BRITISH SOLDIERS SHOT IN BACK BY JEWISH RAIDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1948, Page 5

BRITISH SOLDIERS SHOT IN BACK BY JEWISH RAIDERS

(Recd. 11.15 a.m.) JERUSALEM, April 6. Jews who attacked an anti-tank regiment’s camp lined four of the six British soldiers who were killed against the guardroom wall and shot them in the back. One of them was the camp’s sentry. Eleven other British soldiers were wounded. The shooting occurred when the soldiers were evacuating the camp at Padress Hana, between Tel Aviv and Haifa. Jews in vehicles raced wildly round the camp directing a stream of machine-gun fire into it while the soldiers were packing their kits and loading up evacuation lorries. Jews held up the signals clerk, destroyed the radio mast and made off with 38 Sten guns and 18 Bren guns. A Jewish food convoy broke through the Arab defences after a six-day running fight along the Tel Aviv road. At least 10 of the armoured vehicles were lost in heavy Arab attacks 20 miles west of Jerusalem. Meanwhile several hundred members of the Haganah seized the Arab village of Castel in an attempt to break the blockade, while British , troops blew up road blocks. The Arabs are reported to have launched strong counter-attacks on Castel.