Jewish Recipients of the Victoria Cross by Avi Heiligman

Jewish Recipients of the Victoria Cross

By Avi Heiligman

Leonard Keysor Lieutenant Frank Alexander de Pass A statue of Aaron in Leeds

Similar to the American Medal of Honor, the Victoria Cross is Great Britain’s highest award for gallantry on the battlefield. The prestigious award was first introduced in 1856 by Queen Victoria and is named after the British monarch. It was first awarded for actions during the Crimean War and since then has been presented to over 1,300 recipients. The servicemen who have been presented the Victoria Cross and their stories are history not to be forgotten.

Five Jewish soldiers received the Victoria Cross during World War I. Leonard Keysor enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in the summer of 1914. In April 1915, Keysor went ashore at Gallipoli, and two months later, he was promoted to lance corporal. At the battle of Lone Pine, the Ottomans were throwing grenades into the Australian trenches, but Keysor was there to stop them from wreaking havoc. He became proficient at smothering the grenades with sandbags or throwing them back at the Ottomans.

Keysor was wounded twice but refused evacuation until his unit’s position was safe.

Lieutenant Frank Alexander de Pass was awarded the Victoria Cross for entering an enemy stronghold and rescuing a fellow soldier while destroying their position. He was killed while attempting to enter the stronghold a second time, because the enemy had reoccupied the position.

The other three Jewish soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross were Captain Robert Gee for singlehandedly taking out a fortified German position; Jack White (Weiss) for saving the lives of men er from the Downham Market Royal Air Force Station. He flew 19 missions and 90 operational hours as a pilot in the Bomber Command. Aaron’s flying skills were so impressive that on one mission, despite receiving heavy damage, he completed the bombing run and returned safely to England.

On August 12, 1943, Aaron flew his 20th mission to bomb enemy targets in

He finished the job by using one hand to shoot his gun and the other to support himself on another soldier.

in his unit; and Issy Smith for assisting wounded men in the face of heavy enemy gunfire.

Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron was one of three Jewish servicemen awarded the Victoria Cross during World War II. He was born in Leeds, England, and received pilot training in Texas. As a member of the Royal Air Force, he flew a Short Stirling four-engine heavy bombTurin, Italy, when his plane was attacked by an enemy fighter. Three engines were lost and received extensive damage to other parts of the aircraft. Aaron was hit by a bullet in the jaw and another to his lungs but was able to continue flying. Even after he was relieved of his pilot’s duties due to his injuries, he wrote instructions on how to fly the plane to other crew members. As they approached Bone airfield in Algeria, he directed the crew member on how to land in the darkness. After four failed attempts to land, the bomb aimer successfully landed the plane. Nine hours later, Aaron died from his wounds, but due to his sacrifice, the rest of the crew landed safely at a friendly airfield.

Irish Guards Sergeant John Patrick Kenneally may or may not have been Jewish (his religious lineage is questionable), but his actions in April 1943 were so impressive that he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Kenneally was with the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards who had landed in Tunisia a month earlier. The North Africa Campaign was winding down, but Axis powers were not giving up without a fight. Casualties had been high, and by April 28, the 1st Battalion was down to 173 soldiers. They were fighting on a ridge at Djebel Bou Azoukaz when they noticed a large group of German soldiers preparing to make an attack. Kenneally singlehandedly charged at the hundred enemy soldiers shooting at them from his hip with his Bren gun. The enemy soldiers scattered, and they were picked off by the Irish Guards. Soon the Germans regrouped and formed up to charge again at the Irish Guards, and again Kenneally surprised them while firing his gun.

John Patrick Kenneally receiving his Victoria Cross Nat Gould

Two days later, he charged at the enemy, and this time he was accompanied by a sergeant. Kenneally was shot and wounded in the calf but refused medical assistance. He finished the job by using one hand to shoot his gun and the other to support himself on another soldier. For his actions in Tunisia, Kenneally was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Jewish Petty Officer Thomas “Nat” Gould of the Royal Navy was born in Dover, Kent, and joined the Submarine Service in 1937. He was assigned to the submarine HMS Thrasher (N37) after serving on four other submarines. On February 16, 1942, the Thresher was off the north coast of Crete when she sank a 3,000-ton enemy supply ship. A destroyer, which was escorting the supply ship, and Axis airplanes commenced dropping depth charges and 150 lbs. bombs on the Thrasher’s suspected location. After seeing no signs of a sunken submarine (air bubbles or debris floating to the surface), the destroyer and the airplanes left the area.

After dark, the Thresher surfaced to recharge her batteries, and upon inspection, the crew discovered two unexploded bombs in the gun casing. Gould and Lieutenant Peter Roberts volunteered for the hazardous duty of removing the bombs. They easily removed the first bomb, but the second had gone through the side placing of the emplacement and the deck casing above the pressure hull. The two sailors entered the small space and lay flat while removing the bomb. Gould held the bomb with his hands, while Roberts dragged him by the shoulders. The bomb made noise as it was moved along, but they were able to move it twenty feet so that it could be gently lowered overboard. For their actions in saving the 61 sailors aboard the Thresher, both Gould and Roberts were awarded the Victoria Cross.

Only a few soldiers have been awarded their country’s highest honor for bravery on the frontlines. While these recipients of the Victoria Cross may not be the most well-known honorees, their heroism and sacrifice in the most dangerous of situations makes them Forgotten Heroes.

Avi Heiligman is a weekly contributor to The Jewish Home. He welcomes your comments and suggestions for future columns and can be reached at aviheiligman@gmail.com.