The First Battalion
The battalion was founded as an administrative entity at the end of 1944. It was initially comprised of two senior Palmach companies, One and Six, which were merged with company Four at the end of 1945. Most of its members were from the Hachsharot (recruited trainings), many of whom were women who served in various positions, including combat roles.
Iftach Brigade - Brigade Headquarters
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 1
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 2
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 3
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 4
The battalion was founded as an administrative entity at the end of 1944. It was initially comprised of two senior Palmach companies, One and Six, which were merged with company Four at the end of 1945. Most of its members were from the Hachsharot (recruited training –groups of young men and women who underwent a program of combined military training, agricultural work and Zionist education), many of whom were women who served in various positions, including combat roles.
Towards and during the War of Independence the battalion was reinforced with religious Hachsharot, urban recruits, students of the Kadoori Agricultural High School as well as Gahal recruits (Foreign recruits) who were part of the general recruitment.
On the eve of the War of Independence the battalion camped at several Kibbutzim in the Jezreel and Zvulun valleys. The battalion did not have a fixed defense line, and its operating mode was dynamic and versatile; in January 1948 the battalion reinforced the forces operating at Hanita. The battalion assisted the Hish (field combat corps) in defending the north of the country and in conducting retaliation raids. Its men participated in an attack led by the Carmeli Brigade in Balad-a- Siah near Haifa (from the 31st of December 1947 till the 1st of January 1948) and failed in an attempt to raid Shfar'am on the 18th of January.
On the night of the 16th of January one of the battalion's units attacked a house in the neighborhood of Tel Amal (Hawasa) in Haifa.
In the Beit She'an valley, the Golani Brigade's zone, the battalion executed retaliatory operations, blowing up the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the 14th and 15th of February. Its fourth unit assisted Kibbutz Tirat Zvi on the 16th and the 17th of February in warding off the attack of the Arab Liberation Army. On the 10th and 11th of March the battalion failed in an attack on Kfar Kana near Nazareth. On the 16th of March and on the 6th of May the battalion attacked a weapons' convoy near Kiryat Motzkin. In the course of the campaign on Mishmar Hae'mek, which took place from the 4th to the 14th of April, the battalion operated for the first time as one tactical unit, and its counter attack determined the campaign's outcome. On the 19th of April the battalion participated in an attack on Zarien in the Gilboa. The operation failed and the battalion's fighters were forced to retreat. In the beginning of May the battalion moved northwards to prepare for Operation Yiftach which began in late April in the eastern upper Galilee. From that point on, it remained and fought with the Yiftach Brigade then assembled. The battalion's mission was to clear the route from Rosh Pina to Tiberias [within the framework of Operation Matate] and to assist the Third Battalion in the conquest of Safad (on the 11th of May). There, its mission was to block the road to Safad from the south of Wadi Lamon road, so as not to allow the Syrian backup to pass there. The force took hold of the posts on the cliff above the Akbara village and harassed them in order to prevent them from assisting the Arab residents of Safad.
Within the framework of Operation Yiftach (on the 15th of May 1948) the battalion participated in the defensive battles against the invading Lebanese army, in the conquest of the Malchia ridge and in the first Battle of Malchia (then the battalion was forced to evacuate the villages of Malchia and Kadesh). These villages were finally conquered on the 28th and 29th of May during the second Battle of Malchia, when the battalion also raided Itrun.
On the eve of the first cease fire, in the beginning of June, during the third attempt to take control of Latrun, the battalion participated in Operation Yoram. On the night of the 5th of June, the battalion conquered El Kubab, and on the following night its men raided the villages of Inba Salbit and Beit Nuba. On the 10th the battalion re-conquered Gazer and El Barya.
During the Battles of the Ten Days, the battalion participated in Operation Dani, conquering Inba, Hadita and Jimzu on the 10th of June, Brafilia on the 15th, Bir Ma'ayan on the 16th, and on the 18th of June, alongside an attack on the Latrun police station, it conquered Shilta and Har Kurikar.
On the 28th the Battalion participated in Operation Gis 1 and attacked Faluja. On the first of September the Yiftach Brigade was given the responsibility of the securing the central Negev; the Battalion spread out in Mishmar Hanegev, Imara and the Shoval police??.
The battalion participated in the battles over the Najila Malicha and Konyetera hills from the 8th till the 10th of September, and in the battles of the ruins of Mahaz from the second till the 10th of that month.
On the 14th of October the battalion moved to Wadi El Hassi in preparation for Operation Yoav and there, four days later, amongst its other activities, attacked the positions on Hulikat (number 138). On the 20th the battalion failed in the attack on Sa'ad and a day later received the positions of Bet Hanun from the Third Battalion.
When the fighting in the Negev was over, the battalion was transferred to the Mansura camp and reorganized itself, renewing its corps and spirits; the battalion changed. The military operation Shen Tahat Shen (Tooth for a Tooth), whose target was to widen the eastern borders of the country in the "Triangle area" of Wadi Ara bordering with Jordan, was under planning, but eventually was not realized due to the political agreement signed between Israel and Jordan.
The battalion's commanders were Nahum Sarig, Dan Lener, Ithiel Amichai and Asaf Simchoni.
Towards and during the War of Independence the battalion was reinforced with religious Hachsharot, urban recruits, students of the Kadoori Agricultural High School as well as Gahal recruits (Foreign recruits) who were part of the general recruitment.
On the eve of the War of Independence the battalion camped at several Kibbutzim in the Jezreel and Zvulun valleys. The battalion did not have a fixed defense line, and its operating mode was dynamic and versatile; in January 1948 the battalion reinforced the forces operating at Hanita. The battalion assisted the Hish (field combat corps) in defending the north of the country and in conducting retaliation raids. Its men participated in an attack led by the Carmeli Brigade in Balad-a- Siah near Haifa (from the 31st of December 1947 till the 1st of January 1948) and failed in an attempt to raid Shfar'am on the 18th of January.
On the night of the 16th of January one of the battalion's units attacked a house in the neighborhood of Tel Amal (Hawasa) in Haifa.
In the Beit She'an valley, the Golani Brigade's zone, the battalion executed retaliatory operations, blowing up the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the 14th and 15th of February. Its fourth unit assisted Kibbutz Tirat Zvi on the 16th and the 17th of February in warding off the attack of the Arab Liberation Army. On the 10th and 11th of March the battalion failed in an attack on Kfar Kana near Nazareth. On the 16th of March and on the 6th of May the battalion attacked a weapons' convoy near Kiryat Motzkin. In the course of the campaign on Mishmar Hae'mek, which took place from the 4th to the 14th of April, the battalion operated for the first time as one tactical unit, and its counter attack determined the campaign's outcome. On the 19th of April the battalion participated in an attack on Zarien in the Gilboa. The operation failed and the battalion's fighters were forced to retreat. In the beginning of May the battalion moved northwards to prepare for Operation Yiftach which began in late April in the eastern upper Galilee. From that point on, it remained and fought with the Yiftach Brigade then assembled. The battalion's mission was to clear the route from Rosh Pina to Tiberias [within the framework of Operation Matate] and to assist the Third Battalion in the conquest of Safad (on the 11th of May). There, its mission was to block the road to Safad from the south of Wadi Lamon road, so as not to allow the Syrian backup to pass there. The force took hold of the posts on the cliff above the Akbara village and harassed them in order to prevent them from assisting the Arab residents of Safad.
Within the framework of Operation Yiftach (on the 15th of May 1948) the battalion participated in the defensive battles against the invading Lebanese army, in the conquest of the Malchia ridge and in the first Battle of Malchia (then the battalion was forced to evacuate the villages of Malchia and Kadesh). These villages were finally conquered on the 28th and 29th of May during the second Battle of Malchia, when the battalion also raided Itrun.
On the eve of the first cease fire, in the beginning of June, during the third attempt to take control of Latrun, the battalion participated in Operation Yoram. On the night of the 5th of June, the battalion conquered El Kubab, and on the following night its men raided the villages of Inba Salbit and Beit Nuba. On the 10th the battalion re-conquered Gazer and El Barya.
During the Battles of the Ten Days, the battalion participated in Operation Dani, conquering Inba, Hadita and Jimzu on the 10th of June, Brafilia on the 15th, Bir Ma'ayan on the 16th, and on the 18th of June, alongside an attack on the Latrun police station, it conquered Shilta and Har Kurikar.
On the 28th the Battalion participated in Operation Gis 1 and attacked Faluja. On the first of September the Yiftach Brigade was given the responsibility of the securing the central Negev; the Battalion spread out in Mishmar Hanegev, Imara and the Shoval police??.
The battalion participated in the battles over the Najila Malicha and Konyetera hills from the 8th till the 10th of September, and in the battles of the ruins of Mahaz from the second till the 10th of that month.
On the 14th of October the battalion moved to Wadi El Hassi in preparation for Operation Yoav and there, four days later, amongst its other activities, attacked the positions on Hulikat (number 138). On the 20th the battalion failed in the attack on Sa'ad and a day later received the positions of Bet Hanun from the Third Battalion.
When the fighting in the Negev was over, the battalion was transferred to the Mansura camp and reorganized itself, renewing its corps and spirits; the battalion changed. The military operation Shen Tahat Shen (Tooth for a Tooth), whose target was to widen the eastern borders of the country in the "Triangle area" of Wadi Ara bordering with Jordan, was under planning, but eventually was not realized due to the political agreement signed between Israel and Jordan.
The battalion's commanders were Nahum Sarig, Dan Lener, Ithiel Amichai and Asaf Simchoni.