The Association for the Commemoration of Fallen Soldiers 
in the Golan - Alexandroni Brigade

Established by the 3rd Brigade

Ministry of Defense Supplier No. 83996832    Association No 58-010-57-6-5

M.P. 01415   Navar Amnon, Golomb Eliyahu 12/3, Petach-Tikva, 4929206

     email: [email protected]

 

The Alexandroni Brigade is an elite infantry brigade comprised entirely of Golani reserves soldiers, and has only recently assumed the official name of Alexandroni. The Alexandroni Brigade became renowned in the Second Lebanon War and was declared the surprise of the war.

In January, 1950, the new 3rd brigade became a reserves brigade, one of several reserves brigades established at the time to take the place of regular combat units that had been disbanded. Field units that were formed during the War of Independence were comprised of seven regular brigades; one of them was the original Alexandroni Brigade – the 3rd brigade. The Alxandroni Brigade of 1948 (The 3rd brigade) fought in the battles of "Operation Danny" (Ramleh-Lod), fought to conquer Tantura (along the coastal plain), and took part in a number of battles on the southern front and at Ein Gedi. The brigade's most significant contribution was the widening of our borders in the Arad-Dead Sea region while stabilizing the south-eastern border of the State of Israel.

In September, 1949, the original 3rd brigade was disbanded, along with other brigades, once the Israeli home front returned to routine civilian life.

The new 3rd brigade became a border brigade on our border with Syria, taking responsibility for the ongoing security of the border and possible planned attacks on this border. The responsibility for planned attacks became a reality in the Six Day War. The brigade was the first to break through the Syrian lines in the Golan Heights. From its position at the Syrian front, the brigade broke through the Syrian lines from the Kinneret and northward, conquering famous Syrian military posts such as Dardarah, Tel-Hilal, Mourtapha, and Post 81000 all the way to Rajar Village near Metulla. After a day and a half of heavy fighting, the brigade controlled the entire eastern bank of the Jordan River. 

At the end of the Six Day War, the responsibilities of the border brigade were changed and it assumed the command for IDF troops in the Golan Heights, located at Nafah military base. The name of the base was changed to the Yitzhak base, after Yitzhak Halfon, the commander of Battalion 33 who fell during the battle of Dardarah. During this period, from the Six Day War until the Yom Kippur War, the 820 Brigade was in command of the entire Golan Heights and Mt. Dov, taking charge of a number of operations, border incidents with the Syrians, IDF initiatives on the eastern front and at Mt. Dov, as well as offering assistance to the developing settlements in the Golan Heights.

During the Yom Kippur War, the Brigade took part in protecting the bridges on the Jordan River and combating terrorists on Mt. Dov, eventually taking charge of the front line in the Golan Heights for the duration of the war of attrition that followed in the Golan Heights.

In February of 1974, the 36th Division was created to take responsibility for the Golan Heights and our brigade was once again renamed. It was to integrate young soldiers into its ranks and turn from a border brigade to a young infantry brigade. The name brigade was renamed as brigade 609 and the brigade headquarters moved from the base at Rosh Pina to Canaan Base and then to its permanent headquarters at Ein Zeitim.

During the Shlom HaGalil War in 1982, the 609 brigade left Ein Zeitim and fought in the Damoor-Zidon region, getting as far as the Beirut-Damascus road in the central region of the Manchuria area.

In the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the brigade fought in the western region under its old/new name, the Alexandroni Brigade, and received many commendations for its performance and military operations. The brigade became a role model for the other forces and was nicknamed in the press "The Surprise of the War." The battalion soldiers received a citation of honor for their combat performance and confrontation with the enemy.

The brigade, which is now renowned as an elite reserves brigade, continues to execute missions to defend the country and to plan its role in any combat operation necessary, in accordance with the security requirements of the State of Israel and the IDF.

While fulfilling our responsibility on behalf of the welfare of the State of Israel and its citizens, the brigade lost some of the best of its men, our comrades in arms. We, the members of the brigade's Association for the Commemoration of Fallen Soldiers, the brigade's soldiers and its commanders, promised to perpetuate the memory of our friends, with whom we spent days and nights, with whom we shared our meals and profound experiences, who fought selflessly by our sides and left us grieving, encumbered by memories and sorrow. We will continue to do whatever we can to perpetuate their memories, to pass their legacies on to the young soldiers who continue in their paths, to keep in contact with their families and to help as much as we can.