Medal Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of "The Acre Prison Break" - May 4, 1947
1997
caption:
The headline for the article reads: IRGUN BLASTS WALL; Jews and Arabs Flee Prison as Terrorists Battle British ASSAULT AT HANGING SITE Five Jews Killed in Attack on Troops Near By -- Six Bombs Hurled at Army Camp Bombing Frees 251 in Palestine; 15 Killed in Irgun Attack on Jail
By CLIFTON DANIEL, Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
May 05, 1947
The text reads:
JERUSALEM, May 4—Zionist terrorists blasted open the ancient and formidable walls of Acre's central prison today, liberating 251 Jewish and Arab prisoners in one of the biggest jail breaks in his-tory. Some of the eighty convicted terrorists imprisoned there escaped. [According to The Associated Press the prison had held 535 persons.] In a furious battle around the double walls and moats of the towering citadel and in running gun fights around the historic Crusaders' town fourteen Jews, including three terrorist attackers, were slain. One Arab prisoner was killed. Ten Jews were injured and ten captured. One of the dead attackers wore the uniform of a captain in the British Royal Engineers. As the liberated Jewish prisoners fled in stolen army trucks that were waiting for them, six were wounded and two recaptured. One suspected terrorist also was wounded and another captured un-injured. Two Arab prisoners were injured and nine recaptured
Identifer: CJF-RFC2013103
Medium
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Topics
Jewish Military Prior to the Establishment of the State of Israel
Description
Jewish fighters, along with others, were being held in the Acre Prison fortress in the heart of the Arab city of Acre (Akko). On May 4, 1947 the Irgun (Ha-Irgun Ha-Tzvai Ha-Leumi be-Eretz Yisrael, lit. "The National Military Organization in the Land of Israel" aka “Etzel”)initiated a prison break, blowing down a wall of the fortress. The Jewish fighters participating in the operation were disguised as British soldiers.
The operation was not a complete success: many Jewish fighters lost their lives in the outbreak, some were re-prisoned, and three were later hanged by the British. But, 27 Jewish fighters were successful in escaping, and the prison break brought more world attention to the Jewish plight for independence. Indeed, one year later, the British left the Land of Israel, and the Jewish state was established.
This medal was issued in 1997 in Bronze (59mm / 100gr)
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