Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Isaac Rosenberg Just Missed Jabotinsky

In late 1917, Ze'ev Jabotinsky founded the Jewish Legion as the 38th-38th-40th Royal Fuseilliers.

Isaac Rosenberg, famed post, seems to just have missed out being one of Jabo's soldiers:-

March 28, 1918
[Postmarked April 2, 1918: Rosenberg's last letter; he was killed on April 1]

My Dear Marsh

I think I wrote you I was about to go up the line again after our little rest. We are now in the trenches again and though I feel very sleepy, I just have a chance to answer your letter so I will while I may. Its really my being lucky enough to bag an inch of candle that incites me to this pitch of punctual epistolary. I must measure my letter by the light. First, this is my address

22311 Pte I R.
6 Platoon B Coy 1st K.O.R.L.
B.E.F.


We are very busy just now and poetry is right out of our scheme. I wrote one or two things in hospital about Xmas time but I don't remember whether I sent them to you or not. I'll send one, anyhow. During our little interlude of rest from the line I managed to do a bit of sketching -somebody had colours- and they weren't so bad, I don't think I have forgotten my art after all. I've heard nothing further about the J.B. [Jewish Battalion] and of course feel annoyed -more because no reasons have been given- but when we leave the trenches, I'll enquire further. I don't remember reading Freedman. I wanted to write a battle song for the Judaens but can think of nothing strong and wonderful enough yet. Here's just a slight thing. I've seen no poetry for ages now so you musn't be too critical - My vocabulary small enough before is impoverished and bare.

Yours sincerely
I Rosenberg

No comments: