In 1942–1943, following increasing reports of the mass murder of European Jewry, leaders of the Jewish Agency and the Yishuv sought ways to assist Jewish communities under Nazi occupation and to establish contact with resistance movements. After negotiations with British authorities, a limited plan was approved allowing selected Jewish volunteers from Mandatory Palestine to enlist in the British Army and undergo training for special operations behind enemy lines. Of the 250 original volunteers, 110 underwent training. Thirty-two eventually parachuted into Europe and five infiltrated the target countries by other routes. Most of those selected for training were
emigrés from Europe, with intimate knowledge of the countries to which they would be sent. Three of the parachutists infiltrated Hungary, five participated in the
Slovak National Uprising in October 1944, and six operated in northern Italy. Ten parachutists served with British liaison missions to the
Yugoslav partisans. Nine parachutists operated in
Romania. Two others entered
Bulgaria, and one each operated in
France and
Austria. The
Germans captured twelve and executed seven of the 37 parachutists sent into occupied Europe. Three of those executed were captured in
Slovakia. Two were captured in
Hungary and one in northern
Italy. After seven missions the parachutist who entered
France was captured and killed.
Hannah Szenes, one of the best-known of the MI9 parachutists, was seized in German-occupied Hungary and executed in
Budapest on 7 November 1944, at the age of 23. Szenes was a talented poet and her songs are still sung in Israel. After the war, remains of three of the seven parachutists killed in the war, including Szenes, were interred on the National Military and Police cemetery in
Mount Herzl cemetery in
Jerusalem. Memorials for the other four are also at Mount Herzl Cemetery. ==Mount Herzl burials==