENS or the tan and brown of the South-African women or the Air-Force blue of the WAFFS, still their new forage caps, which I saw them wear yesterday in place of the peaked hats they wear on duty, give them an air of perky smartness.
In Cairo and the Canal Zone two homes for ATS are being opened where girls of leave will be able to stay. Mrs. Edwin Samuel has just spent about a fortnight in Egypt, making arrangements for these clubs, and, she told me, plans are well advanced. The houses have been chosen and architects and interior decorators are at work.
Social Life
The PATS’ social life is, however, not confined to visits to town during off hours, for in the camps themselves the officers are paying special attention to recreation and cultural activities. English, Hebrew, and Arabic lessons are being arranged in one camp, where it is also planned to start a mixed choir. The A.T.S. are permitted to entertain men friends in their own canteen at certain hours. Their canteens have, of course, got pianos, radios and all sorts of indoor games, and are large, spacious, attractive and comfortable recreation halls.
Friday evenings are most attractive of all at the A.T.S. camps, and at one I visited I was told that the non-Jewish officers and N.C.O.s take part in the candle-lighting service together with the Jewish girls.
Quiet Efficiency
The ATS have, no doubt, made an excellent impression in the short time since their arrival. Such remarks as “highly intelligent” and “extremely capable” are the only comments I could hear from officers as well as from the N.C.O.s in charge of the various Departments in which the girls are employed. These Corporals and Sergeants, old soldiers and Ordnance men who had the job of introducing the girls to the bookkeeping and officer work at which they are replacing men, were enthusiastic about the alacrity with which their pupils caught on.
I saw the women a work, a few score among hundreds of men in gigantic Ordnance stores and Accounting Departments. They were already very much at home doing their work on their own and were being entrusted with complete responsibility like veterans. At work, there is the same informal atmosphere of a civilian officer. The Auxiliaries sit at their long tables handling index cards and army forms with quiet efficiency, and, in some places, they are even permitted to smoke at work.
Outside the “office,” there is just enough of heel-clicking and drill to remind them that they’re in the Army. They parade in the morning and afternoon to march to work and back again and they march to Mess as well. All in all, it’s a soldier’s life they lead.
____________________
