Israeli Team Identifies Soldier Shot in Cyprus After 78 Years

Colonel Y recounted the story of Shlomo Haimson, who was shot by British forces in Cyprus during the British Mandate period and buried anonymously in Haifa, Israel. Haimson was part of a group of Jewish immigrants attempting to escape detention camps in Cyprus by cutting through fences. He was killed near Nicosia and buried in the Margo cemetery, where 113 Jewish detainees were interred. In 1970, their remains were transferred to Haifa, but some graves, including Haimson's, remained unidentified.

A special investigative team, including members of the Cyprus Immigrants Association and a dedicated researcher, undertook a comprehensive effort to locate archival materials and reconstruct the reburial process in Haifa. By fully restoring the burial sequence and comparing grave positions, they achieved a definitive identification of Haimson's remains.

Haimson's widow and infant daughter Miriam eventually immigrated to Israel and settled in Kibbutz Magen. Miriam is now 78 years old. The widow remarried and later moved to Brazil, where the family resides in Rio de Janeiro. The identification team informed the family recently about the discovery.

Colonel Y noted that the work continues, as there are still 165 fallen soldiers from Israel's War of Independence whose burial sites remain unknown, with hopes to locate them soon.