Major Farran's Hat: The Untold Story of the Struggle to Establish the Jewish State

In May 1947, a sixteen-year-old Jewish activist named Alexander Rubowitz was mysteriously abducted in broad daylight from the streets of Jerusalem. He was never seen again. At the abduction scene, a gray hat was found, purportedly belonging to Major Roy Farran, a decorated World War II officer who commanded a secret British counterterrisom squad in Palestine. As evidence mounted against Farran, he fled to Syria. When he returned, he was acquitted in a sensational court-martial and welcomed as a hero in Britain. But the Zionist underground swore vengeance. The entire episode precipitated a series of nail-biting twists and turns that would have far-reaching consequences.
An engaging mix of true crime and narrative history, peopled by a cast of luminaries including Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, Clement Atlee, and Golda Meir, Major Farran's Hat investigates shady violence, scandalous cover-ups, and political expediency. It also explores why Britain lost Palestine, as well as how its counterinsurgency and diplomatic strategies collided so disastrously. By exposing Britain's legacy in the Middle East, this historical thriller echoes today's war on terror and pointedly illustrates the circumstances surrounding the birth of the State of Israel.

David Cesarini is Research Professor in History at Royal Holloway, University of London.