Jabotinsky (center) and Jewish volunteers
Zion Mule Corps
Jewish fighting unit for the british, world war one
The Zion Mule Corps, and its successor Jewish Legion, were the first Jewish fighting units since the first century CE. They fought for the Allied cause in the hopes that when the British defeated the Ottomans, the Jews would be rewarded for their loyalty with a Jewish homeland in Palestine. They also saw World War One as a learning opportunity to train fighters and develop military skills and experience that could be used for self-defense in Palestine.
Orgnaized primarily by Joseph Trumpeldor, over 500 Jewish members of the Zion Mule Corps saw action during the catastrophic Gallipoli campaign. Though soon disbanded, many of its members re-congregated under the banner of the Jewish Legion. Several major Zionist and Israeli figures served in the Mule Corps or the Legion, including David Ben Gurion, Vladimir Jabotinsky, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, Levi Eshkol, and many more
Appears in
Episode 33
Mentioned in Episode 36, 46
