Jewish Lads' Brigade
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The Jewish Lads' Brigade was a military association of English Jewish boys, formed, organized, and directed by Col. Albert E. W. Goldsmid "to instil into the rising generation from their earliest years habits of orderliness, cleanliness, and honour, so that in learning to respect themselves they will do credit to their community." It is the first association of its kind. Jewish lads are eligible for membership between the ages of twelve and sixteen, and may remain, up to the rank of sergeant, until the age of eighteen. There is no limit to the age of superior officers. There are at present three regiments in existence: the London Regiment, consisting of all the battalions and companies in the London district; the Northern Regiment, consisting of similar units in the north and centre of England; and the Colonial Regiment, consisting of companies in Canada and South Africa. In addition to the infantry training there are also signaling and ambulance organisations. Stress is laid upon the athletic clubs in connection with the organisation.
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[edit] History
The brigade was founded, after a lecture by Colonel Goldsmid before the Maccabaeans, at a meeting held at the Jews' Free School in the East End of London in 16 February 1895, when the first company of boys was enrolled; and six weeks later the first weekly drill was held. Recruits were drawn from JFS, the Norwood Orphanage and local elementary schools, known as Board Schools, which had been set up under the Education Act of 1870. In 1896 the first summer camp, of nineteen boys, was held at Deal, and social and athletic clubs were organised.
The idea quickly became popular, and by March, 1898, there were thirteen companies in England, while a company was also established at Montreal, Canada. Four of these, consisting of five officers and ninety boys, had been represented at the seaside camp at Deal, England, during the preceding summer. A labour bureau was then established with a view to obtaining employment for the boys; and provincial companies rapidly sprang into existence. In 1898 the summer encampment consisted of 400 boys; and a year later the number of companies in existence rose to twenty-three, including one at Johannesburg, South Africa.
In Aug., 1899, a second summer camp was formed in the north of England for the benefit of the members of the northern contingent, while the Deal camp was inspected by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Charles Warren, who highly praised the efficiency of the lads. In 1900 a public display was given in London, which was attended by Maj.-Gen. Sir Henry Trotter, the general officer commanding the home district. The following year the number of companies had increased to thirty, while the muster-roll showed a total strength of between 3,000 and 4,000 members. Seventeen officers and members of the brigade took part in the South-African war, including Colonel Goldsmid, his place as commandant being occupied by Lieut.-Col. E. Montefiore. Of the seventeen, two lost their lives, one of them being Lieut. F. M. Raphael, who was killed at Spion Kop while attempting to rescue a wounded soldier.
In 1901 there were 540 boys at the Deal camp, and about 250 at the camp at Lytham. The membership by 1904 was about 3,500, and there were companies existing, in addition to those in London, at Newcastle, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Johannesburg, and Montreal. A somewhat similar movement in New York has resulted in the formation of the Manhattan Rifles.
[edit] War Time History
The JLB declined in popularity in the inter-war period as a result of public desire for peace and revulsion against 'militarism'. Membership in the JLB halved from a peak of 4,000 in 1910 to a low of 2,000 in 1925.
Most of the senior Brigade members went into Civil Defence in 1939. The ordinary boys in the Brigade units were more confident and able to cope with service in the war. They knew their drill and were able to bypass a great deal of basic training because of the training they got in the Brigade.
During World War II, approximately 60,000 Jewish men and women out of an Anglo-Jewish community estimated at 400,000 undertook military service. At least 2,010 of them lost their lives. No separate figures exist for the JLB contribution to the national effort during the war, but there is ample evidence that many ex-JLB lads saw rapid promotion through the ranks.
[edit] Current status
In the 1970s, the gradual trend towards mixed companies transformed 'The Jewish Lads' Brigade incorporating the Jewish Girls' Brigade' into the combined 'Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade'. As of 2005 there is a total membership of 4000 in the UK alone comprising of Birmingham, Borehamwood, Bushey, Cardiff, Cheadle, Glasgow, Hendon Bugle Band, Ilford, Kingston, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Redbridge (Band), Southend, Stanmore (Band), Stonegrove, Whitefield, Woodford and other smaller groups throughout England.
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
- Annual Reports and Pocket Book of the Jewish Lads' Brigade.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.
