The Ninth Battalion - The Raid (Hanegev Brigade)
Right after Operation Pleshet the Negev Brigade initiated the founding of a motorized raid battalion which was named the Tenth Battalion. A few months later the battalion's number was corrected and it was renamed the Ninth Battalion. Initially the battalion comprised of two jeep companies: the Raid Unit and Hayot Hanegev unit which was transferred for that need from the Second Battalion. The battalion’s commander was Israel Carmi, its technical officer was David (Doki) Sela, the intelligence officer was Bezale’l Zadikov and the units' commanders were Yoske Ribkind and Micha Perlson (Peri) for the jeep companies and Simcha Shiloi as the commander of the Zahlam (half truck) company. The battalion’s base camp was located in the Dafo territory near Kibbutz Rohama.
Right after Operation Pleshet the Negev Brigade initiated the founding of a motorized raid battalion, although the date signed on the Platoon's Staff official document was the 18th of June 1948. The battalion was named the Tenth Battalion although a few months later its name was corrected to the Ninth Battalion. The Palmach’s plan was that Hanegev Brigade would comprise of four battalions, set up the Ninth Battalion realized this plan. Initially the battalion comprised of two jeep companies: the Raid Unit and Hayot Hanegev unit which was transferred for that need from the Second Battalion, equipped with ten half trucks and turned into a motorized infantry unit. The battalion’s commander was Israel Carmi, its technical officer was David (Doki) Sela, the intelligence officer was Bezale’l Zadikov and the units' commanders were Yoske Ribkind and Micha Perlson (Peri) for the jeep companies and Simcha Shiloi as the commander of the Zahlam (half truck) company. The battalion’s base camp was located in the Dafo territory near Kibbutz Rohama. Since it was set up on the eve of the first ceasefire, until the initiated operation which took place in the framework of Aseret Hayamim (the ten days), the battalion’s units operated whenever there was a need for mobilization and gun fire assistance; Operation An-Pee’r and Mavet Lapolesh (death to the invader). One jeep platoon participated in the conquest of Bir Asluj. The battalion’s forces assisted the attacked Kibbutzs along the Egyptian army’s transport force’s progression rout and participated in the evacuation of Kfar Darom’s members. Towards the end of June the battalion received an addition to its manpower and its commanding personnel changed as well; Moshe Erling was appointed commander of the second jeep company, Matityahu (Mats) Sternbown was appointed commander of the armored unit and Yosef Green was appointed commander of the half truck unit. The battalion’s operations officer became Shimcha Shiloni. On the 17th of July the battalion attacked Hulika’at under the command of Micha Perlson alongside the infantry company from the Seventh Battalion.
At the end of August, 1948, the battalion left the Negev together with the whole Negev Brigade to rest and reorganize in Bee'r Ya’akov camp. The battalion was rearranged and Micha Perlson (Peri) was appointed its deputy commander. The two jeep companies were united to one company and Moshe Erling was appointed as its commander, his deputy was Shaul Biber. Gershon Dovemboim (Davembam) was transferred from the Second Battalion and appointed the armored company’s commander, his deputy was Yosi Greenberg. The command over the half truck company was given to Alexander (Sasha Hagadol) Vitkin and his deputy Eliyahu Finemaster. The French Commando unit, under the command of Tedi Eitan, was annexed to the Ninth Battalion as an organic company. The battalion received many Gahal (soldiers recruited from abroad) and Mahal (volunteers from abroad) recruits who integrated into all the companies. Amongst the new recruits some were senior Palmach members from the Naval Company who completed their service escorting Ma’apilim’s (illegal immigrants) ships. The battalion's manpower comprised of five hundred warriors, seventy of them female. The battalion was equipped with armored vehicles, jeeps and half trucks. The battalion’s former vehicles were passed on to Yiftach Brigade when they left the Negev.
After a month and a half of rearranging, the battalion was able to take part in its future operations. On the eve of Operation Yoav the battalion’s men infiltrated through the Detachment Strip and aligned themselves across the western fighting zone of the Negev to raid and harass the Egyptian army’s camps and installations and disrupt its transportation routs in the region of Gaza and Rafah. Later on, in the framework of Operation Moshe, the battalion served as the vanguard of the attack on Bee’r Sheva. The day after its conquest, on the 22nd of October 1948, the third ceasefire began. Information regarding a possible counter attack of forces from the Egyptian army which were in the area of Har Hevron, sent a mission force under the command of Gershon Dovemboim to blow up one of the bridges on the road from Bee’r Sheva to Hevron. In the course of the operation Davembam was shot in his stomach by an armor penetrating bullet. He was evacuated to the hospital in Kibbutz Ruhama in a serious condition and died the next day. Arie’ Viseberg (Sion) took after him as commander of the armored unit. Two days later the commander of one of the two French Commando units was killed while preparing the area out side of Bee’r Sheva for training.
In the course of November additional changes were made in the battalion’s commanding personnel. Haim Bar- Lev replaced Israel Carmi as the battalion’s commander. Eliyahu Finemaster received temporary command of the half truck company. Before going on Operation Horev, Yehuda (Izev) Izevski was appointed commander of the half truck unit and Israel (Shronale’) Cohen his deputy. Shaul Biber was appointed commander of the jeep unit and Uri Bar- Ratzon was transferred from the Eighth Battalion and appointed commander of the support company. Operation Lot was meant to renew the ground connection with Sodom. On the 23rd of November 1948 forces of the Negev Brigade set out to take control of the territory between Bee’r Sheva and Sodom. After the conquest of Kurnub and En Hazob police, the forces continued into the Arava until the eastern border.
Operation Horev began on the 25th of December 1948. In the first stage the battalion's forces participated in the Brigade’s mission of conquering the territory which dominated Bir Asluj – Auza El Hafir road. Later on the battalion led the Brigade’s forces into the Sinai Peninsula until they conquered Abu Agila.
On the 2nd of January 1949 the Sinai Peninsula was evacuated due to a political decision. The Negev Brigade returned to the Israeli territory. The Ninth Battalion was to join Hare’l Brigade in the attack on the Egyptian forces in the Gaza strip as the second stage of Operation Horev. Hare’l Brigade's mission was to conquer posts in Rafah. On the 7th of January 1949 a general ceasefire was announced towards the approaching agreement with Egypt.
On the 29th of January 1949 the Ninth Battalion was transferred to his new camp in Akir (Tel Nof).
After it was decided in the second half of February to prepare to take control of the gulf of Eilat up until the gulf of Accaba (Operation Uvda) the battalion’s force was ordered to march deep into the territory and examine the possibility of planning the operation. On the 24th of February a force under the command of Simcha Shiloni, which comprised of eight jeeps and six command-cars, set out on the long journey. On the 2nd of March the force completed its mission and returned to Bee’r Sheva. The data it collected was used by the Southern headquarters’ staff in the planning of Operation Uvda. On the 5th of March forces of the Negev Brigade went on the Operation. Two jeep and scout companies from the Ninth Battalion joined along.
After Operation Ovda the men returned to the camp in Tel Nof. The companies engaged in missions that attempted to prevent the return of the Arab inhabitants to their deserted villages and the infiltration of Arab refugees across the new borders of the Arava in the Bet Govrin- Dwima Fighting Zone and in the Gaza strip. In June the Battalion moved to Hazor camp.
The following story may reflect the manner of behavior in the Palmach’s battalions: on June 1949 the I.D.F began to pay differential wages according to rank. Up until then the wages were uniform. Haim Bar- Lev, the battalion’s commander, gathered his men and held a vote over his proposal to continue receiving uniform wages. His proposal was accepted and the wages were calculated so that the surplus in the battalion’s fund would be allocated to assisting those with families.
In July 1949 Yonatan Dotan (Dolinski) was appointed as Bar- Lev’s deputy and a month later Haim Bar- Lev retired to study and Yonatan Dotan became commander of the battalion. The decision to turn the Negev Brigade into a reserve force brought about the transfer of the Ninth Battalion to Sheva (seventh) Brigade, the I.D.F’s regular armored brigade. A number of senior commanders remained in career service in the battalion; Arie’ Shahar (Shwartzman) was appointed assistant battalion commander, Haimke’ Kremer was the headquarters company commander, Israel Cohen (Sharonale’) was the half truck commander, Arie’ Sion (Viseberg) the armored company's commander and Isarel Granit (Grinker) served as the intelligence officer.
The Ninth Battalion was the only battalion from the Negev Brigade and the Palmach which continued to exist after the termination of the War of Independence.
At the end of August, 1948, the battalion left the Negev together with the whole Negev Brigade to rest and reorganize in Bee'r Ya’akov camp. The battalion was rearranged and Micha Perlson (Peri) was appointed its deputy commander. The two jeep companies were united to one company and Moshe Erling was appointed as its commander, his deputy was Shaul Biber. Gershon Dovemboim (Davembam) was transferred from the Second Battalion and appointed the armored company’s commander, his deputy was Yosi Greenberg. The command over the half truck company was given to Alexander (Sasha Hagadol) Vitkin and his deputy Eliyahu Finemaster. The French Commando unit, under the command of Tedi Eitan, was annexed to the Ninth Battalion as an organic company. The battalion received many Gahal (soldiers recruited from abroad) and Mahal (volunteers from abroad) recruits who integrated into all the companies. Amongst the new recruits some were senior Palmach members from the Naval Company who completed their service escorting Ma’apilim’s (illegal immigrants) ships. The battalion's manpower comprised of five hundred warriors, seventy of them female. The battalion was equipped with armored vehicles, jeeps and half trucks. The battalion’s former vehicles were passed on to Yiftach Brigade when they left the Negev.
After a month and a half of rearranging, the battalion was able to take part in its future operations. On the eve of Operation Yoav the battalion’s men infiltrated through the Detachment Strip and aligned themselves across the western fighting zone of the Negev to raid and harass the Egyptian army’s camps and installations and disrupt its transportation routs in the region of Gaza and Rafah. Later on, in the framework of Operation Moshe, the battalion served as the vanguard of the attack on Bee’r Sheva. The day after its conquest, on the 22nd of October 1948, the third ceasefire began. Information regarding a possible counter attack of forces from the Egyptian army which were in the area of Har Hevron, sent a mission force under the command of Gershon Dovemboim to blow up one of the bridges on the road from Bee’r Sheva to Hevron. In the course of the operation Davembam was shot in his stomach by an armor penetrating bullet. He was evacuated to the hospital in Kibbutz Ruhama in a serious condition and died the next day. Arie’ Viseberg (Sion) took after him as commander of the armored unit. Two days later the commander of one of the two French Commando units was killed while preparing the area out side of Bee’r Sheva for training.
In the course of November additional changes were made in the battalion’s commanding personnel. Haim Bar- Lev replaced Israel Carmi as the battalion’s commander. Eliyahu Finemaster received temporary command of the half truck company. Before going on Operation Horev, Yehuda (Izev) Izevski was appointed commander of the half truck unit and Israel (Shronale’) Cohen his deputy. Shaul Biber was appointed commander of the jeep unit and Uri Bar- Ratzon was transferred from the Eighth Battalion and appointed commander of the support company. Operation Lot was meant to renew the ground connection with Sodom. On the 23rd of November 1948 forces of the Negev Brigade set out to take control of the territory between Bee’r Sheva and Sodom. After the conquest of Kurnub and En Hazob police, the forces continued into the Arava until the eastern border.
Operation Horev began on the 25th of December 1948. In the first stage the battalion's forces participated in the Brigade’s mission of conquering the territory which dominated Bir Asluj – Auza El Hafir road. Later on the battalion led the Brigade’s forces into the Sinai Peninsula until they conquered Abu Agila.
On the 2nd of January 1949 the Sinai Peninsula was evacuated due to a political decision. The Negev Brigade returned to the Israeli territory. The Ninth Battalion was to join Hare’l Brigade in the attack on the Egyptian forces in the Gaza strip as the second stage of Operation Horev. Hare’l Brigade's mission was to conquer posts in Rafah. On the 7th of January 1949 a general ceasefire was announced towards the approaching agreement with Egypt.
On the 29th of January 1949 the Ninth Battalion was transferred to his new camp in Akir (Tel Nof).
After it was decided in the second half of February to prepare to take control of the gulf of Eilat up until the gulf of Accaba (Operation Uvda) the battalion’s force was ordered to march deep into the territory and examine the possibility of planning the operation. On the 24th of February a force under the command of Simcha Shiloni, which comprised of eight jeeps and six command-cars, set out on the long journey. On the 2nd of March the force completed its mission and returned to Bee’r Sheva. The data it collected was used by the Southern headquarters’ staff in the planning of Operation Uvda. On the 5th of March forces of the Negev Brigade went on the Operation. Two jeep and scout companies from the Ninth Battalion joined along.
After Operation Ovda the men returned to the camp in Tel Nof. The companies engaged in missions that attempted to prevent the return of the Arab inhabitants to their deserted villages and the infiltration of Arab refugees across the new borders of the Arava in the Bet Govrin- Dwima Fighting Zone and in the Gaza strip. In June the Battalion moved to Hazor camp.
The following story may reflect the manner of behavior in the Palmach’s battalions: on June 1949 the I.D.F began to pay differential wages according to rank. Up until then the wages were uniform. Haim Bar- Lev, the battalion’s commander, gathered his men and held a vote over his proposal to continue receiving uniform wages. His proposal was accepted and the wages were calculated so that the surplus in the battalion’s fund would be allocated to assisting those with families.
In July 1949 Yonatan Dotan (Dolinski) was appointed as Bar- Lev’s deputy and a month later Haim Bar- Lev retired to study and Yonatan Dotan became commander of the battalion. The decision to turn the Negev Brigade into a reserve force brought about the transfer of the Ninth Battalion to Sheva (seventh) Brigade, the I.D.F’s regular armored brigade. A number of senior commanders remained in career service in the battalion; Arie’ Shahar (Shwartzman) was appointed assistant battalion commander, Haimke’ Kremer was the headquarters company commander, Israel Cohen (Sharonale’) was the half truck commander, Arie’ Sion (Viseberg) the armored company's commander and Isarel Granit (Grinker) served as the intelligence officer.
The Ninth Battalion was the only battalion from the Negev Brigade and the Palmach which continued to exist after the termination of the War of Independence.