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
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).