By April 17, 2008 Read More →

Five Britons Are Killed in Palestine, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 14, 1947.

stern gangBy the Associated Press

JERUSALEM, Nov. 14—Attacking bands described by police as Jewish underground “reprisal squads” killed at least five British men and wounded 29 others in two machine gun and grenade raids in Jerusalem and Haifa last night (Thursday) as the Holy Land experienced its bloodiest outbreak of violence in six weeks.

An army communique early today said 28 British soldiers were wounded, five seriously, when two hand grenades were tossed into a downtown Jerusalem cafe. A British policeman was killed and another was wounded by gunfire from confederates of the grenade hurlers.

Four British civilians, employees of the Shell Petroleum Company, were mowed down by gunfire in front of a Haifa motion picture theater. Two were killed instantly and two died later in a hospital.

An unofficial police report that two soldiers were killed in the Jerusalem blast was not verified immediately.

TOLL OF DEAD

British officials said the Stern Gang directed the attacks as an underground reprisal for the deaths of two Jewish youths and three girls. The five were killed yesterday in a British police and military raid on a house in a settlement north of Tel Aviv believed to have been a terrorist training school.

The night’s bloody operations took the greatest toll of dead and injured since 10 persons were killed and 77 wounded September 29 in the bombing of the district police headquarters in Haifa.

British troops, who had received their month’s pay today, were crowded into the tiny Ritz Cafe barroom when two grenades were tossed into their midst. The grenade throwers were protected by riflemen who raked the street and cafe from covering positions at street level and on the house tops.

FIRING BEGINS

Witnesses said two Jews stationed on the steps leading into the cafe fired at wounded men attempting to flee from the wrecked taproom. One British policeman was killed by gunfire in the street and another was wounded.

Newsmen found the cafe floor and outside steps covered with blood and military ambulances gathering up the wounded.

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