The 'Negev' Brigade occupation of Be'er-Sheba during Operation "Moshe"
'Negev' and 8th Brigades were sent to occupy Be'er-Sheba following the success of Operation 'Yoav'. The forces arrived from afar and occupied the city surrounded by fortified posts, ditches and anti-tank land mines after a strenuous battle.
Most of The city's 4,000 inhabitants had run away in the aftermath of the Air-Force day time bombing on the 15th of October. Provision warehouses located in the city, supported The Egyptian forces operating in Hebron and Bethlehem. The city was protected by a Battalion and 200 volunteers with 3.7 'Howitzer' cannons and several 6 pound cannons. An antitank ditch was located in front of the fence surrounding the city and elevated pillboxes dominated the fence and the area opposite the fence.
The Attacking force under the command of 'Negev' Brigade Commander, Nahum Sarig, included 7th Battalion infantry and support companies, 82nd Battalion armored infantry Company, 8th Brigade armored Company carrying 37 mm cannons; 9th Battalion 'French Commando' and a 7th Battalion Company. The force's arrival to the deployment area was delayed and the occupation of the city scheduled to occur during the night was carried out at 04:00 am.
The operation's progress:
Phase 1: The night of the 20th- the force's deployment from the assembly area:
The artillery forces left Hazerim, positioning an 88th Battalion 81 mm cannon battery west of the city and another battery north of the city. A battery of 65 mm cannons was positioned near Hazerim; 9th Battalion blocking and diversion forces departed from Hazala and Haluza- The attempts of the 2 jeep companies under the command of Shaul Biber to block the road north of Be'er-Sheba failed due to the large number of people fleeing the city. Any attempts to flank the stream of fleeing people and block the road south of Daharia were stopped once the city was occupied; An armored Company under the command of Yosi Greenberg blocked the road south of Be'er-Sheba; The armored and halftrack Company under the command of Gershon Dubenboum (Debembem) awaited its orders to proceed diverting on the hills located south-west of the city. The Tactical H.Q., 7th Battalion and the 82nd Battalion departing from the assembly area near Mishmar-Hanegev, and the 9th Battalion attack force departing from the assembly area In Urim, moved along the Be'er-Sheba-Gaza road all the way to the demolished Abu- Raqaik bridge and onwards to the deployment area north of the city.
The 9th Battalion covering force under the command of Alexander Witkon ('Big Sashka') deployed on a hill located 800 m north of the city, with 8 Baze machine guns, two 22 mm cannons and 2 M-2 launchers.
Phase 2: the penetration of the 9th Battalion
The bombardment of the city began at 04:00 am, while 'Debembem' carried out a deception attack from the south-west and "Big Sashka's" covering force opened heavy fire. By 04:10 am, Sharlona led the 'Commanders Company' mounted on halftracks east of the "New Neighborhood", towards the passage connecting between the neighborhood and the city located by 9th Battalion Operations Officer, Simcha Shiloni during an air patrol the previous day. The force was attacked, evacuated the halftracks, captured 3 pillboxes and secured the passage. Teddy Eitan led the 'French Commando' west of the "New Neighborhood" on halftracks to the ditch. They left the halftracks at 05:15 am and reached the alleyways via the Muslim Cemetery, after many were wounded. The evacuation of the wounded was denied due to the inability to perform the evacuation backwards. Teddy Eitan reported lack of munitions after using them up during the purging of the buildings. At 06:00 am the attack came to a stand still and the Brigade Commander ordered another attack against the train station.
Phase 3: The 7th Battalion attack against the train station
The 82nd Battalion armored infantry and armored Company joined the 7th Battalion and 7th Battalion Commander ordered armored infantry Company Commander, Dov Shambursky to lead a "mounted" attack against the train station. The halftracks that encountered land mines upon arriving at the anti-tank ditch retreated, leaving 2 damaged halftracks behind. The covering force attacked the Egyptians trying to approach the abandoned vehicles, while the Egyptians counterattacked the covering force and Tactical H.Q. with heavy artillery.
At this stage, Brigade Commander decided to operate Avraham Adan's ('Bren') 7th Battalion infantry Company and at 07:00 am, Battalion Commander, Uzi Narkis ordered 'Bren' to attack the train station under the protection of 82nd Battalion armored vehicles, while 'Bren' himself led the attack on foot. The Company crossed the double gradient fence surrounding the train station, protected by 37 mm cannons, only to find it deserted including abandoned cannons and vehicles. At 08:45 am, the Company continued to the cemetery, overcame an Egyptian Company and occupied a school located near the police station.
Phase 4: The occupation of the Be'er-Sheba police station
The evacuation of the city began during '"Bren's" attack and at the same time Brigade Commander ordered the 9th Battalion to renew their attack. 7th Battalion ' Commanders Company' and Solel's Company were ordered to join the 9th Battalion in purging the city. Solel's Company, 'The Commanders Company' and the 'French Commando' advanced along the alleyways, purging the city's northern buildings and capturing the Officer's club and the mosque. Units from the 'Commanders Company' were positioned at junctions along the route of the purged buildings, while Sharlona and Djani joined Teddy at the 0fficer's Club, reporting that approach to the police station is denied due to heavy sniper fire. Ninth Battalion Commander, Israel Carmi arrived in the city with a 6 pound anti-tank cannon mounted on a halftrack, causing the sniper fire to cease and at 09:45 am, the Egyptians surrendered.
As a result of the victorious forces looting property, 9th Battalion Commander had difficulties organizing the Battalion in order to occupy Camp-A-Sharf, located 12 km south of Be'er-Sheba. Brigade Commander, Sarig, nominated 7th Battalion Commander, Uzi Narkis, city Commander.
Four 'French Commando' and two 9th Battalion members were killed during the operation; 14 'French Commando' and seven 9th Battalion members were wounded. The enemy suffered 60 casualties, 60 wounded and 60 were taken as prisoners of war. Four 3.7 'Howitzer' cannons, one 6 pound cannon, 42 vehicles and ammunition dumps were captured.
Prim Minister and Minister of Defense, David- Ben- Gurion, sent Yigal Alon a telegram after the occupation of the city: "Please send the blessings of the Jewish Nation and the Government of Israel to the liberators and occupiers of Be'er-Sheba. You have renewed our connection with Abraham- father of the Jewish People, with your blood."
Defense deployment of the city: On the 22nd of October, knowledge came through wire-tapping that the Mt. Hebron Egyptian Commander was planning to attack Be'er-Sheba. The 7th Battalion Commander deployed his forces inside the city and in dominating army posts surrounding the city, yet the attack tarried and a decision was made to demolish the bridge over the Hebron stream, south of Daharia.
On the 23rd of October, A 9th Battalion force, comprised of 2 armored vehicles and 2 halftracks under the command of Debembem, left on its way to demolish the bridge. The guards attacked them when they approached the bridge, wounding Debembem in his gut. The halftracks drove them away and demolished the bridge. Debembem was evacuated to a hospital in Ruhama, and later died of his wounds. The 9th Battalion and the rest of the Brigade mourned his death and the death of the others who died while dismantling mines and during the Egyptian bombardment after the occupation of Be'er-Sheba.
The Attacking force under the command of 'Negev' Brigade Commander, Nahum Sarig, included 7th Battalion infantry and support companies, 82nd Battalion armored infantry Company, 8th Brigade armored Company carrying 37 mm cannons; 9th Battalion 'French Commando' and a 7th Battalion Company. The force's arrival to the deployment area was delayed and the occupation of the city scheduled to occur during the night was carried out at 04:00 am.
The operation's progress:
Phase 1: The night of the 20th- the force's deployment from the assembly area:
The artillery forces left Hazerim, positioning an 88th Battalion 81 mm cannon battery west of the city and another battery north of the city. A battery of 65 mm cannons was positioned near Hazerim; 9th Battalion blocking and diversion forces departed from Hazala and Haluza- The attempts of the 2 jeep companies under the command of Shaul Biber to block the road north of Be'er-Sheba failed due to the large number of people fleeing the city. Any attempts to flank the stream of fleeing people and block the road south of Daharia were stopped once the city was occupied; An armored Company under the command of Yosi Greenberg blocked the road south of Be'er-Sheba; The armored and halftrack Company under the command of Gershon Dubenboum (Debembem) awaited its orders to proceed diverting on the hills located south-west of the city. The Tactical H.Q., 7th Battalion and the 82nd Battalion departing from the assembly area near Mishmar-Hanegev, and the 9th Battalion attack force departing from the assembly area In Urim, moved along the Be'er-Sheba-Gaza road all the way to the demolished Abu- Raqaik bridge and onwards to the deployment area north of the city.
The 9th Battalion covering force under the command of Alexander Witkon ('Big Sashka') deployed on a hill located 800 m north of the city, with 8 Baze machine guns, two 22 mm cannons and 2 M-2 launchers.
Phase 2: the penetration of the 9th Battalion
The bombardment of the city began at 04:00 am, while 'Debembem' carried out a deception attack from the south-west and "Big Sashka's" covering force opened heavy fire. By 04:10 am, Sharlona led the 'Commanders Company' mounted on halftracks east of the "New Neighborhood", towards the passage connecting between the neighborhood and the city located by 9th Battalion Operations Officer, Simcha Shiloni during an air patrol the previous day. The force was attacked, evacuated the halftracks, captured 3 pillboxes and secured the passage. Teddy Eitan led the 'French Commando' west of the "New Neighborhood" on halftracks to the ditch. They left the halftracks at 05:15 am and reached the alleyways via the Muslim Cemetery, after many were wounded. The evacuation of the wounded was denied due to the inability to perform the evacuation backwards. Teddy Eitan reported lack of munitions after using them up during the purging of the buildings. At 06:00 am the attack came to a stand still and the Brigade Commander ordered another attack against the train station.
Phase 3: The 7th Battalion attack against the train station
The 82nd Battalion armored infantry and armored Company joined the 7th Battalion and 7th Battalion Commander ordered armored infantry Company Commander, Dov Shambursky to lead a "mounted" attack against the train station. The halftracks that encountered land mines upon arriving at the anti-tank ditch retreated, leaving 2 damaged halftracks behind. The covering force attacked the Egyptians trying to approach the abandoned vehicles, while the Egyptians counterattacked the covering force and Tactical H.Q. with heavy artillery.
At this stage, Brigade Commander decided to operate Avraham Adan's ('Bren') 7th Battalion infantry Company and at 07:00 am, Battalion Commander, Uzi Narkis ordered 'Bren' to attack the train station under the protection of 82nd Battalion armored vehicles, while 'Bren' himself led the attack on foot. The Company crossed the double gradient fence surrounding the train station, protected by 37 mm cannons, only to find it deserted including abandoned cannons and vehicles. At 08:45 am, the Company continued to the cemetery, overcame an Egyptian Company and occupied a school located near the police station.
Phase 4: The occupation of the Be'er-Sheba police station
The evacuation of the city began during '"Bren's" attack and at the same time Brigade Commander ordered the 9th Battalion to renew their attack. 7th Battalion ' Commanders Company' and Solel's Company were ordered to join the 9th Battalion in purging the city. Solel's Company, 'The Commanders Company' and the 'French Commando' advanced along the alleyways, purging the city's northern buildings and capturing the Officer's club and the mosque. Units from the 'Commanders Company' were positioned at junctions along the route of the purged buildings, while Sharlona and Djani joined Teddy at the 0fficer's Club, reporting that approach to the police station is denied due to heavy sniper fire. Ninth Battalion Commander, Israel Carmi arrived in the city with a 6 pound anti-tank cannon mounted on a halftrack, causing the sniper fire to cease and at 09:45 am, the Egyptians surrendered.
As a result of the victorious forces looting property, 9th Battalion Commander had difficulties organizing the Battalion in order to occupy Camp-A-Sharf, located 12 km south of Be'er-Sheba. Brigade Commander, Sarig, nominated 7th Battalion Commander, Uzi Narkis, city Commander.
Four 'French Commando' and two 9th Battalion members were killed during the operation; 14 'French Commando' and seven 9th Battalion members were wounded. The enemy suffered 60 casualties, 60 wounded and 60 were taken as prisoners of war. Four 3.7 'Howitzer' cannons, one 6 pound cannon, 42 vehicles and ammunition dumps were captured.
Prim Minister and Minister of Defense, David- Ben- Gurion, sent Yigal Alon a telegram after the occupation of the city: "Please send the blessings of the Jewish Nation and the Government of Israel to the liberators and occupiers of Be'er-Sheba. You have renewed our connection with Abraham- father of the Jewish People, with your blood."
Defense deployment of the city: On the 22nd of October, knowledge came through wire-tapping that the Mt. Hebron Egyptian Commander was planning to attack Be'er-Sheba. The 7th Battalion Commander deployed his forces inside the city and in dominating army posts surrounding the city, yet the attack tarried and a decision was made to demolish the bridge over the Hebron stream, south of Daharia.
On the 23rd of October, A 9th Battalion force, comprised of 2 armored vehicles and 2 halftracks under the command of Debembem, left on its way to demolish the bridge. The guards attacked them when they approached the bridge, wounding Debembem in his gut. The halftracks drove them away and demolished the bridge. Debembem was evacuated to a hospital in Ruhama, and later died of his wounds. The 9th Battalion and the rest of the Brigade mourned his death and the death of the others who died while dismantling mines and during the Egyptian bombardment after the occupation of Be'er-Sheba.