The Attack on Mishmar Ha'emek
On the 4.4.48, the 'Salvation Army' of Kaukaji attacked the kibbutz with a volley of shells. The kibbutz was not really prepared for that kind of attack and it resulted in a great number of casualties amongst the kibbutz population (about 600 souls, half of whom were children) and heavy damage to the buildings and animal-sheds. The electricity was disconnected and the water system was damaged.
Ten platoons of the enemy with 40 men in each platoon, began to approach the kibbutz fence, firing machine guns from armored vehicles. The kibbutz people took up positions and fired at the attackers who did not attempt to break into the kibbutz. At the end of the attack they retreated to their bases.
At night a 'Golani' field corps company (about 100 men), commanded by Meir Slotzky-Amit made its way from kibbutz Sarid by foot, across the fields of the valley. The kibbutz members had stood firmly despite the many casualties and great damage, and the timely arrival of the 'Golani' reinforcement helped to keep their spirits up.
The following day (5.4.48), the shelling was resumed and the Arabs positioned themselves on the surrounding hill tops that overlook the kibbutz.
The British commander of the regiment stationed at the Ramat David airport, approached both sides and demanded a 24 hour cease-fire. The wounded people and the children were evacuated during that day.
Kaukaji tried to extend the cease-fire in order to transfer part of his forces to the battle zone in a lightning operation but the Hagana refused to accept his terms. A discussion arose as to the role of the Palmach forces whose commanders did not agree to the defensive concept and they decided to take the initiative and attack the surrounding areas in order to break the Arab forces.
During the night, between the 8th and 9th of April, the Palmach forces opened their attack. The first regiment went south from Ju'ara. One of the platoons attacked Hirbat Bet-Ras and put the enemy to flight. The field corps platoon took control of 'Har Haga'ash' and the second Palmach platoon conquered the village of Rubiya el-Fuka where they met with very little opposition. During the same night, the 'Carmeli' company set out from Juara to conquer 'Har Kere'ach' that overlooks the Abu-Shosha village and in the morning the Golani soldiers attacked the village and began to blow up the houses. The 4th company conquered Rubyot , with the company commander, Rafi Eitan at the head of the attacking platoon.
The southern ridges were captured by the Chaka platoon while the auxiliary force shelled the center of the enemy forces in the Mansi valley. On the following day, the platoon in Rubiya el Fuka was shelled and the company commander sent out distress calls. The battalion commander, Laner, decided not to attack the enemy in order to prevent the position of his troops from being exposed. Therefore he did not come to the aid of the platoon who had been fighting in the village for 24 hours, with mounting casualties and diminishing ammunition.
On the night of 10th April, Laner, the battalion commander, decided to retreat from the Rubiya el-Fuka village and from the 'Ga'ash' hilltops. They were subsequently occupied by Kaukaji's 'Salvation Army' of irregulars.
On the morning of 10.4., Kaukaji's forces attacked the kibbutz, firing and shelling with all the weapons at their disposal. Armored vehicles moved along the entire length of the road and did not allow any vehicles to reach the kibbutz. Kaukaji began to consolidate his forces in order to launch the decisive battle. Yitzchak Sadeh, who observed Kaukaji's moves in order to understand his plans, completed the deployment of his troops for gaining control of the Arab villages around the kibbutz. Two field corps platoons arrived by foot with ammunition on their backs. The following night the Hagana forces began their attack. They took control of the villages "Kufrin, Abu-Zorik, Abu-Shosha, Rubiya el-Fuka and Rihania.
The battle day of the 12.4.1948, was the most difficult day of all. Several companies went out on their missions:
Company A' advanced to the Mansi valley and succeeded in overpowering the strongholds without any opposition.
Company D' took control of 'Har Hagaash', established itself in Rubiya and set up a company ambush in the forest. The 'Salvation Army' forces began to carry out counter attacks but were driven back time and time again by the Company D' fighters who allowed the attackers to approach with the range of 80-100 meters when they fired on them and inflicted many casualties on their forces. The principal direction of fire was towards Rubiya with the armored vehicles trying to approach the village. There were more than ten attempts to storm the 'Har Hagaash' strongholds.
Towards evening the attack weakened and the enemy forces retreated. The Arabs had suffered about 100 casualties. The Palmach and the field corps forces were exhausted also. The number of kibbutz members and soldiers from the fighting units who were killed had reached 18 and many more were wounded
Yitzchak Sadeh demanded of the soldiers to overcome their fatigue and pursue the retreating enemy in order to broaden the area under the control of his forces.
During the night they blew up the houses in the Mansi village; on the following day they captured Tel-Megiddo, the village of Lajun and the police station at the Megiddo crossroads.
The Palmach fighters who fell in the Mishmar Ha'emek battles were:
Amiram Overfirst; Moreno Armoza; Yosef Braverman; Elazar Bert; Gidon Hamer; Menachem Levinger; David Nussbaum; Eliyahu Rosenbaum; Yitzchak Shneidermesser; Yishayahu Shusterman.
At night a 'Golani' field corps company (about 100 men), commanded by Meir Slotzky-Amit made its way from kibbutz Sarid by foot, across the fields of the valley. The kibbutz members had stood firmly despite the many casualties and great damage, and the timely arrival of the 'Golani' reinforcement helped to keep their spirits up.
The following day (5.4.48), the shelling was resumed and the Arabs positioned themselves on the surrounding hill tops that overlook the kibbutz.
The British commander of the regiment stationed at the Ramat David airport, approached both sides and demanded a 24 hour cease-fire. The wounded people and the children were evacuated during that day.
Kaukaji tried to extend the cease-fire in order to transfer part of his forces to the battle zone in a lightning operation but the Hagana refused to accept his terms. A discussion arose as to the role of the Palmach forces whose commanders did not agree to the defensive concept and they decided to take the initiative and attack the surrounding areas in order to break the Arab forces.
During the night, between the 8th and 9th of April, the Palmach forces opened their attack. The first regiment went south from Ju'ara. One of the platoons attacked Hirbat Bet-Ras and put the enemy to flight. The field corps platoon took control of 'Har Haga'ash' and the second Palmach platoon conquered the village of Rubiya el-Fuka where they met with very little opposition. During the same night, the 'Carmeli' company set out from Juara to conquer 'Har Kere'ach' that overlooks the Abu-Shosha village and in the morning the Golani soldiers attacked the village and began to blow up the houses. The 4th company conquered Rubyot , with the company commander, Rafi Eitan at the head of the attacking platoon.
The southern ridges were captured by the Chaka platoon while the auxiliary force shelled the center of the enemy forces in the Mansi valley. On the following day, the platoon in Rubiya el Fuka was shelled and the company commander sent out distress calls. The battalion commander, Laner, decided not to attack the enemy in order to prevent the position of his troops from being exposed. Therefore he did not come to the aid of the platoon who had been fighting in the village for 24 hours, with mounting casualties and diminishing ammunition.
On the night of 10th April, Laner, the battalion commander, decided to retreat from the Rubiya el-Fuka village and from the 'Ga'ash' hilltops. They were subsequently occupied by Kaukaji's 'Salvation Army' of irregulars.
On the morning of 10.4., Kaukaji's forces attacked the kibbutz, firing and shelling with all the weapons at their disposal. Armored vehicles moved along the entire length of the road and did not allow any vehicles to reach the kibbutz. Kaukaji began to consolidate his forces in order to launch the decisive battle. Yitzchak Sadeh, who observed Kaukaji's moves in order to understand his plans, completed the deployment of his troops for gaining control of the Arab villages around the kibbutz. Two field corps platoons arrived by foot with ammunition on their backs. The following night the Hagana forces began their attack. They took control of the villages "Kufrin, Abu-Zorik, Abu-Shosha, Rubiya el-Fuka and Rihania.
The battle day of the 12.4.1948, was the most difficult day of all. Several companies went out on their missions:
Company A' advanced to the Mansi valley and succeeded in overpowering the strongholds without any opposition.
Company D' took control of 'Har Hagaash', established itself in Rubiya and set up a company ambush in the forest. The 'Salvation Army' forces began to carry out counter attacks but were driven back time and time again by the Company D' fighters who allowed the attackers to approach with the range of 80-100 meters when they fired on them and inflicted many casualties on their forces. The principal direction of fire was towards Rubiya with the armored vehicles trying to approach the village. There were more than ten attempts to storm the 'Har Hagaash' strongholds.
Towards evening the attack weakened and the enemy forces retreated. The Arabs had suffered about 100 casualties. The Palmach and the field corps forces were exhausted also. The number of kibbutz members and soldiers from the fighting units who were killed had reached 18 and many more were wounded
Yitzchak Sadeh demanded of the soldiers to overcome their fatigue and pursue the retreating enemy in order to broaden the area under the control of his forces.
During the night they blew up the houses in the Mansi village; on the following day they captured Tel-Megiddo, the village of Lajun and the police station at the Megiddo crossroads.
The Palmach fighters who fell in the Mishmar Ha'emek battles were:
Amiram Overfirst; Moreno Armoza; Yosef Braverman; Elazar Bert; Gidon Hamer; Menachem Levinger; David Nussbaum; Eliyahu Rosenbaum; Yitzchak Shneidermesser; Yishayahu Shusterman.