British Palestine Intelligence

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

This story will hopefully come from a different angle so it could make the story more interesting.

The research for this entry was done by a previous owner/owners of the medals and in my opinion is excellent.

Since I have strained my hand, I might limit how much I type before I submit each part of the stor

 

'Jack Padwa working for British Palestine Intelligence.'

 

Jack Padwa was born in London in 1916 and his parent where Paul or Phillipe and Deborah Padwa. [Nee Twersky] They arrived in London as refugees from Ukraine.

Jack Padwa received a traditional upbringing and was educated in a Rabbinical Jewish family way. Therefore, he almost certainly followed the normal traditional Jewish practices and would have been able to read and write in Hebrew. It is also known that some of the family friends were famous Zionist campaigners like Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Meir Grossman and others and so he too would have had Zionist dreams.

Jack Padwa was an intelligent and education man, graduated from the London School of Economics and organisations are always interested in such individuals.

As a young East End Jew, he was also aware of the bad news coming out of Palestine and Poland and this must have inspired him to want to help in any way he could.

There are some suggestions he used his British passport, along with some other East End Jewish friends, to help smuggle out some Jews from Nazi German.

 

In September of 1938, Jack Padwa joins the London Rifle Brigade which was a part-time Territorial Army unit and this was just after Joseph Chamberlain returned from talks in German to proclaim 'peace in our time.' Jack Padwa obviously decided it was now his time to step forward and do his bit against the evils that were coming. The 6970566 Rifleman Jack Padwa was mobilised on the 1st of September in 1939 due to the German Army invading Poland but was then discharged on the 15th of March in 1940 as 'ceasing to fulfil Army physical requirements under para 383[xvi] of the King's Regulations.' It seems strange that a young man like Jack Padwa would suddenly be so unfit that he could not even complete basic army training. He had already served in this part-time Territorial Army for approximately 14 to 15 months which again would suggest there may have been another reason for his discharge. 

In a biographical account of his life published in the 1990's he confirms that he was actually transferred to an 'Intelligence Unit' and was sent to Palestine in May of 1940 where he spent the entire was in the Middle East.

This would make sense because he was a British Jew who was born in London. He was intelligent and had graduated in Economics and he knew the Hebrew language and traditions of the Jewish people. He appeared to be a perfect candidate for such work and in such a place as Palestine.

 

On the 8th of October in 1940, Jack Padwa is issued with a photographic pass stating that he was employed by the Government of Palestine and it is requested that every assistance be given to him in the performance of his duties. 

 

On the 16th of October in 1940, only eight days after receiving his government pass, he receives another photographic pass stating that he is authorised to carry a pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition. Not only is he working for the Government of Palestine but he is to be given every assistance in his work and that work requires him to be armed.

 

On the 15th of February in 1941, Jack Padwa is issued with a photographic pass stating that he is employed by the General Intelligence Force HQ, British Forces Palestine and is attached to the Area Security Officer, Southern Palestine. It is requested that every assistance be given to him in the execution of his duties.

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continued.........................

So now we have evidence what Jack Padwa had previously stated and that was he was working for the 'Palestine Intelligence Services' and it should be remembered he was also armed.

[Alan Baird]

Continued.................

 

On the 11th of September in 1942, Jack Padwa's story becomes even more intriguing because he is now issued with a photographic French Levant press pass [pass number 43]. It is recorded that he was representing the North American Newspaper Alliance. Only recently had the British, Commonwealth and Free French forces defeated the Vichy Government and Army of Levant within Syria and Lebanon. Jack Padwa worked for the Government of Palestine, was authorised to carry a pistol and ammunition and worked for the General Staff Intelligence of the British Forces in Palestine and Transjordon. Therefore he seems to be a strange choice for being a reporter but a good choice for being a spy. 

 

On the 29th of January in 1943, Jack Padwa joins the 'Palestine Volunteer Force' as 127 Private Jack Padwa.

On the 7th of February in 1943, Private Jack Padwa is issued with a photographic pass for the Palestine Volunteer Force. Jack Padwa and his wife are recorded as residing at 77 Rothschild Boulevard, in Tel Aviv.

 

It is Known that Jack Padwa's family purchased parcels of land in Palestine and all were from a traditional and Zionist background. His father Paul Padwa was now a Mill owner and a successful businessman, back home in England.

[Alan Baird]

continued...................

[the original documents are the discharge certificate from the London Rifles, the Palestine Volunteer Force I.D. card and there is a South African driving licence still to be included.]

 

In and after 1945, saw the end of the Second World War and the stepping up of the independence campaign to force the withdrawal of the British from Palestine. Many Jewish activists were arrested and many Jewish activists managed to escape. It was thought that they were being warned prior to the British arriving to arrest them. Jack Padwa became a suspect in assisting Jewish underground organisations and so was arrested and interrogated. No proof of his complicity was found and so he was released. It is not clear what happened to him next but it is obvious that Jack Padwa would have become a persona-non-grate in Palestine. Although he did have issued a Palestine driving licence which was valid from 1945 to 1946.

 

The English Electoral roll for 1946 and 1947, record Jack Padwa and his  wife as residing at 16 Mowbray Road, in London which was his father's house.

 

The Palestine Police however were still keeping an eye out for Jack Padwa because in November of 1947 a C.I.D. report signed by a T H Coton stated that Jack Padwa had returned to Palestine and visited M P Segal Ltd [a company representing other British companies in Palestine] and in which the Padwa family was a partner in the venture. They also recorded that he left Palestine on the 21st of November for an unknown destination.

 

On the 19th of April in 1948, Jack Padwa was staying in the Carlton Hotel, in Johannesburg and applied and obtained a South African driving licence. This is almost a month before the British left Palestine. It may have been an oversea's trip to purchase supplies, of one kind or another, for the Jewish Government in waiting.

 

 

[Alan Baird]

continued........

 

In accordance with his own account for this period, he immediately returned to Palestine to defend Jerusalem. 

Following the 'War of Independence' Jack Padwa and his entire family moved to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv. Jack Padwa was involved in a wide range of enterprises and organisations and was successful and in many ways.

For example, he was a producer on Israel's first major film, 'Hill 24 doesn't answer.' 

He was the Honorary head of the Israeli Anti Defamation League.

He was involved in many organisations that brought together Christians and Jews and even met 'Pope John Paul II' during his historic 5 day visit to Israel in 2000.

He was also involved in many Israeli charities etc.

He can also be found in the 'Founders and Builders of Israel,' publication.

He was also in the documentary 'Jerusalem Cuts'  in 2008, regarding the battle in Jerusalem.

Died in 2010, aged 94.

 

Jack Padwa was awarded the War and Defence medals for World War 2 and also the 1939-45 star. They have never been attached to a mounting bar so they were probably never worn. The 1939-45 star must refer to his duties in the Middle East, as he spent the whole period of the war there.