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ience to stand in memory of the deceased and delivered a eulogy, with no שלב א
preparation.2 The next day, Ben-Gurion opened the meeting of the Jewish Agency
board with a brief, moving tribute to Wingate. In the daily press, the news of שלב ב
Wingate's death was announced in the headlines, accompanied by editorials
and obituaries. Some of the authors even added the expression Z.L. ("of blessed שלב ג
memory") to his name, a custom generally reserved for Jews.3 Throughout the
country, the Jewish national flags were lowered to half-mast.4 In the following שלב ד
days, memorials for Wingate were held in the Jezreel Valley and several cities
plazas and streets were named for him. The Jewish National Fund announced the
planting of a forest dedicated to his memory and the National Committee declared
that a central institution for physical education would be founded in his name.5
Why did Wingate enjoy such honors? He was undoubtedly a high-ranking
officer in the British army, and he was considered a brilliant, original military
leader who introduced many innovations in the deployment of special forces, and
in integrating air and ground operations. British prime minister Winston Churchill
described him as "a man of genius who might have become a man of destiny."6
The main reason that the yishuv mourned him can be attributed to Wingate's
favorable view of the Zionist project, which was unusual for a British military man
of the time, but even more, to his considerable contribution to the development
of a yishuv defense force: specifically, his establishment and command of the
Special Night Squads (SNS) during the period of the Arab Revolt. This unit, in
which British soldiers served alongside Jewish notrim, members of the Haganah,
became the first official military framework since the Jewish Legion of the First
World War to include Jews in offensive operations in Palestine. Orde Wingate,
"the Friend," (Hayadid) was held up as a model, an extraordinary prophet who
taught the Jews that they had to initiate contact and take the war to the enemy, and
not remain behind walls and guard towers.
"We met him for the first time during the revolt in Palestine that preceded the
war," David Ben-Gurion wrote. "He organized young people from the farms in the
Jezreel Valley into special night squads (the SNS) to fight the Arab terrorist gangs
that were active in the country at the time … based on his acquaintance with the
men of the Valley in the SNS, he learned to appreciate the important work of the
Jewish youth in this ancient–new country."7
Since his death, Wingate has become one of the most interesting figures in the
military history of the twentieth century. His innovation in military doctrine, which
paved the way to the development of special forces in the West after the Second
World War, was just a part of this. His colorful personality and uncompromising
nature and the strong emotions, ranging from adoration to disgust, that he aroused
2 Ben-Gurion on Wingate, Hazman, 2 February 1944.
3 Free Judea – That was the ideal of Wingate, Z.L., Hamashkif, 2 April 1944.
4 Mourning Wingate in the country, Davar, 3 April 1944.
5 The yishuv mourns the passing of Wingate, Al Hamishmar, 3 April 1944. This was, of course, the
Wingate Institute, which operates to this day.
6 Winston Churchill, speech to the House of Commons, 2 August 1944.
7 David Ben-Gurion, He was certain the error would be corrected, Davar, 2 April 1944.
138
preparation.2 The next day, Ben-Gurion opened the meeting of the Jewish Agency
board with a brief, moving tribute to Wingate. In the daily press, the news of שלב ב
Wingate's death was announced in the headlines, accompanied by editorials
and obituaries. Some of the authors even added the expression Z.L. ("of blessed שלב ג
memory") to his name, a custom generally reserved for Jews.3 Throughout the
country, the Jewish national flags were lowered to half-mast.4 In the following שלב ד
days, memorials for Wingate were held in the Jezreel Valley and several cities
plazas and streets were named for him. The Jewish National Fund announced the
planting of a forest dedicated to his memory and the National Committee declared
that a central institution for physical education would be founded in his name.5
Why did Wingate enjoy such honors? He was undoubtedly a high-ranking
officer in the British army, and he was considered a brilliant, original military
leader who introduced many innovations in the deployment of special forces, and
in integrating air and ground operations. British prime minister Winston Churchill
described him as "a man of genius who might have become a man of destiny."6
The main reason that the yishuv mourned him can be attributed to Wingate's
favorable view of the Zionist project, which was unusual for a British military man
of the time, but even more, to his considerable contribution to the development
of a yishuv defense force: specifically, his establishment and command of the
Special Night Squads (SNS) during the period of the Arab Revolt. This unit, in
which British soldiers served alongside Jewish notrim, members of the Haganah,
became the first official military framework since the Jewish Legion of the First
World War to include Jews in offensive operations in Palestine. Orde Wingate,
"the Friend," (Hayadid) was held up as a model, an extraordinary prophet who
taught the Jews that they had to initiate contact and take the war to the enemy, and
not remain behind walls and guard towers.
"We met him for the first time during the revolt in Palestine that preceded the
war," David Ben-Gurion wrote. "He organized young people from the farms in the
Jezreel Valley into special night squads (the SNS) to fight the Arab terrorist gangs
that were active in the country at the time … based on his acquaintance with the
men of the Valley in the SNS, he learned to appreciate the important work of the
Jewish youth in this ancient–new country."7
Since his death, Wingate has become one of the most interesting figures in the
military history of the twentieth century. His innovation in military doctrine, which
paved the way to the development of special forces in the West after the Second
World War, was just a part of this. His colorful personality and uncompromising
nature and the strong emotions, ranging from adoration to disgust, that he aroused
2 Ben-Gurion on Wingate, Hazman, 2 February 1944.
3 Free Judea – That was the ideal of Wingate, Z.L., Hamashkif, 2 April 1944.
4 Mourning Wingate in the country, Davar, 3 April 1944.
5 The yishuv mourns the passing of Wingate, Al Hamishmar, 3 April 1944. This was, of course, the
Wingate Institute, which operates to this day.
6 Winston Churchill, speech to the House of Commons, 2 August 1944.
7 David Ben-Gurion, He was certain the error would be corrected, Davar, 2 April 1944.
138
