Night of the Trains facts for kids

The Night of the Trains (also known as Operation Party) was a secret mission that took place on November 1, 1945. During this night, Jewish groups in Palestine carried out attacks on the British railway system. This operation was one of the very first actions by the Jewish Resistance Movement, even before it was officially formed. It became a symbol of its beginning.

What Happened During the Operation?

The Night of the Trains was a planned attack on the British railways in Palestine. It happened on November 1, 1945. This event was a key moment for the Jewish Resistance Movement. It showed that different groups could work together. About 1,000 people took part in these actions.

Attacks on Railways

Units from the Palmach group caused a lot of damage to the railway network. They hit 153 different spots across the country. These attacks happened around 11:00 p.m. and were carefully timed. This was done to stop the British from reacting quickly. In most places, there were no fights. Only two places had shootings, and no one was hurt there. Over 242 breaks were made in the railway lines. A station office, a phone system, and a fuel wagon were also bombed.

Sinking British Boats

At the same time, the Palmach's marine unit, called the Palyam, sank three British guard boats. Two boats were sunk in Haifa and one in Jaffa. These boats were used by the British to stop Jewish people from coming to Palestine. In Haifa, Yohai Ben-Nun led the mission. In Jaffa, Yossi Harel and Zalman Cohen were in charge. Divers swam under the British boats and attached explosives. These explosives were set to go off after a short delay.

Attacks on Lod and Haifa

That same night, a group from the Irgun, led by Eitan Livni, attacked the train station in Lod. Lod was an important railway hub. During the attack, the fighters destroyed one train engine and damaged six others. Sadly, some people lost their lives during the raid, including fighters from both sides. Another group, Lehi, tried to attack an oil refinery in Haifa. However, their explosives went off too soon. This caused damage to the facility. But the main targets, the oil tanks, were not hit.

What Happened After the Operation?

The Night of the Trains made people in the Yishuv (the Jewish community in Palestine) feel more hopeful. The British had made it very hard for Jewish people to move to Palestine and build new settlements. The operation showed that Jewish groups could work together. They could carry out many actions in different places at the same time.

David Ben-Gurion, an important leader, believed the operation would bring good results. The British government strongly criticized the attacks. Newspapers in Britain also wrote many detailed stories about the sabotage.