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ALEXANDER AVIRAM WIESEL : 1942 - 1945 HANDWRITTEN ORIGINAL ARCHIVE OF 37 HEBREW LANGUAGE LETTERS SENT BY A JEWISH SOLDIER IN THE BRITISH ARMY DEPICTING HIS LIFE AND SERVICE AS WELL AS HIS INTIMATE FEARS AND DESIRES WHILE STATIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST

4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. On offer are 37 letters sent from Alexander Aviram Wiesel, a Jewish soldier in the British Army from 1942-1945. Alexander had volunteered into the British army beginning in 1942 during the height of World War Two. He was assigned to the 1st Camouflage Company and later to the Mechanical & Electrical Company No. 544, which was part of the British Royal Engineers in the Eighth Army, where he was sent to Egypt and to the Western Desert. The company operated the water supply system installed by the British. They were split into small units scattered along hundreds of kilometers of the water pipe. Early in 1945 the company was transferred to southern Italy and was in charge of maintenance of electrical installations, water supply and hospitals. The company was dismantled in 1946 and he was discharged and returned to Palestine. These letters were written by Alexander to his Jewish teacher and friend in British Mandated Palestine. All of the letters are handwritten in Hebrew script, and some are written on Jewish Brigade stationary. All were sent during his army service in Egypt (Mersa Matruh), the Western Desert, and Libya (Tobruk and Tripoli). They describe in intimate detail his experiences throughout his service, from the time he reached Egypt, to his move to Italy in 1945 until his return home. These letters capture some insights on his difficulties and loneliness as a soldier. In a letter dated October 8, 1942 he speaks candidly of his fear of death in the World War. On the opposite spectrum of emotion, his pride and joy when the Jewish flag is hoisted on the pole for the first time in their army camp is palpable and fascinating (February 15, 1943). He also speaks of the anger against the British government’s accusations that the Jewish soldiers are serving in the army for the sole purpose of obtaining weapons for the Haganah (the Jewish paramilitary force in the British Mandate of Palestine (30 Nov 43), and much more. The archive also includes two photos of Wiesel. The first is a loose photograph, showing Wiesel in casual clothing. It has the year 1941 written on the back. It is wallet sized. The other photograph, measuring no more than 2 inches by 1 inch is pasted onto a 1943 New-Year greeting card with a red seal mark depicting a rifle and a Star of David. This will make an excellent addition to any collection of Jewish Military History in WWII as well as a great addition to detailed and intimate Hebrew language experiences of 20th century warfare.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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