Bloch, Chaim

Chaim, son of Sophie and Yehoshua Bloch, was born on the 24th of Adar, March 24, 1922 in Konigsberg (East Prussia, then Germany). In 1934 the family immigrated to Israel and settled in Nahalat Yitzhak, near Tel Aviv. He graduated from the elementary school in Tel Aviv. Later Chaim became an active member of the Haganah. During the Second World War he enlisted in the British Army. He served in Haifa Haganah against air attacks and served in Cyprus, Italy, Belgium and Germany. He served in the Jewish Brigade from the day of its establishment and was one of those who were chosen to participate in the victory procession in London. When the War of Independence broke out, Chaim immediately volunteered to serve in the Givati ​​Brigade as a sergeant. His father wanted to release him from army duty because Chaim was his main supporter, and his mother obtained his travel permit, but he refused both of them and said, “My place is here now, and only here, so that I may fight for my homeland, my people and our future!” In the war he excelled in his heroism. In one of his last battles he took a cannon hit from the enemy, later named after him: Chaim Bloch. Chaim fell on the 2nd of Tammuz 5708 (9.7.1948) in a battle over the Abadis outpost, near Negba, and was brought to rest at the military cemetery in Negba.