Israel was born in London on 29 May 1915 the son of Isaac and Miriam née Bernstein. Israel had two older siblings Anne and Jack. Israel served under the name of Harold Jackson. In 1939, Israel was living with his family at 34 Fortune Green Road, Hampstead and was using the name Harold Jackson. He worked as a manager of a radio shop. His father Isaac was a tailor and his brother Jack was the manager of a china shop. Israel had a sister Anne who married Harris Lightman.

Israel was the wireless operator/air gunner on Hampden AE226 which took off from RAF Lindholme on a night operation to Bremen. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Veendam, Netherlands killing all the crew.

W/Op, Jack Guset, 525488

Pilot, Kenneth John Lord, 921757

Pilot, Edward Douglas Vivian, 89071

Israel’s headstone has the name H. Jackson and the inscription ‘I am a Jew’