British Ministry of Defense to award 32 disabled IDF
veterans with a medal on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II for their service in
the British army during World War II
Aviel Magnezi Published: 06.16.10, 15:02 /
Israel News
Thirty-two members of the Disabled IDF Veterans Association, who were
injured during World War II, will be awarded the British Ministry of Defense
medal on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II for their contribution to the war
against the Nazis.
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The IDF veterans who served
in the British army will be honored 65 years after WWII. They
will be receiving the Queen's medal by British Ambassador to
Israel Tom Phillips during a special ceremony to be held on
Thursday in Tel Aviv.
Some of the soldiers' stories will be related during the
ceremony, including that of Moshe Dotan, 92, who fell captive in
1941 while serving in the Jewish Brigade. Dotan spent four years
in labor camps as well as in the Nazi death camp Auschwitz
before being liberated prior to the end of the war.
Bezalel Gilboa, 88, will also
be receiving a medal for his service as a recruit instructor in
the Jewish Brigade's Italian battalion. He was seriously injured
after stepping on a dud.
Despite the injury, Gilboa went on to serve as a captain during
the War of Independence. Only after being discharged from the
IDF did he tell his commanders that his leg had been cut off as
a result of the WWII injury. |
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Zvi Avidror,
chairman of the British Royal Navy veterans organization in
Israel
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Zvi Avidror, 85, chairman of the
British Royal Navy veterans organization in Israel, who had
previously received the token via mail, helped organize the event.
He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and later
joined the IAF.
"I served in the British Navy and was badly injured during WWII. I
realized that anyone who served during the war is entitled to
receive the medal and decided to initiate the bestowal for all the
soldiers."
He noted he was particularly excited at the prospect of seeing many
of his fellow soldiers after 60 odd years. |
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