Jewish WWII fighters honoured in Field of Remembrance

Last week marked the first time that Jewish soldiers from Palestine, who fought against the Nazis as part of the British Army, have been commemorated as part of Remembrance Sunday activities.

Thursday November 9 saw the opening of the Field of Remembrance in London’s Westminster Abbey in recognition of fallen British soldiers from both World Wars. This year, the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group (Jewish Brigade), the only independent Jewish military unit to fight against Nazi Germany as part of the British Army during the Second World War, was also commemorated with a dedicated plot.

The Field was opened by Prince Harry and the new plot marks the first time the 36 servicemen of the Jewish Brigade from Palestine have been commemorated in this way. Comprised of three hundred small plots, each dedicated to a particular military unit or veteran organisation, small pegs in the form of a cross or - from this year - a Star of David are planted in the Field and inscribed with the name of a serviceman who died in battle.

The inclusion in the Field of Remembrance of a plot dedicated to the men of the Jewish Brigade who fell in combat was initiated by Yael Driver-Shamir, daughter of the late (Gen.) Shlomo Shamir (Rabinovitch), who at the time was the commander of the Brigade on behalf of the Jewish Institutions in Palestine.