The Second World War opened a new chapter in the history of Jewish Palestine. Its most distinctive feature was the contribution of the Yishuv (the Jewish population of Palestine) to the military forces of the Allies. By the end of the war in Europe nearly 22,000 Jewish men and 4,000 Jewish women from Palestine had enlisted. Palestine Jewry was determined to continue its contribution to the war effort of the Allies as a distinctive national entity, the corporate representative of the entire Jewish people. It was this which inspired the efforts to secure the formation of Jewish national units within the framework of the British Army. These efforts met with obstacles which at times appeared almost insurmountable. It was only the high qualities displayed by the Jewish soldiers of Palestine on active service which gradually broke down the resistance in official and military quarters to granting national recognition to the Jewish fighting men. The proposals of the Jewish Agency for large-scale recruiting were turned down by the military authorities. It was not until September 1940 that Jews were given an opportunity to enlist in combatant services. It was then decided to establish fourteen Palestinian infantry companies. After protracted negotiations, the Services were opened to Jewish women. Recruiting for the A.T.S. began in January, 1942, and for the W.A.A.F. in May, 1943. It was the fine service rendered by the Jewish soldiers of Palestine during the first four years of the war which, in the end, led to the granting of national recognition to the Jewish war effort by the establishment of a Jewish Brigade. On September 19th, 1944, the British Government announced that they “had decided to accede to the request of the Jewish Agency for Palestine that a Jewish Brigade Group should be formed to take part in active operations”. The Jewish flag was adopted as its colors, and its flash was a Shield of David on a blue and white background. The Brigade formed part of the Fifth Army in Italy under the command of General Mark Clark. After the surrender of the enemy, the Brigade Group was included among the Occupation Forces, first on the Austro-Italian border, and later in Belgium and Holland. The Jewish Agency asked the British Government to maintain the Brigade, on the assumption that it would eventually be transferred to Palestine, where it would become part of the garrison. This request, however, was turned down and the Brigade was disbanded and all the Palestine volunteers demobilized.