The Reckoning Read online

  Patria (ship) 189

  Peel, William Robert Wellesley, Lord 12

  Petrie, David 15–16

  Pilsudski, Jozef 48, 54

  Pilsudski (ship) 66

  pogroms 33

  Polani, Yaacov 54, 65, 95–6, 117, 118, 158, 162

  Polonski, Arieh 71

  Pritzker, Israel 108

  Radio Liberated Zion 69, 72, 74

  Ramat Gan 79

  Raziel, David

  arrest, imprisonment and release 65, 87, 88–9

  character and description 35, 49

  co-author of small-arms manual 37

  death of 121, 123

  dedicated to violent action 55–6

  disagreements with Irgun command 87, 88–9

  feelings towards the British 61, 90, 108

  organizes bombings and shootings 35

  refuses to help find the Stern group 105

  relationship with Giles Bey 60, 61–2, 64

  schism with Stern 91–3, 96

  Rehovoth 12–13, 79

  Reuven, Nissim 125, 128, 130, 202

  Revisionists 34, 39, 48, 56, 90–3, 97, 101, 124, 200, 257

  Reznitsky, Yitzhak 197

  Rice, Harry 106

  Ring, Inspector G.F. ‘Dinger’ 20

  Robinson, Pinhas 44–5

  Rokach, Israel 60

  Rommel, Erwin 171, 205

  Rosenthal, David 102–4

  Rothschild, Lionel Walter, Lord 8

  Rothstein, Moshe 107–9, 110, 134

  Royal Air Force (RAF) 12, 16, 206, 253

  Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) 23

  Royal Navy 189

  Royal Scots Fusiliers 12

  Rushbrooke, William 23

  St Olave’s Grammar School ‘Stogs’ 22–4

  Saunders, Alan

  assassination attempts 193, 198

  at special meeting of the District Security Committee 143

  background 97

  believes that the Stern group will shortly dissolve 97

  and death of Stern 254

  praises Morton for Givat Brenner sting 208

  report on Stern and his group 158–9, 177, 179, 197–8

  sends Morton back to UK 209

  told of events at Dizengoff Street 149

  warns of further action 186, 187–8, 200

  Schiff, Akiva 138

  Schiff, Rachel 138

  Schiff, Solomon 137–9, 140–1, 150, 152, 193, 196, 254

  Schliemer, Constable 126

  Schreiber, David 82, 240

  Schreiber, Fay see Morton, Fay Schreiber

  Scott, John 76

  Martin Secker & Warburg (publisher) 233–4

  Second West Kent Regiment 8

  Second World War 5, 79, 81, 83, 91, 97–8, 171, 205, 215

  Seligman, Max 130, 199, 236

  Shai (Haganah intelligence service) 61, 107

  Shamgar, Shlomo 111

  Shamir, Yitzhak (formerly Yitzhak Yezernitzky) 121–2, 127

  at Giles and Ballantine’s ceasefire meeting 204–5

  character and description 216

  elected Prime Minister 256

  escapes from Mazra’a camp 216

  gives go-ahead for assassination of Tom Wilkin 223

  and plan to assassinate Oliver Lyttleton 134

  sets up Lehi group 216

  Shand, Alec 188, 194, 195, 196, 215, 227, 237, 257

  Shapira, Hassia 1–2, 157, 162, 170, 171, 219

  Sharoni, Ezra 196, 198

  Shaw, Barry 257

  Shaw, Henry Bennett 75, 199

  Shomron, David 223–4

  Shukry, Hassan Bey 8

  Shulman, Nahman 158

  Siksik, Ali Husni 127–8

  Smilansky, Moshe 70

  Soffer, Solomon 102–4

  Soffioff (Jewish detective) 129

  Stalin, Josef 48, 73

  Stamp, Bernard 178

  and death of Stern 176, 239, 251, 252

  family background 82

  interviewed on death of Stern 240–9, 254

  lives quietly in Hull 240

  marries a Jewish girl 82–3, 240

  Stamp, Fay Schreiber 82–3, 240

  Stamp, Iris 240

  Stamp, Robert Daniel ‘Dan’ 82, 240

  Stanley, Oliver 213, 214

  Stern, Amira 42

  Stern, Avraham

  adopts ‘Yair’ as his nom de plume 68–9, 87, 90, 157

  aftermath of his death 181–8, 256–7

  arrest and imprisonment 86–91

  attemps to assassinate Morton and Wilkin 126–41

  beliefs and visions 47–9, 50–1, 122

  birth and childhood 39–40, 42–4

  character and description 2, 43–4, 45, 48, 49, 52–3, 55, 155, 160–1

  co-author of small-arms manual 37

  considers teaming up with the Axis powers 90–1

  death of 6, 145, 161, 169, 177–80, 213, 224, 230–7, 240–9, 251–6

  dedicated to violent action 55–6, 65–6

  as eloquent and charismatic speaker 43, 117–18

  events leading up to his death 165–74

  forms a new Irgun organization 93

  given responsibility for propaganda and intelligence section 66–71

  hunted by the PPF 1–4, 102–6, 155–9

  international intrigues 105, 106, 107–20, 124

  involved in buying weapons and a ship from the Poles 66

  involved in military training of Betar youths 52–6, 95

  joins the Haganah 46–7

  lives a fugitive existence 95–7, 119, 120, 131, 132, 156–8, 162–3, 168–71

  meets and marries his wife Roni Burstein 46, 47, 51–2, 155–6

  never takes part in any action 122, 123–4, 161

  organizes bank raids 97–102, 105

  plans to bring in mass reinforcements from Poland 66, 67, 78

  poetry of 3–4, 48, 49, 87–8, 138, 161, 169

  possible connection to Haifa bombing 36–7, 39

  reaction to 1939 White Paper 64

  reaction to death of Raziel 121–2

  regards criticism as act of aggression 70

  relationship with the British 73

  relationship with Jabotinsky 53–4, 56, 64

  released from prison 91, 96, 103

  returns to Palestine 66–7

  schism with Raziel 91–3, 96

  student years in Jerusalem and Florence 44–6, 49–50

  twentieth-fifth anniversary marking his death 256

  visits to Poland 39, 51, 52

  works for the Irgun 39, 49, 50–1, 52–3

  Stern, David

  arranges for commemorative tablet to be placed in Suwalki 40

  at Stern’s graveside 179–80

  birth and childhood 42

  Stern Gang/group

  attempted assassination of police 193–200, 226–7

  bank raids and snatches 97–102, 122, 124, 125–6

  decide to free comrades in gaol 199

  departure of Strelitz and Zeroni from 123–4

  distribute leaflets and transmit broadcasts 133

  as effectively moribund 115–16

  fugitive existence 95–7, 105

  hunt for 153–4

  maintain morale and cohesion 216

  members interrogated by PPF 195–7

  offers of mediation rejected 203–5

  possibility of deportation after Stern’s death 183–5

  PPF hunt for 104–6, 116–19, 122, 126–7, 143–4, 153–4, 158

  probable traitor in 118

  public indignation against 129–30

  quarrels in 122–4

  reaction to Stern’s death 193–9

  shooting and arrests in Dizengoff Street 2–3, 5–6, 144–53

  strong leadership of 217

  surrender of members to the CID 158–60

  Stern, Hadassah-Leah ‘Liza’ 42, 43, 44, 114–15, 179

  Stern, Mordechai 42, 43, 44, 114–15

/>   Stern, Roni Burstein 39

  at Stern’s graveside 179–80

  attends Ilin’s parties 57–8

  believed to be under police surveillance 131

  brief contact with Avraham 155–6

  dull life in Tel Aviv 57

  finds safe room for Avraham 119, 120

  hit by flying debris in air-raid 98

  joins Avraham in Poland 66

  meets and marries Avraham 46, 47, 51–2

  receives letters from Avraham whilst he is in prison 89–90

  returns to Tel Aviv with Avraham 66

  Stern, Yair 42, 43, 114

  Stoodley, Constable 126, 130

  Strassman, Henryk 52, 119

  Strassman, Lily 52, 53, 66, 119–20

  Strelitz, Hanoch (aka Hanoch Kalai)

  appointed commander-in-chief 65

  arrested and imprisoned 86

  character and description 65

  family background 65

  hunted by the PPF and CID 153, 158

  leaves Stern and returns to the Irgun 122–4

  organizes attacks on Arabs and British targets 65–6, 67–8

  regards criticism as act of aggression 70

  runs basic training course at Kfar Saba 95

  supports Stern 96

  surrenders to CID 158–9

  Struma (ship) 189–90, 191, 199, 200, 225

  Stuart, Alec 120, 188, 194, 196, 219, 227, 237, 251–2, 257

  Suwalki 39–42, 44, 114–15, 160

  Svorai, Herut 131, 156, 171

  Svorai, Moshe

  asked to identify Stern’s body 179

  broadcasts Stern propaganda 133

  flat raided 117, 126–7, 199

  moves into flat in Florentin area of Tel Aviv 131–3

  sends note to his wife via Levstein’s wife and Daly 167–8, 234

  shot and arrested in Dizengoff Street raid 2, 5, 147, 149–51, 153, 156, 164, 172

  Svorai, Tova

  and death of Stern 174, 176–8, 233, 234–5, 241, 242, 248

  hides Stern in her flat 1–2, 132, 162–3, 168–71

  involved with Stern gang members 117

  receives message from Moshe 168

  Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) 10

  Syria 62, 91

  Tanganyika 8

  Tegart, Charles 15–16

  Tel Aviv 14, 19, 64, 68, 71, 76, 79, 81, 97, 196, 220

  Ternent, Alec 147–8, 151, 188, 219, 237, 248, 257

  Torenberg, Nehemia 170, 197, 198

  Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Council 24–5

  Trinidad 222, 223, 226–7

  Trusted, Henry Herbert, Chief Justice 17

  Tselnik, Yitzhak 55, 134, 157, 161, 197

  Tsur, Henia 239

  Tsur, Ilana 239–41, 242, 243, 244–5, 248, 254

  Turton, George 138–9, 193, 254

  United Dairies 21, 24

  United Nations 229

  United Resistance Movement 226

  University of Florence 50

  Vaad Leumi (Jewish National Council) 61

  Versaille peace conference (1919) 10

  Wadi Hawareth 29–30

  Wannsee Conference (1942) 114

  War Cabinet 86

  War Office 181

  Ward, Michael 20, 29, 35, 36

  Watts, Leading Aircraftman 207

  Wauchope, Sir Arthur 8

  Wedgwood, Josiah 73–4, 201

  Weidenfeld & Nicolson (publisher) 234

  Weizmann, Dr Chaim

  democratic approach of 48

  as president of the World Zionist Organization 12–13

  promises Jewish support for Britain during the War 83

  Weizsäcker, Ernst von 112

  WH Allen (publisher) 231

  Wilkin, Tom

  arrests leadership of Irgun 78

  background 59

  character and description 59, 60, 82

  death of 223–4, 225

  and death of Stern 173–4, 176–7, 234–5, 241–2, 244, 248, 251, 253

  interrogates Irgun leadership 87

  interrogates member of Stern group 196

  is best man at Stamp’s marriage 83

  joins PPF 59

  meets Shoshana Borochov 59–60

  moves into Jaffa Police headquarters 188

  natural linguist 60, 82

  rivalry with Soffer 102, 104

  Stern’s assassination attempt 126–8, 134, 136–7

  swoops on Tel Aviv flat 117

  Wilkinson, Ellen 64

  Woodward, Ken ‘Busty’ 145–6, 207–8

  World Zionist Organization 12, 50

  Wybrow, C.H. 143, 170, 182

  Yael Street bombings 137–41, 143, 144–5, 149, 152, 158, 159, 160, 256

  Yarden Club (Warsaw) 52

  Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper 111, 245

  Yeivin, Yehoshua 115

  Yellin-Mor, Nathan

  escapes from Latroun camp 217

  involved in bomb attacks on Morton 198–9

  sent to negotiate with the Nazis 124

  and Stern’s reaction to the British White Paper 64

  Yezernitzky, Yitzhak see Shamir, Yitzhak

  Yishuv 31, 32, 34, 57, 59, 61, 62–3, 65–6, 83, 120, 127, 190, 191, 201, 223, 255

  Zadka, Saul 246

  Zak, Zelig

  arrest and escape 134, 146

  death of 158, 187

  finds flat in Dizengoff Street 133–4

  finds flat for Stern 131

  involved in Yael Street bombing 130

  shot and arrested in Dizengoff Street raid 146–53

  use ‘noise bombs’ in bank raid 99, 100

  Zaks, Leading Aircraftman 206–7, 208

  Zeroni, Binyamin 134

  arrest and interrogation by PPF 74–6

  comments on Stern’s knowledge of his own death 161

  hunted by the PPF and CID 153, 158

  involved in bank raids 99

  leaves Stern and returns to the Irgun 122–4

  release and revenge 76

  supports Stern 96

  surrenders to CID 158–9

  Zettler, Yehoshua ‘the Farmer’ 99, 100, 101, 117, 127, 162

  Zionist Boy Scout movement 44

  Zionists, Zionism

  British attitude towards their arsenals 86

  and Jabotinsky 48, 50

  Jabotinsky’s vision of 33

  Moyne’s hostility towards 225

  numbers of 9, 10–11, 13

  as possible instigators of Haifa bombing 31

  reaction to 1939 White Paper 63

  restraint shown by 31

  supports Britain during the War 83–4

  in Suwalki 41–2, 44

  Zukerman, Aharon 158, 159–60

  Picture Section

  Young Avraham (right) – ‘Mema’ to his family – with his mother Liza and brother David (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Suwalki at the turn of the twentieth century (courtesy of Suwalk-Lomza Interest Group).

  By the time of this picture, the adolescent Stern had already experienced enough danger and drama to last a lifetime (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Stern had a marked theatrical streak and liked performing. Photographed while in Suwalki, here he is in pierrot guise (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Stern (middle of the back row) with high school classmates in Jerusalem in the mid-1920s (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  The ‘delicate playboy’. Behind the dandyish appearance and courteous manner lay a ruthless will and a disregard for consequences (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Geoffrey Morton: ‘some people seem to think that I was anti-Semitic, and others that I was anti-Arab. I wasn’t. I was merely anti-terrorist, whether they were Arab or Jew’ (courtesy of Penny Brook).

  Avraham and Roni on their wedding day in 1936. He picked the flowers on the way to the ceremony (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Avraham Amper (right) in the late 1930s, fencing at a Betar milit
ary training camp he helped to set up with the assistance of the Polish authorities (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Ze’ev Jabotinsky pictured in August 1940 visiting Betar cadets at a camp in upstate New York. That evening he was dead (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Max Seligman (left), genial legal adversary of British rule (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  The disciples. Schoolteacher Moshe Svorai and his wife Tova followed ‘Yair’ with unflagging loyalty and devotion (Lehi Museum, Tel Aviv/supplied by Haaretz).

  Wealthy and well connected, Lily Strassman met Stern in 1937 and succumbed quickly to his charisma. With her husband Henryk she gave invaluable backing to Stern’s Polish schemes (courtesy of Gavriel Strasman).

  Tom Wilkin relaxing on the beach at Tel Aviv. ‘Wilkie’ was one of the sharpest detectives in Palestine, feared and respected by the men he hunted (© Dan Stamp).

  Shoshana Borochov, Tom Wilkin’s unlikely lover (courtesy of Ram Oren).

  Fay Schreiber and Bernard Stamp. Their love-match created great difficulties for both, and his testimony given at the end of his life would challenge head-on Morton’s account of how Stern died. (© Dan Stamp).

  Loyal Zionist and servant of Britain, Solomon Schiff, whose death at the hands of the Stern group sparked outrage in Palestine (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  One of the bodyguards who protected Morton, Alex Shand was fiercely loyal to his boss and found him ‘strictly honest in everything that he did’ (courtesy of Penny Brook).

  Walter Medler (right) sunbathing at Athlit, south of Haifa, with fellow policeman Arthur Brument. ‘Wally’ was one of Morton’s closest friends and his death at the hands of Stern’s comrades hit the detective hard (courtesy of Penny Brook).

  Cool, dutiful and impervious to sentiment, Sir Harold MacMichael became a hate figure to the Jewish underground (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  David Raziel. His intimacy with Stern turned first to rivalry and then to bitter enmity (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Binyamin Zeroni. He also quarrelled with Yair, telling him, ‘The British will get you’ (Jabotinsky Institute, Israel).

  Police mugshot of Zelig Zak, Stern’s henchman who died after a showdown with Morton (courtesy of Linda Stewart).