Name
Israel Joseph Zeitman
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
28/04/1944
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5733097
Dorsetshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Kohima War Cemetery
7. A. 13.
India
Headstone Inscription
ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS. DEVOTED WIFE MARIE AND SISTER RAY
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin memorials
Biography
He was born in east London but was resident in north London at the time he enlisted His Service Number was 5733097 and he was in the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment which was part of the 5th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division (Crosskeys) in the 33rd Indian Corps fighting in Burma. At the date of his death the Battalion was temporarily under the 6th Infantry Division.
The Battalion was brought hurriedly from India and forced their way through hot dank jungle from Dimapur on the Assam border to relieve Kohima and then continued its defence against the Japanese. His death occurred almost certainly in the vicinity of features called ‘The Club’ and ‘The Pimple’ about 200 yards to the east of Ganison Hill at Kohima. 27 men of the 2nd Battalion were killed in severe fighting on the 27th/28th April 1944.
He was buried in Plot 7, Row A, Grave 13 in the Kohima War Cemetery in India. A private inscription on the stone reads "Always in our hearts. Devoted wife Marie and sister Ray".
He was the son of Samuel and Esther Zeitman and the husband of Marie Zeitman of Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, ‘Regiments of the British Army’ by M.A. Bellis, ‘Second Great War' by J.A. Hammerton, ‘The War in Burma 1942-45’ by J. Thompson, ‘Straight on for Tokyo’ by O.G.W. White
