Rahoma, Shaul (William)

Shaul, son of Marguerite and Salim, was born on September 15, 1946 in Iraq and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1951. The family settled in Ramat Gan and there Shaul passed through his childhood and youth. He studied at the “Giv’at” elementary school and graduated from the Ohel Shem High School in the real-world track. During this period Shaul began to develop his hobbies, the most important of which were photography, painting, applied mathematics and physics. Shaul was an outstanding student and his teachers, who insisted on his talents, persuaded him to continue his studies in the academic reserve. Shaul was drafted into the IDF at the end of August 1966. After completing basic training and being admitted to the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at the Technion in Haifa, he was transferred to the IDF Academic Reserve, and during his three years of studies, Shaul underwent various military courses. In the 1967 war he participated in the battles and was awarded the “Six Day War”. After completing his studies, Shaul returned to service and was appointed as an armored corps officer in an armored unit, and Shaul was an excellent officer who fulfilled all his duties to the satisfaction of his commanders and at the same time knew how to stand up for the rights and welfare of his subordinates. Very thorough, dedicated and entrepreneurial, punctual and very responsible, an excellent officer with a head and ability. “After serving as the commander of the armored infantry division, he was transferred to the Armored Corps School, Shaul is supposed to be discharged from the IDF, but his unit needed to continue his service, in order to finish a certain project in which he began. Shaul accepted the invitation of his commander and volunteered for a permanent army for this period. At the beginning of October 1973, he joined the faculty as a helpful assistant in the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, and continued his studies for a master’s degree at the Technion in Haifa. The release certificate, which was already ready, stated that Shaul was “an excellent, dedicated, responsible and entrepreneurial officer who fulfilled his duties in the best possible way.” When the Yom Kippur War broke out, Shaul went down with the infantry unit to the Sinai and took part in the braking battles against the Egyptians. On October 24, 1973, Shaul learned that wounded soldiers remained inside the city of Suez. He did not hesitate and volunteered to rescue them. He was hurt in the rescue operation and fell. He was brought to eternal rest in the cemetery in Kiryat Shaul. He was survived by a mother and two brothers. After his fall, he was promoted to captain. In a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, Defense Minister Moshe Dayan wrote that “Shaul was an excellent soldier, a talented officer and a loyal friend and a friend of all who knew him.”