CATEGORY: PERSONAL STORY – ARMY
MENU TITLE:
MEDOW, Ziegbert – Palmach transport mechanic
ZIEGBERT MEDOW
Arriving in Israel from South Africa during July 1948, we were sent to Tel- Litwinsky. After a week I was sent down to Kibbutz Ruchama, which had been surrounded for some time. There was this fellow called Ya’kov from Haifa: on the same afternoon that I got there, he received a telegram advising that his wife had just given birth and he wanted to leave. He was in charge of the transport at Ruchama, and I took his place.
Later on, Kibbutz Ruchama was cut off again, and we were there for a month. After the capture of Beersheba we built a camp about 15 km away from it. Our transport group was attached to the Palmach.
I remained out of touch with English speakers. Our unit consisted of veteran German immigrants and newly-arrived displaced refugees. Commands were given mainly in German, and I had a friend, Uri, who translated any Hebrew that was spoken. The officers from the headquarters in Jaffa also spoke German, even amongst themselves.
From Ruhama we moved around, including a stint at Eilat. Eventually, in May 1948 I was called back to Jaffa, and from there I was sent around as an inspector of spares and equipment of other vehicle maintenance depots in the south.
Machal/ziegbertmedow181109finaljoe301109
Arriving in Israel from South Africa during July 1948, we were sent to Tel- Litwinsky. After a week I was sent down to Kibbutz Ruchama, which had been surrounded for some time. There was this fellow called Ya’kov from Haifa: on the same afternoon that I got there, he received a telegram advising that his wife had just given birth and he wanted to leave. He was in charge of the transport at Ruchama, and I took his place.
Later on, Kibbutz Ruchama was cut off again, and we were there for a month. After the capture of Beersheba we built a camp about 15 km away from it. Our transport group was attached to the Palmach.
I remained out of touch with English speakers. Our unit consisted of veteran German immigrants and newly-arrived displaced refugees. Commands were given mainly in German, and I had a friend, Uri, who translated any Hebrew that was spoken. The officers from the headquarters in Jaffa also spoke German, even amongst themselves.
From Ruhama we moved around, including a stint at Eilat. Eventually, in May 1948 I was called back to Jaffa, and from there I was sent around as an inspector of spares and equipment of other vehicle maintenance depots in the south.
