A recording from the first official ceremony of Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Shimhon, who later fell in battle, has drawn attention for its emotional tone and battlefield message. In the event, Ben Shimhon took the stage before soldiers and officers of Battalion 52 in Brigade 401 and delivered his inaugural address as the new battalion commander.
He opened with what the article describes as a combat order that became the first unforgettable encounter with his unit: “We will return from our mission with our heads held high, we are the breakers.” He then used the battalion’s call sign, saying, “Station Loko here, Command, this is time for action,” to signal that the preparation phase had ended and that command was now his.
Ben Shimhon told the troops he regarded leading them as an enormous privilege and said he had complete confidence in them before their first joint deployment. “I trust you and am proud to join your ranks,” he said, adding, “We will return from our mission with our heads held high after battles soaked in blood.” He also spoke candidly about the scale of the campaign and the heavy price it could demand, while projecting certainty and resolve from the stage.
He concluded with a call for decisive victory over the enemy: “As victors we will raise our flag, we are the breakers.” The article says this first speech, delivered face to face to the battalion, quickly became his ethical testament.
