Witkowski, Yitzhak (Isaac)

Son of Zippora and Eliyahu. He was born on October 10, 1920 in Berlin, Germany. In 1921 he immigrated to Israel with his family, who settled in Jerusalem. Yitzhak completed his studies at an elementary school in Jerusalem, studied metal casting and went to work at an early age. In April 1941 he joined the ranks of the British army and was placed as a transport driver. As part of his job he fought in battles against El Alamein, Benghazi and Tobruk. At the end of April 1943, a convoy of ships loaded with soldiers and equipment left for Alexandria in order to reinforce the Allied forces that were about to invade Italy. Yitzhak’s unit was on the ship “Arinapura.” On the day of 27.1.1943, the ship was bombed by German bombers and drowned together with 140 soldiers of the unit, and Yitzhak among them. Laid parents and brother. In the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, a ship-shaped monument was erected in memory of those who were missing, and next to it is a water pool with the names of the fallen engraved on the bottom. This fallen hero is a “maklan” – a hero whose burial place is unknown.