Showing posts with label Isaac Rosenberg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaac Rosenberg. Show all posts

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