Hello, I’m delighed to have found this forum. I’m currently working on a book about my father, but it’s tough going, as the research is quite challenging I’m hoping the experienced people here might be able to give me some pointers. A bit about me, my project and my dad: My dad had me late in his life (he was 51), which was a bit more unusual in my generation than it is now. So I’m only one generation removed from the war, and I do feel it cast a long shadow on my childhood. Writing a book about my dad is perhaps more of a therapeutic endeavour than it is in the hopes of creating a commercial blockbuster. Since I’m Danish, that is the language in which I write. My dad’s story is particularly difficult to track because he did intelligence work. However, since Leah Garret was able to write the book “X-Troop”, I suspect that my dad’s files might also be available now. My dad was a German speaking Jew, who joined up for the British army in Palestine, in 1939. He was 16, but lied about his age. He was placed in a Palestinian unit, and sent to Africa, where he fought in the battle of El Alamein. After this, he was a parachuter in the invasion of Sicily and Italy. He was wounded at Monte Cassino, but was mended enough after a few months to rejoin the war efforts. After this, he was sent to Australia, where he was trained to pose as a German soldier. He was sent behind enemy lines, and participated at D-Day, where he played the role of a German telegraphist. He was captured by the Canadians and sent to a prisoner camp in the UK, where his true identity was found out. After this, he joined the Jewish Brigade, which had been formed in 1944. His war ended in Belgium, where he helped Jewish concentration camp victims. So, these are the tracks I am following.
Welcome to the forum and good luck with the book a few threads here Jewish Brigade The Jewish Brigade in Italy Jewish units in WW2
Welcome Sanne and good luck with your book. I suspect you will need to find his service records to confirm a lot of those details. I read a book a while back titled 'Wheels in the Storm' by Major Wellesley Aron which would give you a lot of background information about a Palestinian unit serving in the Western Desert, Southern Italy and later through to Austria at the end of the war. I wrote a short review here- Book Review - Micro Book Reviews Scott
Sanne. You might want to check the timeline. If he was wounded at Cassino (Jan-May 44) and then went to Australia to train to be a German, I doubt whether he would have been a D Day. Regards Frank
Welcome to the forum. I see that you have tagged your post with 'The Buffs' and you say that he joined the British army, if you are able to share his name and service number it would be interesting to see what members can find, if he was wounded there could be some information to find.
This looks exactly like the kind of thing I’m looking for! Thank you very much! And you’re right: The Jewish brigade were playing both sides, and they were definitely stealing from the British army. But that wasn’t even the worst of it: They also hunted down nazi criminals and exacted their own version of justice. All highly problematic. I don’t know if I’m allowed to write about this stuff here, since it’s an introduction thread
Thank you all for a very warm welcome I am currently in the process of trying to dig up my dad’s service papers. One of my brothers might have them - with a little luck. That should also help me in trying to establish a time line. I have to say, though, that Scott’s book recommendation hits a lot of notes - such as, why I have a picture of my dad in an Australian uniform!
Sanne, If you think Aron's book will be helpful I am happy to give it to you for the postage cost. Send me a PM with your details if interested. I would be interested in seeing the photo of your Dad in Australian uniform. If he were involved with the Australian military I expect you should be able to find mention of him in our archives. Be aware that the Palestinian troops were closely involved with the Australians at Tobruk. His name would be useful. Operatives were trained in Australia but I suspect they were trained namely for infiltration against the Japanese. But you never know. Scott
My father was called James Spektor. I have started a thread about the uniforms here: Help figuring out uniforms! I'm afraid I already ordered the book online! But thank you for your very kind offer! I don't recall my dad talking about Tobruk, but I do find it interesting that when I was a child, we always went on holiday in strange places. Other people go to Ibiza. I have been to Tunisia 3 times, Malta 2 times, Egypt once and of course Italy! I am beginning to suspect he was going back to the places he went to during the war. Never Germany, though.