WORLD MACHAL - Volunteers from overseas in the Israel Defense Forces

Charles (Shalom) Ohayon

Charles OhayonCharles Ohayon, the son of Yehuda and Sultana, was born in Paris, France in 1925.

He arrived in Israel in 1948 and joined the French Commando Company of the 9th Battalion, Palmach Hanegev.

Because the nucleus of the Commando leaders were French volunteers (and many were veterans of the World War ll French underground and de-Gaulle’s Free French Army), they were given the task of participating in the expulsion of Egyptian Forces from Israeli territory by capturing the Bir-e-Tamile positions, which controlled the Beersheba-Auja (Nitzana) road.  Although the Egyptians mounted a number of strong counterattacks on these recently-captured positions, the heroic resistance of the French Commandos eventually forced the Egyptians to withdraw northwards to Bir Asluj.

Charles Ohayon was killed during “Operation Horev” battles on 26th December 1948, and was buried the same day at Kibbutz Revivim cemetery.  His parents, brothers and sisters survived him.

 

Source:          Translated from the Yizkor website by Joe Woolf.