South Africa's 800: The Story of South African Volunteers in Israel's War of Birth

SOUTH AFRICA’S 800 is the Story of South African Volunteers in Israel’s War of Birth in 1948-1949.“South Africa’s 800” is about Machal, the collective Hebrew acronym for volunteers fromabroad and about individual volunteers, colloquially known as Machalniks. The book revealsdetails never previously documented and provides a valuable new perspective on Israel’sbirth and struggle for survival. It includes eye witness reports by active participants in theevents. While written mainly through South African eyes, the book also contains grippinganecdotes about volunteers from the USA, Britain and other countries. It throws new lighton important events and personalities of the time.In his engaging eloquent style, Henry Katzew takes the reader on a fascinating expeditionthrough recent historical events including:• Adventures of 8 young South Africans in their ill-fated attempt to bypassBritish restrictions on immigration to Palestine, by travelling overland fromPretoria.• The purchase of ramshackle small ships and their troubled voyages to Israel.• Six Arab armies attacking the newborn state.• Maps of the 1948 invasion and the 1949 armistice lines.• The appalling lack of defensive arms.• Purchase of light aircraft and flying them over Africa to Israel.• The airlift of volunteers from South Africa and the staging process in Rome.• Experiences of volunteers travelling to Israel in overcrowded refugee ships.• Light civilian aircraft with “bombchuckers” to throw home made bombs overthe side.• The dramatic airlift to Israel of Me109 aircraft inside the fuselages of C- 46’s.• The irony of Israelis flying German Me109’s against Egyptians in BritishSpitfires.• The incredible operation Velvetta, flying Spitfires non-stop from Yugoslavia toIsrael.• Experiences in a Greek Jail.• The Altalena and bewildered volunteers.• The assassination of Count Bernadotte.• Non-Jewish Volunteers.• Jerusalem under siege.• Machal and Israel’s first Air Force, Medical Corps, Ground Forces and Radar.• The exploits of Ezer Weizman, now State President, Syd Cohen and otherlegendary fliers including non-Jewish Claude Duval and Gordon Levett.• Personal battle experiences on the ground and in the air.• The participation of Machal in many important battles.• Epic adventures of ordinary men and women stirred to superhuman actions.• West Air and Universal Airways and their role in maintaining links with theoutside world before the founding of El Al.To quote Ben Gurion, it tells how “The war was not won by heroes. It was won by ordinarymen and women rising above themselves -“For book contact David Solly Sandlersedsand@iinet.net.au