Ajex

Heroic Jewish spy honoured in Torquay

Zoe Winograd — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:51:43 +0100

A Jewish agent who spied for Britain during the Second World War is to be honoured with a blue plaque at her childhood home in Torquay.

Muriel Tamara Byck, a fluent French speaker, was recruited into the Special Operations Executive in July 1943 and completed several missions in France. She died in 1944 after contracting meningitis.

The plaque includes a line in Hebrew quoting the Torah — “Be strong and of good courage”.

It will be put in place at a ceremony on June 4 organised by the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women and the Torquay Civic Society.

They did their bit - the story of three centuries of heroism

Simon Round — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Sadly, there are not many Jews who fought in the Second World War who are still able to march. But those who can will be polishing their medals to parade down Whitehall on Sunday, in honour of their comrades who fell in the 1939-45 conflict and those before and since.

If last year's attendance at the annual Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Women (Ajex) parade is a guide, there could be around 800 veterans at the ceremony, the numbers bolstered by those who have served since 1945. However, if all those Jews who fought for their country in two world wars were still able to attend, there would be enough people to fill Wembley stadium - with another 15,000 spilling out on to the pitch.

Those who have researched the subject of Jewish involvement in the armed forces all agree that the contribution has been disproportionate to the numbers in the community. It is a long history of courage under fire that dates back to a time before Jews could even officially serve the Crown in the military. Captain Alexander Schomberg, who had to convert to Anglicanism to join up, captured the Heights of Abraham from the French in the battle for Quebec while skippering the frigate Diana, in 1759. There is also an account of Jewish men who served on the HMS Victory with Nelson and there were Jews at Waterloo, the Crimea and more than 3,000 fighting in the Boer War.

But it was in the First World War that British Jews served their country en masse. In excess of 55,000 volunteered or were conscripted, and, in this most savage of conflicts, a large number lost their lives. Five also won Victoria Crosses, the first of whom was Frank Alexander de Pass, who was killed in 1914 while attempting to take an enemy trench for the second time.

Roz Currie, curator of the Jewish Military Museum in Hendon, feels that this war marked a watershed for the British Jewish community. "One of the narratives from the First World War was that large numbers were serving as British soldiers for the first time, sometimes only a few years after arriving as immigrants."

There may have been horrendous casualties, but there was also a sense of self-esteem and of belonging - even more so when the Jewish Legion was founded in 1917. The first Jewish fighting force seen for some centuries was lobbied for and served in by those twin pillars of Zionism, Vladimir Jabotinsky and David Ben Gurion, under the banner of the Royal Fusiliers. Following the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government stated that it "viewed with interest" the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, Jews signed up to the British army in order to force the Ottomans out of Jerusalem. The legion did not quite rout the Turkish army but did see active service in the Dardanelles.

On November 18 1921, with the memories of the trenches still fresh in their minds, a group of Jewish ex-servicemen laid a wreath for their fallen colleagues. They have returned pretty much every year since.

Even more Jews - some 60,000 - served in the armed forces in the Second World War. These included many refugees from Austria and Germany who were initially interned as enemy aliens, but who eventually played a crucial part in the war effort, particularly in military intelligence.

Historian Martin Sugarman, the author of Fighting Back, about the British-Jewish contribution to the armed forces and a new book about Jews who were Japanese prisoners of war, says these soldiers and their commanding officers realised that Jewish servicemen were particularly vulnerable if taken prisoner. "A lot of Jews registered as Church of England rather than Jewish. German-born Jews, for example, knew that if they were captured, they and their families would suffer, although they did not realise the full horror of what was going on in Europe. Jews would often would be encouraged to change their names - Cohen or Goldstein would become Gordon, Johnson or Smith because their commanding officers knew that they were taking a double risk."

A few were also in jeopardy from men in their own units. Currie says that antisemitism was by no means universal and was certainly not experienced by all military personnel, but there were some appalling instances during the Second World War.

"Some veterans say there was no antisemitism. Others say there was quite a lot. I've heard horrific stories about people being beaten up by their own side and even stories of soldiers who were attacked so savagely that they had to be invalided home. But then there are others who would say that their Jewishness was just part of the banter that went on. I think it varied."

What is not in dispute is the contribution by the men and women who fought for Britain. In the two world wars, Jews were decorated in large numbers and eight won the ultimate award for bravery - the Victoria Cross.

But, for decades after the war, if you were curious to discover more about their bravery, you would have had a tough job. This troubled Henry Morris, who served four years in the Fleet Air Arm as an electrician during the war, although he jokes that he practically never saw a ship. Morris, now 91, says that he was standing at the Ajex parade during the 1980s when it occurred to him that there was no record of the contribution made by Jews in the armed services. "Every military organisation of any description has its own museum. We had contributed to the Crown for over 300 years and there was nothing to show for it. A sixth of the Jewish population served in the war. There wasn't any branch of the services that we did not join and excel in."

He wrote a record of every Jew who died in the conflict and founded the Jewish Military Museum.

However, it can still be tough to get the word out about the Jewish war effort.

Sugarman says: "Whenever there are exhibitions featuring the contribution of minorities, we tend to get left out, perhaps because Jews are not seen as distinguishable enough from the mainstream population."

It is estimated that there are between 300 and 600 Jews currently serving in the armed forces and last year, for the first time, they were eligible to receive a kosher meal pack - 250 years late perhaps but a formal recognition that the needs of Jewish servicemen and women are important.

Another development has also been welcomed by Ajex. As the number of living ex-service personnel diminishes, so their families have become determined to keep their memory alive.

On Sunday, hundreds will march wearing the medals of their loved ones. There may be few left who recall the terrible sacrifices which were made, but those who fell will continue to be remembered.

Lord Sterling is new Ajex president

Jenni Frazer — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:57:42 +0100

The man praised for his close involvement in June’s Diamond Jubilee river pageant, Lord Sterling, has succeeded Lord Janner as president of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women. Jeffrey Fox, national chairman, said Ajex was proud to have Lord Sterling on board.

Jewish WW1 soldiers reburied

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:46:18 +0100

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were joined in France this week by 12 veterans from the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, as the Prince dedicated the first new Commonwealth War Graves cemetery for 50 years.

Two thousand people gathered at Fromelles, near Lille, for the reburial of 250 British and Australian soldiers on the 94th anniversary of the battle in which they were killed.

A Jewish reburial service was held for Lieutenant Berrol Lazar Mendelsohn and 11 other Australian Jews found in mass graves two years ago. As the Last Post sounded, Ajex national standard bearer Leslie Sutton joined French, British and Australian counterparts, dipping their flags in homage.

After the main ceremony, the Ajex representatives and relatives of Lt Mendelsohn and the other Australian Jews who lack known graves, held a short Jewish service, led by Ajex executive director Jacques Weisser. British Army Chaplain Rabbi Arnold Saunders recited Kaddish and El Moleh Rachamim.

The Ajex group, led by national chairman Dr Arnold Phelops, ended the ceremony by singing Adon Olam to the tune of Waltzing Matilda.

Ajex fears for parade

Jonathan Kalmus — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:59:48 +0100

The chair of Manchester Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women has warned that this year's local Ajex parade could be the last.

Malcolm Solomons fears that the heroism of Jews in the wartime forces may not be relayed to the young generation as veterans die or become too frail to participate in marches or educational activities.

He wants community members to wear the medals of their parents and grandparents at the commemoration at north Manchester's Heathlands Care Village on Sunday week.

"They should attend the parade in order to remember the past and make a better future," he said. "We're all indebted to the boys who fought so we can live in beautiful country that is fair to everybody."

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis, the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire and police inspectors will be among the parade guests. But Mr Solomons says no volunteers have come forward to form a band, forcing his committee to draw on dwindling funds to hire one.

Liverpool Ajex chairman Mervin Kingston, who will join the Manchester parade, says such events are a tool to combat antisemitism.

"Children should learn about what we were fighting for."

Ex-servicemen's leader sees a future in education

Robyn Rosen — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:47:11 +0100

The new national chairman of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women says its educational programme can shape its future.

Arnold Phelops, a former dental surgeon who served in the Royal Army Dental Corps in the 1950s, was elected at the Ajex AGM.

An Ajex member for 12 years, he has chaired its Hendon and Golders Green branch and leads its national education committee.

"We go out to various organisations and schools and they come to our museum and we tell them our stories and experiences," he said.

"The future of the association is dependent on continuing and expanding our education programme, so that current and future generations have a true understanding of the significance of remembrance."

Dr Phelops also cited the long-term importance of the Jewish Military Museum in Hendon, a showcase for the Jewish contribution to the British armed forces, dating back as far as the Battle of Quebec in the mid-18th century.

"Myself and my contemporaries will die out shortly but Ajex does have a future in the continuation of the museum.

"It's a major part of the Jewish heritage of this county."

Ninety-year-old Ida Schuster became the first woman to lay a wreath on behalf of Glasgow Ajex

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:15:24 +0000

Ninety-year-old Ida Schuster became the first woman to lay a wreath on behalf of Glasgow Ajex at its annual Remembrance parade on Sunday. Mrs Schuster, a former WAF, said: "My late husband, Dr Alan Berkeley, was a prisoner of war in Japan and I was delighted to be asked to lay the wreath." The parade of about 80 people was led by the Glasgow Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade band. It marched from the cenotaph at Mearns Cross to Newton Mearns Synagogue where Rabbi Raphael Bokov of Queens Park and Clarkston Synagogue, led the service.

Ajex and Jewish Care join forces with Royal British Legion for Remembrance Day

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:35:25 +0000

Ajex and Jewish Care joined forces with the Royal British Legion for a Remembrance Day commemoration at the war memorial in Edgware. Around 80 care home residents took part in a service conducted by Edgware Reform Synagogue's Rabbi Neil Kraft and the Rev Michael Clark of St Margaret's Church. Clore Manor resident Joseph Mossack was among those who laid wreaths and a lunch was arranged for the Jewish Care party at the nearby Yeshurun Synagogue.

Lord Mayor of Liverpool opens Ajex northern annual conference

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Lord Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Steve Rotheram opened the Ajex northern annual conference. He told the 40 delegates at Harold House community centre: "Organisations like Ajex are the backbone of communities." Mervin Kingston, who has been chair of the local branch for the past 20 years, presented Peter Wagerman, the national chairman of Ajex, with a cheque for £750 for the organisation.

Welcome additions to Jewish Military Museum

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Ajex’s Jewish Military Museum has welcomed two major additions. Leah Segal has donated her late husband Ben’s Military Cross medal group, awarded for service with the elite Long Range Desert Group in North Africa, where he spent months behind enemy lines. Eileen Wiseman, widow of John Wiseman, presented his MC and Croix de Guerre medals. He served with the SAS in North Africa, Italy and France.