Feldgrau.net

During the war, there was a Jewish naval type unit that was run under the SOE, mostly because the RN did not want the Jews working under them (they were not under high regard by many).

There was a 40 man unit of divers CO'd by British officers, and I think there was a small blockade runner service set up of Jews under the CO of Brit officers.

This was not the Haganah, but something else.

Does anyone else have any other info?

Doc

101stDoc wrote:During the war, there was a Jewish naval type unit that was run under the SOE, mostly because the RN did not want the Jews working under them (they were not under high regard by many).

In WW2 a large number of British and Commonwealth jews did serve in the RN, so I find your statement confusing (if not downright insulting ).

I did not say that Jews did not serve in the RN. I said there was some hesitence in the RN about Jews. I did not say I agreed with it. We've had African Americans serving in the USN for years, but even as of WW2 they were still treated poorly.

Also gotta take into consideration British Commonwealth Palestine operations both prior to and after WW2.

Don't shoot the messenger.

Doc

I believe the trouble would arise when Jews born outside the Empire wanted to serve in the forces... the RN would probably be a bit sniffy about them.... PS the RN has a long tradition of dodgy foreigners serving aboard ship.... ie Chinese laundry men..... Nelson's navy was awash with Africans, Americans and Europeans... a veritable UN on the high seas ;>)

I'm confused by your reference to British Commonwealth Palestine:
i) Do you mean British & Commonwealth Forces operating in the Palestine? or
ii).Palestine was in the British Commonwealth?

Palestine was a British Mandate Territory in 1920......

If you want a good link to the source of all "Today's Woes" http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedi ... -Palestine

a good start......

I'm English (sort of) and have a general grasp of our history..... a common theme is if you tell the locals a few tell tales to give you a hand, with a few sweet promises..... you've entered a whole world of pain....

Israel.
Kashmir.
Vietnam......

I was reffering to the BritComm ops in Plaestine both before & after the war, but of course there is more than that. The whole geographical area has been a dog's breakfast for ages, and probably will be long after we're gone.

Doc

Hello Gentlemen,
I think 101 was referring to the yacht Sea lion that sailed on 18 May 1941 from Haifa to Tripoli, in Syria, with a group of Jew volounteers of the Hagana who were trying, on behalf of the British as during thet season there was an agreement among the jew community and that mandate administration, to raid the French oil depots of that harbour. They were never seen again. Presumbly were destroyed at sea by the French planes of hit a mine.
Bye EC

I don't have the source before me but the yacht was actually a British sub,HMS SeaLion,records for the month of May still classified.The Jews were officially not Palmach,but the day after the disapearance the Palmach was officially formed.

greenhorn wrote:I'm confused by your reference to British Commonwealth Palestine:
i) Do you mean British & Commonwealth Forces operating in the Palestine? or
ii).Palestine was in the British Commonwealth?

Palestine was a British Mandate Territory in 1920......

Actually I don't think there were any 'operations' by non-British Imperial forces (eg Indian, NZ, Aust, SA) in Palestine, apart from some topographic survey work, although some were no doubt stationed there for periods of various duration and transited.

British Jews were, of course, conscripted into British forces the same as anybody else, there were doubtless some pre-war volunteers. I've never been clear on the status of units, notably the Palestine Regiment, was it a unit of the British Army, or a colonial force (tricky since Palestine was a mandated territory not a colony)?

Of course such legal niceties would not affect SOE, they were more interested in people with the right skills, knowledge and aptitude. Which invites the questions as to exactly what special capabilities Jews would have (other than pretending to be Jews), perhaps local knowledge of a target area?

Demolition skills for this group.

Not exactly a rare skill in SOE or in assorted military units in the theatre.

nigelfe wrote:Not exactly a rare skill in SOE or in assorted military units in the theatre.

No,but coupled with language skills and a willingness to please it might have been.It was a very rough neighborhood as evidenced by their fate...a body believed to be that of Palmer was washed ashore showing evidence of mutilation...

statemachine wrote:

nigelfe wrote:Not exactly a rare skill in SOE or in assorted military units in the theatre.

No,but coupled with language skills and a willingness to please it might have been.It was a very rough neighborhood as evidenced by their fate...a body believed to be that of Palmer was washed ashore showing evidence of mutilation...

F**ing Nazi sharks...