Shemesh, David

Son of Hedva and Yaakov, was born in 1928 in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, where he attended elementary and high school. He aspired to immigrate to Israel following his brother who immigrated in 1934 and from time to time invited him in his letters to join him. In August 1946 he immigrated to Israel by land, against the will of his worried parents. The day after he arrived at Beit Hashita to his brother, he asked that they send him immediately to work, where he saw a goal for himself. When the people of Babylon came to settle in Moshav Nevatim, near Be’er Sheva, he joined them despite his brother’s warning that he would not undertake this task under difficult conditions and without sufficient training. When he received news of his father’s death, he requested and received leave from the settler organization and moved to Tel Aviv to work and support his mother. When he found no satisfaction in the life of the city and the life of the moshav, he did not want to return, and in the meantime it became clear to him that his mother no longer needed his help. At the advice of his brother, he returned to Beit Hashita, where he joined the “Scouts” group as part of the Palmach’s training, and soon his comrades realized his personal qualities and his unlimited understanding and dedication, whether in training or working as a coward. – 29.11.1947 On the division of the land into two states, joined the ranks of the defenders and volunteered to fill various positions. David was killed on the ninth of Tevet 5708 (December 22, 1947), and was awarded the rank of lieutenant, whose place of burial is unknown.In September 2004, as part of the investigation of the IDF Missing Persons Unit It was found that two bodies discovered in the excavations at Tel Giborim in Holon are the bodies of a solar water heater and Gideon son of-David. The two were laid to rest at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl.