Description
Object description
British policeman served with Palestine Police Force in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1930-1934; NCO served with Palestine Police Force in Mount Carmel and Haifa, Palestine, 1934-1938; officer served with Palestine Police Force in Jenin, Palestine, 1938-1939; served as Assistant Superintendent, Criminal Investigation Department, Palestine Police Force in Lydda and Tel Aviv, 1939-1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1907-1930: family; education; duties as special constable with Metropolitan Special Constabulary in London including work in General Strike, 4/5/1926-12/5/1926. Recollections of period as policeman with Palestine Police Force in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1930-1934: reasons for joining Palestine Police, 1930; voyage from GB to Palestine, 1930; first journey to Palestine Police Force Training Centre at Mount Scopus, Jerusalem; character of Palestine Police Force, 1930-1932; reasons for resigning and reapplying to join newly constituted force, 1932; first posting to Mea Shearim, Jerusalem; character of superior officer; fatigue induced by duties; rations; extra pay in transport section; success in promotion examinations, 1933-1934. Recollections of period as NCO with Palestine Police Force in Mount Carmel and Haifa, Palestine, 1934-1937: posting to Mount Carmel police post; policing duties in Arab souks in Haifa; start of Arab disturbances with increased Jewish immigration, 1936.
REEL 2 Continues: riot drills; his head injury during riot in Haifa; Zionist bombings of Arab souk in Kingsway, Haifa, 1935; inlying picket work in Haifa; his introduction of snap search system and it's affect on arms carrying by local population in Haifa; problems caused by Turkish destruction of land registry records; reaction to evicting Arabs whose land had been bought by Jews from absentee Arab landlords; how Sergeant Walter Medler was killed by Irgun Zvai Leum parcel bomb at Acre Bay, Haifa, 11/4/1938; lack of training in dealing with bombs; fire fighting duties on illegal immigrant ship in Haifa, 8/1937; traffic duties in Haifa; use of Mobile Reserve Column (MORCOL) to trap Arab insurgents; withdrawal of his transfer application to join Nigerian Police Service. Recollections of period as police officer with Palestine Police Force in Jenin, Palestine, 1938-1939: posting to Jenin; co-operation with 1st Bn Border Regt.
REEL 3 Continues: his main source of information in Jenin; use of reward for capture of weapons; use of informer in village and his method of communication; background of local insurgent leader at Jenin; leaders of Arab Revolt; his vulnerability to assassination in Jenin; murder of Assistant District Commissioner William Moffat in Jenin, 24/8/1938 and capture of the assassin; comparison between work of 1st Border Regiment and 1st Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) in Jenin; sabotage of electricity supplies in Jenin area; blowing up of his truck by land mine near Jenin; leaving Jenin, 8/1939. Recollections of period as Assistant Superintendent, Criminal Investigation Department, Palestine Police Force in Lydda and Tel Aviv, Palestine, 1939-1942: posting to Criminal Investigation Department in Lydda, 11/1939; how he had to accustomise to Criminal Investigation Department work.
REEL 4 Continues: effects of Nazi policies on Jewish immigration to Palestine; trap set for British aircraftmen supplying arms to Haganah; setting second similar trap; a British Jew who put his Britishness before his Jewishness regarding supply of arms to Zionists insurgents; opposition to British war effort by Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang); how Zionists obtained information from British quaker; anti-British activities of Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang); robbery of Jewish cashier by Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang), 1/1942; killing of Jewish Deputy Commissioner Soloman Schiff in pursuit of Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang), 20/1/1942; subsequent death of British Inspector Evelyn Turton in same incident; how explosion was meant for Morton; Avarham Stern's boast that he would not be taken alive; raid on flat at No 30 Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv in which he shot three members of Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang) , 27/1/1942.
REEL 5 Continues: use of Irish NCO to act as 'agent' with Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang) prisoners; story of how he shot Avarham Stern dead at No 8 Mizrachi Street, Tel Aviv, 12/2/1942; attempts made by Lohemei Herut Israel-Lehi (Stern Gang) to kill him after he shot Avarham Stern; campaign of 'Morton the Assassin' which was conducted against him; decision to send him home on leave, summer 1942; character of his journey from Palestine to GB via Belgian Congo, 8/1942; his return to Palestine as film censor, 9/1943; further advice to leave Palestine; leaving Palestine, 1/1945; how he had to leave Trinidad for fear of hit squad; libel actions he had to bring against authors for their accounts of killing of Avarham Stern and his comments on them.
REEL 6 Continues: question of opposition of Jewish policemen to alleged diaspora tradition of Jews not helping gentiles against fellow Jews; story of how he got into Guinness Book of Records for keeping a pet hyena, 1934.
