THE MEMORIAL SITE AND ARMORED CORPS MUSEUM IN LATRUN, ISRAEL

Located about half-way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is the community of Latrun. This hilltop town has a unique position in the history of the country of Israel. When we arrived at the site, it was immediately clear that this was the “high ground” tactically sought after in traditional battle, and further discussion disclosed how important this site has been from the 13th century BC to modern times. Here was the site of the Biblical battles of Joshua Bin-Nun against the Amorite kings (Joshua 10:12). This area was also a battlefield in the time of the Maccabis, the site of Judah the Maccabee’s battle against the army of Antiochus and his commander Gorgias, in which he defeated them and drove them to the sea (Proverbs 24:6).

More relevant to modern times, this is where the Israeli 7th Division – the second armored division set up during the War of Independence – fought to open the way through to besieged Jerusalem. These battles decided the fate of the War of Independence by freeing the capital city. The “Burma Road” was made to bypass the Latrun hill under Jordanian control, and the area was recaptured from the Jordanian Army during the Six Day War in 1967.

The museum site is called Yad La’Shiryon Latrun. This is the Memorial Site and Armored Corps Museum in Latrun, Israel but it is much more than that. Please see the sidebar for further information on what is on-site. Like most museums, it is imbued with a strong sense of patriotism and tells the story of the country from the perspective of its own politics. That said, this was an extraordinary presentation of tanks and armored vehicles, as well as a tribute to the sacrifices of the brave men and women who fought in their cause. When we entered what is called “The Tower of Tears” the memorial reached out so strongly that it was an emotional tribute impossible to mistake. We had just passed the sculpture of IDF soldiers leaping off of their Merkava tank, 5.56mm Galil rifles in hand, and walked into a tower where the walls were made of tank armor – pierced from shaped charges in battle – with water dripping down the walls into a pool underneath our feet, and circulating once again. The memorials are quite moving, and any soldier or person who has lost a loved one to battle will intuitively understand.

It’s Not Just a Museum or Memorial:
(From museum description)

First and foremost there is a Memorial complex, with the Wall of Names on which are inscribed the names of all 4,965 fallen soldiers of the Armored Corps in all of Israel’s wars; the Gate of Courage on which photographs of the fallen are projected twenty-four hours a day throughout the year; the Armor’s Tower of Tears (created by artist Danny Karavan); the Daily Memorial stand where a memorial service is held for all those who fell on each particular day, according to the Hebrew date; the Statue of Biography giving information about each fallen soldier; and “The Bind of Life” Synagogue where memorial prayers are held.

Merkava Auditorium – an impressive hall where a presentation of the Armored Corps is projected simultaneously on nine screens.
The AFV’s (Armored Fighting Vehicles) Museum with a spectacular display of over 150 armored vehicles.
HERITAGE – Education Campus for Ethical Values and Nature. The Campus provides 250 students with full residential conditions, and those who study here include soldiers, students and Jewish youth from abroad. Even now, extensive educational activities are conducted there for soldiers and school-age pupils, inculcating them with a knowledge and love of Israel and teaching them about Israel’s military heritage, commemorating fallen armored soldiers, field studies, studies of bird migration, and more.
The Armored Brigades Park – with brigade level monuments honoring and relating the story of the soldiers.
The Trail of Time Museum – under construction. The museum will present the role of the Armored Corps in Israel’s battles and will conclude with a tank crew under war experience.
The Allied Forces Monument – a salute by the Israeli Armored Corps to the Allied armored forces who defeated the Nazi war machine in World War II. This is the only monument of this kind in the world. The memorial is comprised of three World War II vintage tanks (American, Russian, and British), resting on a mound of gigantic stones, and alongside is a series of flags from all the countries that fought the Nazi enemy.
The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II – to be set up in the shadow of the Allied Forces Monument and enveloping it, preserving the legacy and telling the heroic story of the Jewish soldiers in the Allied Forces during World War II. In the meantime there is an Exhibition of the Jewish Soldier in World War II (400 sq. m.).
The Hall of Valor, in honor of The Armor Corps soldiers who were decorated with the Valor Medal during the Israeli wars, along with the stories of these soldiers.
The Hall of Commanders, telling the stories of all the commanders of the Israeli Armored Corps since the establishment of Israel in 1948.
The out-door Exhibition of the Yom-Kippur war in 1973.
Observation balcony, enabling an all-around view of the Latrun surroundings and including metal signs telling the history of Latrun area battles since Joshua Ben-Nun (the mid 13th century BC) up to The Six Day War in 1967.
Data Center, including big library and multi-media documents regarding the Israeli Armor Corps and armor in the world.
Amphitheater for up to 10,000 seats used for conferences, assemblies, ceremonies and so forth.

Historical Battles in the Latrun Area
(From the Museum literature)

The Mid 13th century BC. One of the most famous battles led by Joshua Ben-Nun. The five Kings of Amorite laid siege on the city of Giv’on. Joshua Ben-Nun arrived from his encampment at Gilgal, and launched an attack on the five kings of the Amorite. The kings fled down the slopes of Bet-Horon
165 BC The Battle of Emmaus. Judah the Maccabee defeated Gorgias and his Greek Army.
May 24-25, 1948 Operation Bin-Nun “A”. On the night between May 24-25, 1948 the 7th Brigade, which had been formed a mere 10 days earlier, attacked the Latrun complex in order to break the siege on Jerusalem and transport military forces, weapons and food to the city. The 32nd Battalion of Alexandroni Brigade, which was comprised mostly of new immigrants – many of them Holocaust survivors – was attached to provide reinforcement. According to the Brigade’s intelligence information several hundred local fighters were holding Latrun. But in fact, the Latrun complex was being held by two Jordanian battalions assisted by an artillery battalion under the command of the 3rd Brigade and reinforced by local irregulars. The 32nd Battalion under the command of Zvi German was ordered to capture the Latrun complex and the police fortress. The 72nd Battalion, commanded by Zvi Horvitz, had to capture the village of Dir-Ayub and to join forces in Sha’ar Hagai (Bab-el-Wad). After brutal fighting, the 7th Brigade had to retire from the fight.
May 30-31, 1948 Operation Ben-Nun “B”. The decision to open the road to Jerusalem – at any cost – was made by the IDF General Staff shortly after the abortive operation Bin-Nun A. This came in response to the Israeli assessment that a massive combined attack by the armies of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan is imminent and would lead to the fall of Jerusalem. The task was again given to the 7th Brigade which was reinforced by the 52nd infantry Battalion of the Givati Brigade. The IDF’s first armored Battalion, the 73rd Battalion (later renamed 79th), was ordered to take the police station, the monastery and Latrun village. After a brutal battle, the Israeli forces had to withdraw again.
June 9-11, 1948 The Burma Road. After two bitter failures at the Latrun bulge the 7th Brigade turned its efforts to lift the siege of Jerusalem by looking for an alternative road that would by-pass Latrun. The brigade paved a new path south of the Jordanian strongpoint which became the main supply route to the besieged Jerusalem. The siege of Jerusalem was finally lifted, enabling the city to continue fighting, ensuring the existence of its large population, keeping Jerusalem an integral part of the state of Israel and eventually becoming the nation’s capital. This hard to attack bypass road was dubbed the “Burma Road” (after the Burma Road from India to China, paved by the U.S during WWII).
June 5-6, 1967 The Latrun Conquest. 19 years passed from the War of Independence, when the 7th Brigade punched a primitive by-pass road (the “Burma Road”) to besieged Jerusalem through the hills near the Jordanian-held positions around Latrun, until the reopening of the highway to Jerusalem – (today’s Road No. 1), this was accomplished with Israel’s dominance of the area during the Six Day War.

“The Tank on the Tower.” The trademark of the Yad La’Shiryun site is this American Sherman tank that in 1979 was hoisted to the top of the old British water tower pylons. The engine and other internal parts had to be removed to not overburden the supports. To the left, is the “Wall of Names.” This wall is the main object in the memorial complex and displays the name of the Armored Corps fallen soldiers since the War of Independence to the modern day. The Wall is sectioned by war, and each war has the names in alphabetical order by last name. (Hebrew is written from right to left, so this is the beginning wall section).

Getting there:

The Latrun location is about 46km from Tel Aviv, or a little over half-way from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There are public buses that run between the two cities that have stops in Latrun, and private tours stop there as well. A taxi from Tel Aviv will be approximately 200 shekels ($60 USD) each way. If you have a rental car, take Road 1 towards Jerusalem, and there are road signs for the museum.

Our tour guide, “Abby” was quite passionate about the history and sacrifices represented in this museum, and she was fulfilling her tour of duty at Latrun. In this picture, she stands next to one of the ten French-made Hotchkiss H39 light tanks that were purchased during the War of Independence and served as tremendous reinforcement for the IDF. These tanks, under the command of Major Felix Beatos, were incorporated in the “Slavic” company of Russian-speaking Jews of the 82nd Battalion that took part in the DANY Operation to capture Lod Airport.

The 37mm SA18 main gun was a Pre-WWII standard that had little anti-tank effect on later models, the machine gun was a French M1931 “Fortress” machine gun in 7.5 French using the side-mounted drum.

Cromwell MK III & MKIV. Two Cromwell tanks were “stolen” by IDF combatants from a camp of the British Army before the latter left Palestine. These two tanks of differing models took part alongside the French Hotchkiss light tanks in DANY, YOAV, and Horev Operations, manning crews of new immigrants from English speaking countries. Main armament was the OQF 75mm quick-firing cannon, and there were two British BESA MKI 7.92x57mm (8mm) machine guns mounted as secondary armaments.

ZSU-57×2 Self Propelled anti-aircraft. This anti-aircraft armored fighting vehicle, which mounts two 57mm gun barrels, is a Soviet development of the early 1950s. The hull is based on a T-54 tank hull which underwent several minor modifications. The armies of Egypt and Syria requisitioned this vehicle before the Six Day War (1967). Several ZSU57-2s were captured by the IDF, primarily at the Egyptian front in Sinai. The 57x348mm round is different from the U.S. anti-tank round, and uses a very sensitive fuze for impacting thin skins on aircraft.

T-62 Tank. The Soviet-made T-62 was the most advanced tank of the Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi armies in the early 1970s. In the Yom Kippur War (1973) many T-62s were hit by the IDF along with other vehicles captured intact and commissioned with the armored formations after minor modifications. The T-62, that became the Tiran 6, was the first of its kind to fight equipped with a smooth bored 115mm gun. Secondary armament included the PKT 7.62x54R machine gun as coax, and a freehand 12.7x108mm DShK heavy machine gun.

T-55 Tank. These Soviet and Czech made T-55s were first commissioned in service with the Egyptian and Syrian armies in the mid-60s. Besides having a more powerful engine than the T-54, the T-55 was also given a rotating turret platform for the crew members’ convenience. T-55s, which were the backbone of the Arab armies in the 1960s, were captured by the IDF in 1967 and 1973. The main armament was the 100mm rifled main gun, with the secondaries as two SGM-T coax 7.62x54R machine guns and one 12.7x108mm DShK heavy machine gun.

(Left to right) British-made Charioteer lightweight tank, also known as the FV4101 Cromwell Heavy AT Gun. Two were captured from terrorist forces in Southern Lebanon during Operation Litani (1978). These were limited production run and had a 20-pounder main gun, with Besa MK1 7.92x57mm (8mm Mauser) machine guns as coax. M47E1/E2 Patton Tanks – The Spanish-based Talbot company upgraded a Patton tank which had been produced in the 1950s, by replacing some of its systems, mainly replacing the engine and transmission with those of the M48 Patton. The E2 Patton even had its 90mm main gun replaced with a 105mm. Over 400 vehicles retrofitted from the two Patton models are currently in service with the Spanish Army. Two .30 caliber machine guns were standard.

Panzer PzKpfw IV ausf G. This medium battle tank was manufactured in large numbers by Nazi Germany and captured from the Syrian Army by the IDF during the Six Day War in 1967, on the Golan Heights. Typically called the Panzer 4, the main gun was a 7.5cm rifled L/48 with 87 rounds in store, and two MG34 7.92x57mm (8mm Mauser) machine guns.

T34/85. This USSR and Czech-made tank, which was produced from the end of WWII, was transferred by the latter to the Egyptian Army before the Sinai Campaign (1956) and even to the Syrian Army before the Six Day War (1967). Several of the T34/85s that were captured by the IDF were commissioned briefly in the Israeli armored forces. The “85” designation indicates that the T34 was upgraded from a 76.5mm main gun to an 85mm main gun. Machine guns were typically two 7.62mm DT machine guns.

At the end of one of the bloody battles fought at Latrun, Reuven Huber, a soldier in the Givati Brigade, carried a wounded Machal fighter on his back from the battlefield. At dawn, when they reached Hulda, Reuven discovered that the injured soldier had died. The identity of that Machal soldier remains unknown. This sculpture is dedicated to them both.

M60A1 Tank. U.S. made Patton M60A1 tanks bought by the IDF at the end of the 1960s became the spearhead of the Israeli Armoured Corps. These tanks played an active role in the Yom Kippur War (1973) and the Peace for Galilee Operation (1982). The upgraded tank now integrates “Blazer” reactive armor, a thermal sleeved main gun, and more. Long time SAR readers will note that these were the much discussed tanks that suffered the immediate removal of M85 .50 caliber and M73 7.62 caliber machine guns in the first battles of the Yom Kippur War. Several of our SAR Interviews cover the problems these two new machine guns had in desert environments, and the Israelis immediately installed M2HB .50 caliber and 1919A4 .30 (or MAG-58s) caliber machine guns in their place during the fighting.

Mounted on top of numerous tanks is the famous belt fed FN MAG-58 in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber. Here the MAG is shown as the longer barreled Israeli tank gun, with pistol grip and second position for the operator’s second hand to aim. Note the Israeli markings. The right sideplate says, “Fabrique National d’Arms de Guerre, Herstal, Belgique.”

ZSU-23-4 Shilka. Designed in the 1950s in Russia, the ZSU-23-4 was manufactured heavily throughout the 1960s-80s, and was a very successful design. Manufactured today in Russia and Poland, these are still available. The four 23mm machine guns are the main armament of this self-propelled, lightly armored system and each machine cannon fires automatically at 850+ rounds per minute. This gives the Shilka a combined rate of fire of 3-4000 rpm. Approximately 7,000 of these were manufactured, and the radar guided firing was a very effective anti-aircraft weapon. However, the Shilka has an extreme arc of coverage from about 4 degrees below perpendicular to 85 degrees vertical, with a rotating turret, making it ideal for battlefield use in anti-material targeting. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon all purchased ZSU-23-4s, and they were used heavily against Israel aircraft in the 1973 war.

Merkava MK2-3-and 4 IDF Tank. The MK2 and the interim MK3 are the forerunners of the modern Israeli made Merkava MK4 main battle tank. The MK3 (shown) added the modern 120mm smooth-bore main gun upgraded from the 105mm of earlier models, as well as three free-hand machine guns: the normal 7.62mm MAGs for the Commander, the loader, and a coax next to the main gun, now adding an M2HB .50BMG (12.7x99mm) machine gun. (Guns removed except one MAG in this picture.) Other armaments include a mounted 60mm mortar, and two sets of six barrel smoke units. The museum has set up the displays so that many of them encourage visitors to climb on top of the vehicles.

To contact the “Yad Lashiryon” Association:

Tel.: +972-8-9255268
Fax: +972-8-9255186
E-mail: yadlashiryon@gmail.com
Website: www.yadlashiryon.com
Mailing address:
Yad LaShiryon in Latrun
M.P. Shimshon 99762 Israel

This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V15N2 (November 2011)