The Palmach Battalions
In winter of 1944-1945, the Palmach decided to form battalions for efficiency, control and organizational reasons. Up to that point, the company level had the highest tactics level and of the training and drills were done in the squad and unit level.
In winter of 1944-1945, the Palmach HQ decided to form battalions for efficiency, control and organizational reasons. Up to that point, the company level had the highest tactics level and of the training and drills were done in the squad and unit level.
The battalion formation included: 2-3 riflemen companies with a small HQ, with no auxiliary company or a core commanding company. The General HQ was afraid that the formation into national battalion level would complicate the Palmach structure, while the Chief of national Hagana HQ, Moshe Sneh, supported the idea.
The Palmach, as a national enlisted force and a national backlog of the higher command, developed its war doctrine that included:
A. Patrolling the strategic area for intelligence purposes.
B. Offensive activity against enemy concentrations.
C. Retaliation acts
D. Special duties in the tactic area.
Plan B determined that the country would be divided into strategic regions, each region allotted a Palmach force. The Palmach Battalions operating in the strategic regions were as follows:
The First battalion – in the Israel Valley, Western Galilee and Haifa region.
The Second battalion - in the center (Chefer Valley and south), southern regions and Jerusalem.
The Third battalion - in the Upper Galilee, Jordan Valley and Lower Galilee.
The Fourth battalion - along the Mediterranean Sea and center (mostly for Illegal Immigration and intelligence missions.)
This four battalion formation was kept until the onset of the War of Independence. In the midst of battle, the purpose and internal structure of the Battalions changed from an organizational framework to a warfare tactic unit. The battalion count went up to ten and they were integrated into the brigades:
The First and Third Battalions joined 'Yiftach' brigade (the Second Battalions joined only in the fall of 1948);
The Fourth, Fifth and Tenth Battalions joined 'Harel' Brigade; the Second, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Battalions joined the 'Negev' Brigade.
The battalion formation included: 2-3 riflemen companies with a small HQ, with no auxiliary company or a core commanding company. The General HQ was afraid that the formation into national battalion level would complicate the Palmach structure, while the Chief of national Hagana HQ, Moshe Sneh, supported the idea.
The Palmach, as a national enlisted force and a national backlog of the higher command, developed its war doctrine that included:
A. Patrolling the strategic area for intelligence purposes.
B. Offensive activity against enemy concentrations.
C. Retaliation acts
D. Special duties in the tactic area.
Plan B determined that the country would be divided into strategic regions, each region allotted a Palmach force. The Palmach Battalions operating in the strategic regions were as follows:
The First battalion – in the Israel Valley, Western Galilee and Haifa region.
The Second battalion - in the center (Chefer Valley and south), southern regions and Jerusalem.
The Third battalion - in the Upper Galilee, Jordan Valley and Lower Galilee.
The Fourth battalion - along the Mediterranean Sea and center (mostly for Illegal Immigration and intelligence missions.)
This four battalion formation was kept until the onset of the War of Independence. In the midst of battle, the purpose and internal structure of the Battalions changed from an organizational framework to a warfare tactic unit. The battalion count went up to ten and they were integrated into the brigades:
The First and Third Battalions joined 'Yiftach' brigade (the Second Battalions joined only in the fall of 1948);
The Fourth, Fifth and Tenth Battalions joined 'Harel' Brigade; the Second, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Battalions joined the 'Negev' Brigade.