Auction 48 - Rare and Important Items
Collection of Secret Documents - Commander of Hish Corps in the Independence War in Jerusalem – First Stage of Israel's War of Independence
Opening: $2,000
Unsold
A comprehensive collection of military operational documents, most of them secret, "Day Orders", "Operation Orders", intelligence reports and various documents concerning the daily operation of "Moriya" Hish corps in Jerusalem. December 1947 through June 1948.
"Hish", Field Corps of the Haganah, active during the years 1939-1948, was a secret military organization consisting of volunteers, 18 to 26 years of age. From November 1947 and onwards, Hish was the central military framework of the Jewish Defense Force and on the basis of its brigades, starting in May 1948, the regular brigades of IDF were formed.
Regiment 61 – "Moriya" – was the first regiment of "Etzioni" Hish Brigade and consisted of Hish companies in Jerusalem and the Hebrew University students company. The regiment was in charge of all of the municipal area of Jerusalem, from Jaffa road to the north as well as the villages Motza, Hartuv, Atarot and Neve Ya'akov. The regiment was involved in missions of maintaining the border by operations of small forces in Arab villages against Arab units that planned to attack neighborhoods and settlements. The soldiers also participated in battles in the Jewish Quarter; they accompanied convoys, bombed Hotel Semiramis in Katamon neighborhood, attacked Arab vehicles, and participated in the occupation of the Kastel and Kastel battles, "Shmuel" operation, and more. A significant part of "Machleket HaHar" (Hebrew, Mountain platoon) – "Lamed Heh" - were part of "Moriya", and its members went to try and locate the lost platoon.
The documents offered here were sent or written, most of them, by the regiment commander and by commanders of companies and platoons. The documents include: · Intelligence reports about operations and movements in the different zones under the regiment's responsibility. · Intelligence reports about events in various neighborhoods such as Talbiye, Katamon, Neve Sha'anan, Kiryat Shmuel, and other neighborhoods. · Detailed operation commands, and more.
Some of the documents concern military operations and historic events:
· Reports about assistance to the "Hadassah Convoy" ("Shayeret Ayin Het"). · Arrangements for a general Arab attack in Jerusalem on the eve of Pesach, following the arrival of some 600 Iraqi soldiers in Jerusalem. · Documents related to “Shmuel Operation”, the aim of which was to attack Arab vehicles on the Ramallah-Latroun road, in response to attacks on Jewish busses (the operation failed and 16 fighters were killed). · Documents about the occupation of the Kastel, including a document titled “The truth about the withdrawal from the Kastel”, written in response to Palmach accusations that Hish withdrew in haste and in an unorganized manner. · A letter from Rachel Yanait and a report about the state in her “educational farm” in the area of Armon HaNatziv. · Documents related to the occupation of the village Dir Yassin. · Documents related to the cease fire command (May 1948), and more.
The documents record the first stage of the war of independence which started right after the UN declaration of the Partition Plan on November 29, 1947, and continued until the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel. This period was marked by attacks by irregular Arab forces and by semi-regular forces that arrived from the neighboring Arab countries to assist the Arabs in Eretz Israel. The Jewish population was defended by “Haganah” members – Hish and Palmach. On March 10, 1948, the general staff of the “Haganah” issued an order– “Plan Dalet” (the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet), which was the first strategic plan of the Haganah in the war of independence; its aim was to take control of the area allocated to the proposed Jewish State - according to the UN Partition Plan and to control the settlements outside this area, including the areas which controlled the route of the planned invasion by Arab countries. “Plan Dalet” marked, in fact, the transition of Jewish military forces from a strategy of defense to a strategy of attack, and this transition is well reflected in this collection of documents.
Most of the documents are typewritten; some are handwritten and include drawings of maps, telegrams and notes.
Total of more than 300 leaves. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.
"Hish", Field Corps of the Haganah, active during the years 1939-1948, was a secret military organization consisting of volunteers, 18 to 26 years of age. From November 1947 and onwards, Hish was the central military framework of the Jewish Defense Force and on the basis of its brigades, starting in May 1948, the regular brigades of IDF were formed.
Regiment 61 – "Moriya" – was the first regiment of "Etzioni" Hish Brigade and consisted of Hish companies in Jerusalem and the Hebrew University students company. The regiment was in charge of all of the municipal area of Jerusalem, from Jaffa road to the north as well as the villages Motza, Hartuv, Atarot and Neve Ya'akov. The regiment was involved in missions of maintaining the border by operations of small forces in Arab villages against Arab units that planned to attack neighborhoods and settlements. The soldiers also participated in battles in the Jewish Quarter; they accompanied convoys, bombed Hotel Semiramis in Katamon neighborhood, attacked Arab vehicles, and participated in the occupation of the Kastel and Kastel battles, "Shmuel" operation, and more. A significant part of "Machleket HaHar" (Hebrew, Mountain platoon) – "Lamed Heh" - were part of "Moriya", and its members went to try and locate the lost platoon.
The documents offered here were sent or written, most of them, by the regiment commander and by commanders of companies and platoons. The documents include: · Intelligence reports about operations and movements in the different zones under the regiment's responsibility. · Intelligence reports about events in various neighborhoods such as Talbiye, Katamon, Neve Sha'anan, Kiryat Shmuel, and other neighborhoods. · Detailed operation commands, and more.
Some of the documents concern military operations and historic events:
· Reports about assistance to the "Hadassah Convoy" ("Shayeret Ayin Het"). · Arrangements for a general Arab attack in Jerusalem on the eve of Pesach, following the arrival of some 600 Iraqi soldiers in Jerusalem. · Documents related to “Shmuel Operation”, the aim of which was to attack Arab vehicles on the Ramallah-Latroun road, in response to attacks on Jewish busses (the operation failed and 16 fighters were killed). · Documents about the occupation of the Kastel, including a document titled “The truth about the withdrawal from the Kastel”, written in response to Palmach accusations that Hish withdrew in haste and in an unorganized manner. · A letter from Rachel Yanait and a report about the state in her “educational farm” in the area of Armon HaNatziv. · Documents related to the occupation of the village Dir Yassin. · Documents related to the cease fire command (May 1948), and more.
The documents record the first stage of the war of independence which started right after the UN declaration of the Partition Plan on November 29, 1947, and continued until the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel. This period was marked by attacks by irregular Arab forces and by semi-regular forces that arrived from the neighboring Arab countries to assist the Arabs in Eretz Israel. The Jewish population was defended by “Haganah” members – Hish and Palmach. On March 10, 1948, the general staff of the “Haganah” issued an order– “Plan Dalet” (the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet), which was the first strategic plan of the Haganah in the war of independence; its aim was to take control of the area allocated to the proposed Jewish State - according to the UN Partition Plan and to control the settlements outside this area, including the areas which controlled the route of the planned invasion by Arab countries. “Plan Dalet” marked, in fact, the transition of Jewish military forces from a strategy of defense to a strategy of attack, and this transition is well reflected in this collection of documents.
Most of the documents are typewritten; some are handwritten and include drawings of maps, telegrams and notes.
Total of more than 300 leaves. Size and condition vary. Overall good condition.
Rare and Important Items
Rare and Important Items