Bombing execution of Mettula Bridges
Two forces from Company 9 of the Third Battalion participated in the raids on the Mettula bridges.
Two forces from Company 9 of the Third Battalion participated in the raids on the Mettula bridges. North-east Mettula Bridge was attacked by a unit from the 'Hacshara' in kibbutz Dafna, headed by platoon commander David (Dudu) Cherkesky. North-east Mettula Bridge was attacked by a reinforced squad from the Palmach unit in Kfar-Giladi, in kibbutz Dafna, headed by platoon commander, Danny Noyman (Naaman.) Both forces did their preparations together in Tel-Hai forest, and took off for the mission together a little after 21:00. After about 20 minutes on foot, the forces split and each force headed to its designated target.
The force headed by Cherkesky (which included a few women) walked about nine kilometers until it came near the North-east Mettula Bridge. A section about 200 meters going on and off the bridge, was only 20 meters close the British military base, so they had to crawl it while sneaking to the target. Due to lack of access to the bottom of the bridge or the columns supporting it, the demolition charge that included 250kg of explosives was placed on the asphalt road that crossed the bridge. At 23:30 the bomb went off and the bridge collapsed. While the force retreated, the base guards opened undirected fire at them. None of the warriors was hurt and the force safely returned to its base in Dafna.
The operation commander, David Cherkesky, was killed during the War of Independence in the battle of Nabi Yusha, and Chaim Chefer wrote the song "Dudu" in his memory.
The force headed by Noyman arrived near the north-west Mettula Bridge after an hour on foot, guided by patrolman (as well as poet and lyricist) Chaim Finer (Chefer.) The warriors placed their demolition charges that included 200kg of explosives and waited for the zero hour, 23:30. After the explosion of north-east Mettula bridge was heard, Noyman ordered to bomb the bridge and the force retreated back to Kfar-Giladi. The British restored the bridge two weeks later. The Palmach sabotaged the bridge once again on February 15th, 1948, during 'Operation 35,' to prevent the entrance of Arab warriors from Syria into Israel.
The force headed by Cherkesky (which included a few women) walked about nine kilometers until it came near the North-east Mettula Bridge. A section about 200 meters going on and off the bridge, was only 20 meters close the British military base, so they had to crawl it while sneaking to the target. Due to lack of access to the bottom of the bridge or the columns supporting it, the demolition charge that included 250kg of explosives was placed on the asphalt road that crossed the bridge. At 23:30 the bomb went off and the bridge collapsed. While the force retreated, the base guards opened undirected fire at them. None of the warriors was hurt and the force safely returned to its base in Dafna.
The operation commander, David Cherkesky, was killed during the War of Independence in the battle of Nabi Yusha, and Chaim Chefer wrote the song "Dudu" in his memory.
The force headed by Noyman arrived near the north-west Mettula Bridge after an hour on foot, guided by patrolman (as well as poet and lyricist) Chaim Finer (Chefer.) The warriors placed their demolition charges that included 200kg of explosives and waited for the zero hour, 23:30. After the explosion of north-east Mettula bridge was heard, Noyman ordered to bomb the bridge and the force retreated back to Kfar-Giladi. The British restored the bridge two weeks later. The Palmach sabotaged the bridge once again on February 15th, 1948, during 'Operation 35,' to prevent the entrance of Arab warriors from Syria into Israel.