With The Judaeans In The Palestine Campaign: With The Judaeans In The Palestine Campaign

by LCol J. H. Patterson

This is an extraordinary account of one of the most unusual units ever to have fought in the ranks of the British army. ‘The Judeans’ were a battalion of Jewish soldiers raised during the Great War specifically to serve in Palestine, which, then as now, was a politically and racially sensitive area. Set agains the background of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which pledged British support for establishing a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine, this is the account of the Judeans by its outspoken (non-Jewish) Commanding Officer, Col. J. H. Patterson, who is palpably proud of having led the Judeans, which he rightly describes as a ‘unique unit’ whose formation was ‘unprecedented in our annals’. As Patterson recognises, the Judeans were Zionists, fighting not only for the British cause against the Ottoman Turks who then held sway over the Holy Land, but also ‘for the restoration of the Jewish people to the Promised Land’. Patterson’s account of the victyorious 1918 campaign that swept the Turks out of what is now Israel, Palestine and Jordan, is shot through both with his pride in his men, when he goes as far as claiming that the campaign ‘was actually pivoted on the sons of Israel who were once again fightinbg the enemy, not far from the spot where their forefathers had croosed the Jordan under Joshua’. Patterson is also - unusually, given the high degree of anti-Semitism then prevalent in Britain’s officer class - highly critical of his fellow officers for discriminating against the Judeans, and other Jewish settlers in Palestine. This book is a rare insight into a remarkable episode in Anglo-Jewish histlory, and should interest anyone wishing to know more of the background to current conflicts in the Middle East. It is illustrated with 22 photographs of officers of the Judeans and Palestinian scenes, including Biblical sites.

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2004

Reviews

[None Ofyourbusiness Loves Israel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture a band of Jewish volunteers, ordinary folk from bustling streets and distant shores, banding together under a bold British officer to battle Ottoman forces in the Holy Land during World War I, their journey a thrilling mix of grit, glory, and groundbreaking history that sparks the flame of a new era for their people, promising adventures in exotic terrains and the birth of a dream worth every drop of sweat.

John Henry Patterson, the lion-vanquishing Irishman of Tsavo fame, trades African jungles for Palestine’s battlegrounds, his memoir a candid chronicle that pulses with the fervor of a man captivated by his soldiers’ cause meeting the biblical weight of Exodus.

Patterson uplifts by tales of resilience, hearts swelling with communal triumph as soldiers reclaim ancestral pride through valour, learning that collective resolve carves paths through adversity. The story embodies Jewish revival, rising from diaspora ashes to forge homeland steel amid imperial gears. Patterson conveys unity's power, where diverse recruits blend into unbreakable force, echoing Kipling's yarns in soldierly bonds yet infused with biblical echoes, much like Lawrence's desert odysseys in Seven Pillars of Wisdom for their sandy strategies and personal quests. His anecdotal style, peppered with vivid details like Passover feasts under stars, draws one into the fray, each page turning like a patrol's tense advance.

Early on, the Balfour Declaration ignites hope, as His Majesty's Government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

Opposition surges from surprising quarters, with some denouncing the regiment's formation and Zionist dreams, yet they press forward, training rigorously at Plymouth to forge men into superior fighters, impressing upon them that strict discipline, and hard training, was entirely in their own interests, so that when the day of battle came they would be fitter men and better fighters than their enemies, and with these two points in their favour the chances were that instead of getting killed, they would kill their opponents and emerge from the battle triumphant.

Kosher provisions spark debates, resolved firmly to honour traditions, as Patterson replies that if this was to be the attitude taken up by the War Office, it would be impossible to make the Battalion a success, for the only way to make good Jewish soldiers of the men was by first of all treating them as good Jews; if they were not to be treated as Jews, then he should request to be relieved of his command.

They sail to Palestine, parading proudly through cities, the Jewish flag and Union Jack carried amid cheering crowds. In Egypt, Passover feasts blend military duty with sacred rites, before advancing to the Nablus front, building redoubts and enduring endless labours, as men fix barbed wire entanglements, build stonework fortifications, gun emplacements, make railways down the hills, or bury animals which had died or been killed in somebody else's camp after night vigils.

Marching to the Jordan Valley plunges them into feverish heat, a sudden order shifting the soldiers to sweltering desolation 1,300 feet below sea level. Capturing Umm esh Shert Ford marks a triumph, securing vital crossings and outflanking foes. Turkish prisoners crawl exhausted through wilderness, their plight underscoring war's toll.

Hospital scandals in Jerusalem reveal bureaucratic hurdles, yet the brigade perseveres at Ludd, performing garrison duties amid recoveries. At Rafa, dull sands host recuperation and training American recruits, their prowess shining despite challenges. Anzacs' return sparks horse-racing and relic hunts, boosting spirits with tales of past victories. Decorations honour gallantry, presented with praise for contributions.

Passover at Rafa is celebrated joyfully, compensating for Jerusalem's barriers. Anti-Semitic tensions peak when a general abuses soldiers, striking one with a whip amid insults, yet apologies follow, though indignities persist. Protests erupt through letters, highlighting denied rights and slandered efforts, as Palestine has become the theatre of an undisguised anti-Semitic policy, with elementary equality of rights denied the Jewish inhabitants.

A serene trip to the Sea of Galilee unveils scenic wonders and economic visions, meeting heroes like Trumpeldor. Staff methods puzzle with demobilizations, yet the battalion earns its Judæan title, Menorah badges gleaming. Pogroms ravage Jerusalem in 1920, blamed on policies allowing violence. Dawn breaks at San Remo, endorsing the National Home with Britain as Mandatory Power, fulfilling prophecies through harmony and development.

Essential reading, especially now!

[Diane Callaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did an in-depth study of Patterson as part of a thesis. This exposed me to many of his works and I enjoyed exploring the man.