A World War One "L'chayim" Tale

As has been announced:

Hundreds of Liquor Bottles belonging to British Soldiers from World War I were Exposed near Ramla
The surprising find was discovered in excavations of the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to the construction of Highway 200, which was initiated and financed by the Netivei Israel Company

An unexpected discovery was made a few weeks ago in an archaeological excavation of the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted in the vicinity of Ramla. Together with flint tools that are 250,000 years old from the Middle Palaeolithic period, archaeologists were astounded to find a fascinating reminder from the First World War that included, among other things, hundreds of liquor bottles that are 100 years old. These were found near a building where British soldiers were garrisoned during the war.

According to Ron Toueg, excavation director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "...We exposed a building whose upper part was not preserved, which was apparently the foundations of a barracks...Inside the building we discovered dozens of uniform buttons, belt buckles, parts of riding equipment, and other artifacts that were the property of the British soldiers. The building caught fire and collapsed for a reason which at this point is unclear. The place where the soldiers discarded debris was revealed just a few meters from the building. We were surprised to discover that along with broken crockery and cutlery there was an enormous number of soft drink and liquor bottles. In fact, about 70% of the waste that was discarded in the refuse pit were liquor bottles. It seems that the soldiers took advantage of the respite given them to release the tension by frequently drinking alcohol”. 

...According to Sary Mark, an architect, conservator and an authority on the British army’s occupation of the area, “On November 15, 1917 the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under the command of General Allenby conquered the area around the towns of Lod and Ramla. Before occupying Jerusalem the army encamped in the area where the archaeological excavation took place: the headquarters at Bir Salam – Ramla Camp and Sarafand Camp. The army was based there for about nine months until a decision was made to continue the conquest of the country further north. The building that was discovered in the excavation was used by the British soldiers, and it is rare authentic evidence and the first of its kind of the day-to-day life of the expeditionary forces for a very brief period during the First World War”.

Thanks to Eriola Jakoel, media coordinator of the Central Region, Israel Antiquities Authority. 

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