Palestine Jewish Soldiers in Western Desert Sacrifice Lives to Save Commander

The quick thinking and bravery of two Jewish soldiers in the Western Desert who sacrificed their lives to save their commander, was lauded today by the British officer who escaped the Nazis through their efforts.

The officer told the Jewish Agency today that he, together with three soldiers who had volunteered, two of whom were Jews, were sent on a secret, extremely dangerous mission somewhere in the Western Desert. When the group of four arrived at the location to which they had been sent, they found themselves surrounded by a German unit, which was obviously waiting for them. Somewhere along the line there had been a leak, and the four had walked into a trap.

Refusing to surrender, the British officer and his three companions engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the Nazis but the odds were overwhelming and they saw that there was no hope of escape. At the last moment the two Jewish soldiers threw hand grenades at their attackers, but at such close quarters that they were killed together with many of the Germans. The third member of the group was also killed in the course of the fighting. In the commotion that followed upon the explosion of the grenades, however, the officer succeeded in escaping.