Edmond Wilhelm Brillant
Encyclopedia
Edmond Wilhelm Brillant the Levi (1916–2004) was a naval architect, Hagana member, among the founding fathers of the Israeli navy and was in the ZIM
Navigation company the Israeli Merchant Marine. He dedicated his best years for the Navy buildup. Brillant was born in Jaroslaw
Galicia, Poland
, and was the youngest son among the four sons of the famous pharmacist Wiktor Brillant
and his wife Laura Brillant (née Sturmlauf).
Brillant was a flight amateur and joined the gliding club of Jaroslaw at the age of 13. There he studied building gliders, aircraft, gliding and flight.
Brillant graduated from the Augusta Witkowskiego Jaroslaw Gymnasium (high school) in 1934, and started his MD studies. However, since he had a technical tendency, Brillant started learning accurate mechanics in Lviv
. He immigrated to Israel
(then Palestine
) in 1936 on board of SS Polonia :pl:SS Polonia from Port of Constanţa
with a Hebrew Technion Certificate, and resided in Haifa
.
Flight Club Poland
as an instructor. The Kfar Yeladim flight club was the early seed of the Hagana for creating an air-arm, later became the Israeli Air-Force, under disguise of a gliding club. In 1938, he volunteered in the Palestine Police Railway Department (PPRD) of the Hagana Ghaffirs
of the Jewish Supernumerary Police
, and escorted trains from Zemach at the Sea of Galilee
to Port Said
, Egypt
. During service in the PPRD
, he was wounded when his train was blasted by a mine placed by terrorists during the Arab rebellion of 1936-1939. He escaped from hospital and returned to his company.
started, Brillant wanted to volunteer the Buffs, but had typhoid and instead joined the Royal Navy as Chief Petty Officer
in role of Engine Room Artificer (ERA)in 1942.Brillant was among the Jewish Hagana Volunteers to the Royal Navy
, and served there till March 1946.
Brillant served in the Red-Sea Theater aboard HMS
Massawa
at Eritrea
and other naval bases
. Prior the takeover of Masawa by the Allies, the base was an Axis stronghold of the Regia Marina
(the then Italian Navy). It was a bay which served as a harbor and shipyard with docking, thus was a strategic port for the Indian Ocean.
As the Italians started to retreat, they sunk their ships.Salvage
work was done by the United States Navy
's Jewish Navy Officer, Commander Edward Ellsberg
. His team was replaced later on by the Royal Navy. There, Brillant started to learn salvage work, shallow water diving, diesel engines and other naval professions that assisted him later on in his Israeli Navy career.
During Brillant's service in HMS Massawa became a pilot’s duties volunteer. Brillant's commanding officers at HMS Massawa recommended him to be commissioned and assisted him to reach aviator trainings of the RN Fleet Air Arm
(FAA) in 1944. His pilot duties were destroyed since the Ministry of Colonies did not allow access to aviation training for Jewish volunteers from Palestine. In his file, it was written that Brillant's engineering skills were of 'great importance' to the Navy.
Even though Brillant was disqualified from Royal Navy pilot duties, he continued serving and did not answer the U.S. Navy requests to join them as an officer.
After his release from Navy, he returned to the Hagana and joined the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) Naval Forces.
, which later on became Flotilla 13
Navy commando unit, and took part in several of their operations. During this time, Brillant took part in converting the clandestine immigration ships of Hagana into first improvised Israeli Navy ships for the War of Independence.
This work was camouflaged since the British Mandate only left Haifa harbor in June 1948.
Brillant founded the damage control branch and the special salvage unit and special under water operations called YALTAM
. He established the damage control floating fighting, and fire fighting training that each navy officer and sailor has to pass.
Brillant served as a staff officer in the Naval Brass, and during his service he was the investigator of the 1956 sea battle in which the Egyptian destroyer Ibrahim el Awal was captured.
He analyzed the air attack and navy operation of both the French and Israelis, and his report was submitted to Lt General Moshe Dayan
as well as the French Brass.
Brillant also improved the conversion time of reserve fishing boats to patrol boats from 3 days into few hours.
in order to lead three projects of merchant marine ship building.
He moved to France
, and led the SS Shalom
project in Chantiers de l'Atlantique
. This ship was the largest passenger ship of ZIM and was the flagship. After then, he moved to Toulon
to manage the building of two freight ships Keshet (Bow) and Noga (Venus).
In 1963, Brillant asked the IDF attaché in Paris for permission to retire from the Navy, even though they requested him to continue his service for the Fall Leaves project known as Cherbourg Project
In 1969, while he was a technical superintendent in ZIM Europe lines, Brillant designed the fueling of the 5 missile boats of the Cherbourg Project
that escaped the Cherbourg Harbor in operation Noah
. The fueling freight ships that were modified by him were M.V.Lea to fuel in the Gibraltar and M.V Netanya as a backup in the Biscay bay.
Zim
Zim or ZIM may refer to:* Zero Index Metamaterial* Zimbabwe* Nzime, a people of Cameroon* GAZ-12 ZIM, limousine* Invader Zim, a 2001 animated television series** Zim, the title character from Invader ZIM...
Navigation company the Israeli Merchant Marine. He dedicated his best years for the Navy buildup. Brillant was born in Jaroslaw
Jaroslaw
Jarosław is a town in south-eastern Poland, with 40,167 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship , previously in Przemyśl Voivodeship . It is the capital of Jarosław County.-History:...
Galicia, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and was the youngest son among the four sons of the famous pharmacist Wiktor Brillant
Wiktor Brillant
Wiktor Brillant was a famous pharmacist from Jaroslaw who was killed by the Nazis..-Family:Wiktor was the eldest son of Henrieta and Karl Brillant from Tarnopol, then a part of Poland...
and his wife Laura Brillant (née Sturmlauf).
Brillant was a flight amateur and joined the gliding club of Jaroslaw at the age of 13. There he studied building gliders, aircraft, gliding and flight.
Brillant graduated from the Augusta Witkowskiego Jaroslaw Gymnasium (high school) in 1934, and started his MD studies. However, since he had a technical tendency, Brillant started learning accurate mechanics in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. He immigrated to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(then Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
) in 1936 on board of SS Polonia :pl:SS Polonia from Port of Constanţa
Port of Constanta
The Port of Constanța is located in Constanța, Romania, on the western coast of the Black Sea, from the Bosphorus Strait and from the Sulina Branch, through which the Danube river flows into the sea. It covers , of which is land and the rest, , is water. The two breakwaters located northwards...
with a Hebrew Technion Certificate, and resided in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
.
Flight Club Poland
Hagana Service
Brillant started his mechanical engineering studies in the Hebrew Technion, and in 1937 he joined the Hagana Flight Club in “Kfar Yeladim” at Jezreel ValleyJezreel Valley
-Etymology:The Jezreel Valley takes its name from the ancient city of Jezreel which was located on a low hill overlooking the southern edge of the valley, though some scholars think that the name of the city originates from the name of the clan which founded it, and whose existence is mentioned in...
as an instructor. The Kfar Yeladim flight club was the early seed of the Hagana for creating an air-arm, later became the Israeli Air-Force, under disguise of a gliding club. In 1938, he volunteered in the Palestine Police Railway Department (PPRD) of the Hagana Ghaffirs
Jewish Settlement Police
The Jewish Settlement Police were a division of the Notrim established in Mandatory Palestine in 1936, during the Arab Revolt.-History:...
of the Jewish Supernumerary Police
Jewish Supernumerary Police
The Jewish Supernumerary Police were a branch of the Guards set up by the British in Mandate Palestine in June 1936. Around 22,000 Notrim were appointed, armed and equipped by the British to act as a protective militia for Jewish settlements...
, and escorted trains from Zemach at the Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias , is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately in circumference, about long, and wide. The lake has a total area of , and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m...
to Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. During service in the PPRD
Jezreel Valley railway
The Jezreel Valley railway, or simply the Valley railway refers to a historical railroad in Ottoman and British Palestine, which was part of the larger Hejaz railway and ran along the Jezreel Valley....
, he was wounded when his train was blasted by a mine placed by terrorists during the Arab rebellion of 1936-1939. He escaped from hospital and returned to his company.
Service in the Royal Navy
As World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
started, Brillant wanted to volunteer the Buffs, but had typhoid and instead joined the Royal Navy as Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
in role of Engine Room Artificer (ERA)in 1942.Brillant was among the Jewish Hagana Volunteers to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and served there till March 1946.
Brillant served in the Red-Sea Theater aboard HMS
Her Majesty's Ship
Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time...
Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
at Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and other naval bases
. Prior the takeover of Masawa by the Allies, the base was an Axis stronghold of the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
(the then Italian Navy). It was a bay which served as a harbor and shipyard with docking, thus was a strategic port for the Indian Ocean.
As the Italians started to retreat, they sunk their ships.Salvage
Marine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
work was done by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
's Jewish Navy Officer, Commander Edward Ellsberg
Edward Ellsberg
Rear Admiral Edward Ellsberg, OBE was an officer in the United States Navy and a popular author. He was widely known as "Commander Ellsberg."-Early years:...
. His team was replaced later on by the Royal Navy. There, Brillant started to learn salvage work, shallow water diving, diesel engines and other naval professions that assisted him later on in his Israeli Navy career.
During Brillant's service in HMS Massawa became a pilot’s duties volunteer. Brillant's commanding officers at HMS Massawa recommended him to be commissioned and assisted him to reach aviator trainings of the RN Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
(FAA) in 1944. His pilot duties were destroyed since the Ministry of Colonies did not allow access to aviation training for Jewish volunteers from Palestine. In his file, it was written that Brillant's engineering skills were of 'great importance' to the Navy.
Even though Brillant was disqualified from Royal Navy pilot duties, he continued serving and did not answer the U.S. Navy requests to join them as an officer.
After his release from Navy, he returned to the Hagana and joined the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) Naval Forces.
Israeli Naval Forces
Brillant joined the Hagana Harbor PlatoonPalyam
Palyam was the sea force of the Palmach.-History:Palyam was set up in April 1945 as the Palmach's tenth company which originated from the Palmach's Naval Platoon. The Company's first commander was Abraham Zakai...
, which later on became Flotilla 13
Shayetet 13
Shayetet 13 is the elite naval commando unit of the Israeli Navy. The unit is considered one of the primary Special Forces units of the Israel Defense Forces . S'13 specializes in sea-to-land incursions, counter-terrorism, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering, maritime hostage rescue, and...
Navy commando unit, and took part in several of their operations. During this time, Brillant took part in converting the clandestine immigration ships of Hagana into first improvised Israeli Navy ships for the War of Independence.
This work was camouflaged since the British Mandate only left Haifa harbor in June 1948.
Brillant founded the damage control branch and the special salvage unit and special under water operations called YALTAM
Sayeret
Sayeret , literally means "reconnaissance unit" in the Israel Defense Forces . In practice, these units specialize in commando and other special forces roles, in addition to reconnaissance...
. He established the damage control floating fighting, and fire fighting training that each navy officer and sailor has to pass.
Brillant served as a staff officer in the Naval Brass, and during his service he was the investigator of the 1956 sea battle in which the Egyptian destroyer Ibrahim el Awal was captured.
He analyzed the air attack and navy operation of both the French and Israelis, and his report was submitted to Lt General Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan
Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...
as well as the French Brass.
Brillant also improved the conversion time of reserve fishing boats to patrol boats from 3 days into few hours.
In ZIM Navigation Company
Brillant was borrowed from the Navy by ZIMin order to lead three projects of merchant marine ship building.
He moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and led the SS Shalom
SS Shalom
SS Shalom was a combined ocean liner/cruise ship built in 1964 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St Nazaire, France for ZIM Lines, Israel for transatlantic service from Haifa to New York. In 1967 she was sold to the German Atlantic Line, becoming their second SS Hanseatic...
project in Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
. This ship was the largest passenger ship of ZIM and was the flagship. After then, he moved to Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
to manage the building of two freight ships Keshet (Bow) and Noga (Venus).
In 1963, Brillant asked the IDF attaché in Paris for permission to retire from the Navy, even though they requested him to continue his service for the Fall Leaves project known as Cherbourg Project
Cherbourg Project
The Boats of Cherbourg was an Israeli military operation which took place on 24 December 1969, and involved the escape of five class 3 missile boats from the French port of Cherbourg. The boats had been paid for by the Israeli government but had not been delivered due to the French arms embargo...
In 1969, while he was a technical superintendent in ZIM Europe lines, Brillant designed the fueling of the 5 missile boats of the Cherbourg Project
Cherbourg Project
The Boats of Cherbourg was an Israeli military operation which took place on 24 December 1969, and involved the escape of five class 3 missile boats from the French port of Cherbourg. The boats had been paid for by the Israeli government but had not been delivered due to the French arms embargo...
that escaped the Cherbourg Harbor in operation Noah
Cherbourg Project
The Boats of Cherbourg was an Israeli military operation which took place on 24 December 1969, and involved the escape of five class 3 missile boats from the French port of Cherbourg. The boats had been paid for by the Israeli government but had not been delivered due to the French arms embargo...
. The fueling freight ships that were modified by him were M.V.Lea to fuel in the Gibraltar and M.V Netanya as a backup in the Biscay bay.
Extra Reading
- Ibrahim El Awal INS Haifa K-38
- Naval Intelligence Division (Israel)
- Jezreel Valley railwayJezreel Valley railwayThe Jezreel Valley railway, or simply the Valley railway refers to a historical railroad in Ottoman and British Palestine, which was part of the larger Hejaz railway and ran along the Jezreel Valley....
- Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum Haifa
- Jaroslaw Wikipedia in Polish
- Boats of Cherbourg French Wikipedia