The Jewish British Brigade
One of the few stories we knew about Chaimas was that he joined the British Army in Alexandria, Egypt as a physician and an officer around 1944. He was then transferred to Italy during the British invasion of WWII. As we knew nothing about this time period, we started searching for more information.
During our search in “the other box” we found two handwritten letters dated from 1945. These letters were written by Chaimas from Naples and Rome while he was stationed in Italy. They were addressed to his brother Leonas (Arie) and his wife Mina in Palestine. The letters were checked by the British Censor at that time.
One of the original letters found in the box, addressed to Kobrin Arie, Kiryat Meir 12/II, Tel-Aviv Palestine.
The content of these letters led us to an online search, which resulted in finding a copy of the “Supplement of the London Gazette” dated February 6th 1945. It included names of the British servicemen during WWII. In the Palestine Section from October 2nd 1944 we found the name – Lieutenant Chaimas Kobrinas, service number 338092.
Further research of the Association of Jewish Ex Servicemen and Women revealed similar information to the one we found in the London Gazette titled: “Records of Honour – Chaimas Kobrinas”. This clarified the fact that Chaimas was part of the Jewish British Brigade.
But how and why did he end up in the Jewish British Brigade?
We tried to discover more information that might give us an answer to this question. On March 21st, 2014 we wrote a letter to the Army Personnel Center, Section of Historical Disclosures, in Glasgow, requesting information related to Chaimas Kobrinas. In response, they sent us a copy of his Military Card, which was located in the Jewish Military Museum. On the card it mentioned that he belonged to the RAMC – Royal Army Medical Corps.
The `chaplain’s card’ from World War Two of Chaimas Kobrinas. Chaplain’s cards were index cards notes made by Jewish military chaplains, upon meeting a Jewish service person. It contains the initials ‘R.A.M.C’ which stands for Royal Army Medical Corps
On June 14th, 2014 we received additional documents from the Army Personnel Centre. It included personal and detailed information on the service time of Chaimas related to the different posts during this period, which started in Egypt on October 2nd, 1944. This date coincided with Churchill’s decision from September 1944 on the establishment of the Jewish Brigade. The volunteers were gathered for training in El Arab in Egypt.
Initially Chaimas was part of the M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) and from October 17th, he was assigned to the C.M.F (Central Mediterranean Force).
The Brigade moved in a sailing convoy to the southern tip of Italy on October 31st, 1944, where it joined the English Army and continued its training until the end of February 1945. From that time onward the Jewish Brigade was involved in several battles against the Germans in Northern Italy. In May 1945 Germany surrendered and the Brigade was moved to Northeast Italy. It was there that the Brigade encountered for the first time the survivors of the Holocaust.
On the 4th of June 1945 Chaimas wrote a letter to his brother Leonas (Arie) from Italy. It was sent to Leonas twelve days after his wedding. In his letter Chaimas mentioned the following:
“I think you received my letter and telegram by now, why are you not writing back? That is not nice of you. I really wanted to be in your wedding, but due to the circumstances in the Brigade it was not possible. I do not know when I will be able to come back home at this stage. There is no opportunity in the near future.
I had a short vacation in Italy and many cities between Rome and Bologna are half ruined, it is terrible to see this destruction. There are no bridges, no roads, no phones nothing. I visited places I used to live and study in. The old university of Bologna was completely destroyed. Half of Pisa is gone, only the tower still stands.
I work as usual. There is not a lot of work right now and we were told that we will leave Rome to another country. Probably Germany, where my Brigade is currently stationed.
Every day I visit different places, specifically places with music. I went to Florence where the world famous Cellist Pablo Casals was playing. Currently in Rome they are playing all of the Beethoven pieces from the 1st Opus to the 9th. It will take three months. I will try and attend the concerts if I will still be here. Now I await your letter.”
Based on the documents we received from the Army Personnel Center on September 9th, 1945, Chaimas was assigned to the 68 Field Dressing Station in Naples - Ospedale Della Pace Naples as Venerealogist. Santa Maria della Pace is a church attached to a monastery and hospital, located on via dei Tribunali and Castel Capuano, just after the piazzetta Sedil Caption, in Naples, Italy. The document mentions that he spoke English, Italian, Russian, German, Hebrew and Polish. On December 1st, 1945, the commanding officer recommended that Chaimas would continue his assignment in the hospital as he was doing a great job with a lot of enthusiasm and efficiency.
The second letter we found was addressed to Leonas (Arie) and was sent from Naples on the 23rd of September 1945. In this letter Chaimas mentioned that he worked as a manager of a 400-bed hospital for skin and venereal diseases, which felt very strange to him. He mentioned that it was not a “clean” job, but the goal was to decrease the venereal diseases among the British soldiers. He was responsible for nine Italian doctors and twelve nurses that were scared to death of him and they immediately did everything he asked for. He also mentioned that now that the war was over he had to think about the future, but he was not sure when he would be released. He estimated something like 9 – 10 months. He was worried about his financial situation, but he was hopeful that he would find solutions. In this letter, Chaimas mentioned that Naples could have been a beautiful city but it was very dirty, and so are the people. He also mentioned that the music scene and not so developed like in Rome but every day there are Operas and Concerts. He was going to several operas and concerts like Hayden cello concert played by Pablo Casals and the 5th symphony of Dvojak. He was eager to know how things were in Palestine in general and in the music world in particular.
In the letter Chaimas wrote:
“I am very sad that you (Leonas) do not write to me. You know that I am very lonely and far away with no relatives or friends and I am eager to know how you are and how are things back home.”
He urged Leonas (Arie) to write, saying:
“I only have one brother and we should be one family. We should support and help each other. I hope you are mature enough to understand that we should help each other and walk together in friendship and understanding. I wish you both all the best and kisses, yours Fima.”
In the same letter, Chaimas wrote to his mother in Yiddish:
“Dear Mother I did not hear from you for a long time, you even did not respond to my letter and you did not tell me about the wedding of Leonas. I miss you very much. I don’t know when I can come back, or where I will be sent, and when I will be released. I feel that I will have to stay for quite some time in Europe and we might be asked to move to Germany. Tell me about the wedding of Leonas. Did you invite Malka to the wedding? I am waiting to hear from you, kisses, Fima.”
The wedding of Leonas Kobrinas and Mina Gelbord on 22nd of May 1945. Chava Kobrinas is sitting on the left of Mina.
The two letters that Chaimas wrote were addressed to Arie and Mina who lived during 1945 in Kiriat Meir 12/2 in Tel Aviv. Leonas (Arie) Kobrinas and Mina Gerbold got married on the 22nd of May 1945. Chava was at the wedding, and as we understood from the letters, Chaimas could not attend his brother’s wedding as he could not leave Italy at that time. Perhaps the fact that he did not attend the wedding caused the family not respond to his letters?
Chaimas was obviously getting home sick, and felt that he was left out of what was going on back home with his family in Palestine.
After serving in the Jewish British Brigade as an officer and a physician for almost two years (2/10/44 – 18/6/46), Chaimas Kobrinas was released on June 18th, 1946. This coincided with the decision on the disbandment of the brigade in the summer of 1946 in the wake of the increased tension between Britain and the Jewish people in Palestine. Consequently, most of its men returned to Palestine and were discharged there. It was an end of another era in the life of Chaimas. He was allowed to return home to his wife Malka and his six year old daughter Gila waiting for him in Tel-Aviv.
The search continues…
