Orders for retreat from Zar'in
In the early hours of the morning, at approximately 3:00 am, Dan Laner gave the order for retreat (Yigal Alon was with him).
In the early hours of the morning, at approximately 3:00 am, Dan Laner gave the order for retreat (Yigal Alon was with him). When it became obvious that many had lost their sense of orientation, one of the commanders stood up and shouted: "Retreat in the direction of the moon! Take the wounded! Do not leave the dead behind!" Thus, despite the fact that he himself was wounded in his face and his gun had been damaged, he succeeded in organizing the men for an orderly retreat.
The commanders urged the force to retreat quickly and to leave the area that was under the control of the village Arabs, because they were concerned about being detected at daylight. When they succeeded in severing all contact with the enemy, the force began to make its way in the direction of Merchavia, carrying the dead and wounded on their backs. Fortunately, after a while an armored bus arrived from the direction of Ein Harod, and they were able to transfer the dead and wounded.
The kibbutz members prepared a warm welcome for the fighters and tried to lift their spirits but they remained very downhearted.
Shaike recalls that they were requested to activate חרב"ש – Charbash meaning literally, "Renewal of the spirit in the ranks when 'things go wrong'!!!!"……. He lined up the fighters and began to speak to them, praising their performance in battle, despite the failure and he then said that great successes like the battles at Mishmar Ha'emek for example, cannot always be expected. He was sure that the company would overcome their painful feeling of failure and find the strength to go forward. The war had just begun and their morale had to be kept high.
The commanders urged the force to retreat quickly and to leave the area that was under the control of the village Arabs, because they were concerned about being detected at daylight. When they succeeded in severing all contact with the enemy, the force began to make its way in the direction of Merchavia, carrying the dead and wounded on their backs. Fortunately, after a while an armored bus arrived from the direction of Ein Harod, and they were able to transfer the dead and wounded.
The kibbutz members prepared a warm welcome for the fighters and tried to lift their spirits but they remained very downhearted.
Shaike recalls that they were requested to activate חרב"ש – Charbash meaning literally, "Renewal of the spirit in the ranks when 'things go wrong'!!!!"……. He lined up the fighters and began to speak to them, praising their performance in battle, despite the failure and he then said that great successes like the battles at Mishmar Ha'emek for example, cannot always be expected. He was sure that the company would overcome their painful feeling of failure and find the strength to go forward. The war had just begun and their morale had to be kept high.