Operation "Barak"
With the approaching evacuation of the British forces and the anticipated invasion of the Arab armies, it was necessary to finalize the implementation of the 'Hagana' D' program – creating territorial continuity in the entire area of the Jewish State. The 'Barak' operation was planned in two stages for the southern area and the Negev. In the first stage, the Givati Brigade, reinforced by a regiment from the Negev Brigade, attacked the villages in the Majdal-Ishdud-Yavne area and other villages in the eastern areas; During the second stage, the Negev Brigade conquered the villages in the Brier – Kawkaba axis.
The Negev Brigade of the Palmach: there were few reserve men and therefore both regiments of the brigade reinforced each other during the 'Barak' operation.
Stage A' – the attack on Savafir by the 8th Regiment:
The 8th Battalion included two companies: one company with three platoons and the other with two platoons. The auxiliary company had two 3" mortars, a "Parosh" and a 'Piat ' (personal infantry anti-tank launcher). On the night of the 9-19 May, the regiment went in a convoy of armored vehicles and "soft" vehicles including buses, on a dirt road from Nir-Am to Negba and from there on the road to Kfar Warburg. The Givati Brigade Commander of the operation, agreed after being pressured by Chaim Bar-Lev, the 8th Regiment Commander, to put the forces on the Savafir-a-Sharkya road, instead of waiting in reserve.
At 1:30 am on the 11.5.48, the company from Kfar Warburg who were in the wadi (valley), moved to a deployment point north of the village. At 3:45 am., after a "bombardment" with eight 3" mortar shells, that were allocated for the operation, the Bren company stormed the village from the north and after a short spell of resistance, the inhabitants of the village fled. The village was combed by the Palmach forces but there was strong fire from the groves in the south. At 11:00 am., the order was given to evacuate the village but before doing so, they blew up four wells and several buildings. On the night of the 11th and12th of May, the regiment returned on the dirt road to Nir-Am.
The 12th of May was a day of preparations for Stage B' of the 'Barak' operation. Two platoons from the B' company of the 8th Battalion, went out early in the morning to bring a convoy from Tel Aviv with two 20 mm. artillery guns and returned the same evening.
They joined the 2nd Battalion in the attack on Breir.
Stage B' – The attack on Breir, Hulikat and Kawkaba by the 2nd Battalion.
The 2nd Battalion, reinforced by two platoons from the 8th Brigade, was ordered to attack and conquer Beir. The battalion decided that the operation would be called "The "Grisha Operation", named after "Grisha", a new immigrant who was killed in one of the convoys.
The Battalion included: 3 infantry companies, 16 armored vehicles, an armored bulldozer, an improvised mobile bridge, two 20 m"m guns, two 3" mortars, a 'Parosh' and a Medium Machine Gun.
The plan was to give each company armored vehicles, auxiliary weapons and an objective. Company A' – to attack the school; Company B' - to break through the roadblocks on the South-North road; Company C' – to attack the flour-mill. Obstructions were placed around the area of operations and 2 platoons from the 8th Regiment were held in reserve.
The activities in the area began on the 9th of May. Four days prior to the beginning of the operation, mines were laid on the dirt roads from Faluja and Kartya, the road from Bet Hanun to Sumsu and between Dimara and Najid.
The attack began at dawn on the 13th of May. The support fire and the power of the attacking forces took the people and defenders of Breir by surprise. The operation went according to plan and when the school building that controlled the area 500 meters north-east of the village, was conquered, the resistance ended. The Egyptian volunteers who were billeted in the school building were taken by surprise and most of them were hit. The local villagers fled northwards in the direction of Majdal.
At 5:00 am., the 2nd Battalion had complete control of 'Breir' and continued on to exploit their successes and the villages of Hulikat and Kawkaba were also overcome. On the following day, the village of Sumsum was also abandoned. The enemy suffered heavy losses – about 80 were killed, mainly foreign fighters, whereas only two of our men had been lightly injured. In Breir the ditches in the road were filled and the road-blocks were removed. Thus the road to the Negev was opened and the traffic remained unhindered, until the siege was imposed at the beginning of the first cease-fire.
Stage A' – the attack on Savafir by the 8th Regiment:
The 8th Battalion included two companies: one company with three platoons and the other with two platoons. The auxiliary company had two 3" mortars, a "Parosh" and a 'Piat ' (personal infantry anti-tank launcher). On the night of the 9-19 May, the regiment went in a convoy of armored vehicles and "soft" vehicles including buses, on a dirt road from Nir-Am to Negba and from there on the road to Kfar Warburg. The Givati Brigade Commander of the operation, agreed after being pressured by Chaim Bar-Lev, the 8th Regiment Commander, to put the forces on the Savafir-a-Sharkya road, instead of waiting in reserve.
At 1:30 am on the 11.5.48, the company from Kfar Warburg who were in the wadi (valley), moved to a deployment point north of the village. At 3:45 am., after a "bombardment" with eight 3" mortar shells, that were allocated for the operation, the Bren company stormed the village from the north and after a short spell of resistance, the inhabitants of the village fled. The village was combed by the Palmach forces but there was strong fire from the groves in the south. At 11:00 am., the order was given to evacuate the village but before doing so, they blew up four wells and several buildings. On the night of the 11th and12th of May, the regiment returned on the dirt road to Nir-Am.
The 12th of May was a day of preparations for Stage B' of the 'Barak' operation. Two platoons from the B' company of the 8th Battalion, went out early in the morning to bring a convoy from Tel Aviv with two 20 mm. artillery guns and returned the same evening.
They joined the 2nd Battalion in the attack on Breir.
Stage B' – The attack on Breir, Hulikat and Kawkaba by the 2nd Battalion.
The 2nd Battalion, reinforced by two platoons from the 8th Brigade, was ordered to attack and conquer Beir. The battalion decided that the operation would be called "The "Grisha Operation", named after "Grisha", a new immigrant who was killed in one of the convoys.
The Battalion included: 3 infantry companies, 16 armored vehicles, an armored bulldozer, an improvised mobile bridge, two 20 m"m guns, two 3" mortars, a 'Parosh' and a Medium Machine Gun.
The plan was to give each company armored vehicles, auxiliary weapons and an objective. Company A' – to attack the school; Company B' - to break through the roadblocks on the South-North road; Company C' – to attack the flour-mill. Obstructions were placed around the area of operations and 2 platoons from the 8th Regiment were held in reserve.
The activities in the area began on the 9th of May. Four days prior to the beginning of the operation, mines were laid on the dirt roads from Faluja and Kartya, the road from Bet Hanun to Sumsu and between Dimara and Najid.
The attack began at dawn on the 13th of May. The support fire and the power of the attacking forces took the people and defenders of Breir by surprise. The operation went according to plan and when the school building that controlled the area 500 meters north-east of the village, was conquered, the resistance ended. The Egyptian volunteers who were billeted in the school building were taken by surprise and most of them were hit. The local villagers fled northwards in the direction of Majdal.
At 5:00 am., the 2nd Battalion had complete control of 'Breir' and continued on to exploit their successes and the villages of Hulikat and Kawkaba were also overcome. On the following day, the village of Sumsum was also abandoned. The enemy suffered heavy losses – about 80 were killed, mainly foreign fighters, whereas only two of our men had been lightly injured. In Breir the ditches in the road were filled and the road-blocks were removed. Thus the road to the Negev was opened and the traffic remained unhindered, until the siege was imposed at the beginning of the first cease-fire.