159. Lekommemiyut — Sette Fratelli
type: schr
Departed St. Tropez, France 8 Feb 1948, arrived 20 Feb 1948
ex-Sette Fratelli, built 1945, 292 gross tons, 2-mast schooner
696 passengers
First group embarked in early December was transferred to 29 BeNovember (No. 153) off Corsica. Captured by the destroyer Childers.
Name means “To independence,” also known as Upright.”
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
158. Yerushaliyim Hanezura — Ambrosiano, Cicilo
type: brigantine
Departed Civitavecchia, Italy 3 Feb 1948, arrived 12 Feb 1948 check
ex-Cicilo, ex-Ambrosiana, ex-Chiavari, ex-Maria Madre, ex-Costanza, ex-Campofranco, ex-Gigino, built 1914, 197 gross tons, wood 3-mast brigantine
679 passengers
Intercepted off Haifa by the destroyer Cheviot. 402 men, 216 women, 61 children, deported to Cyprus on the Ocean Vigour.
Name means “Jerusalem Beleaguered.”
157. 35 Giborei Kfar Etzion — Sylvia Starita
type: barkentine
Departed Palestrina, Italy 17 Jan 1948, arrived 31 Jan 1948 check
ex-Silvia Starita, ex-G. Carducci, ex-Giosue Carducci, built 1921, 114 gross tons, wood 2-mast auxiliary barkentine
280 passengers
Intercepted off the coast by destroyer Childers with 179 men, 89 women, 12 children, mostly Hungarian or Romanian. No opposition. Taken to Cyprus on the Empire Rival.
Name means “35 Heroes of Kfar Etzion,” referring to the 35 members of Haganah killed near Kfar Etzion in the Judean Hills on January 16th.
Photograph source: Leaning Masts
155. Kibbutz Galuyot — Pan York
type: str
Departed Burgas, Bulgaria 27 Dec 1947, arrived 1 Jan 1948
ex-Pan York, ex-El Dia, ex-USS Roanoke, ex-El Dia, built 1901, 4570 gross tons, steamer
7557 passengers
The two “Pans” were manned by American volunteers, and brought the largest contingent in two ships totaling over 15,000 persons. The British used all means to prevent their sailing, and the Jewish Agency voted to cancel the sailing, but the chief of Mossad, Saul Avigur, refused. There were over 1,000 children under five, 4,000 unaccompanied older children, and 6,000 youths. 55 doctors were on the passenger list, and six babies were born en route. Organization was carefully worked out. The ships were boarded by agreement by cruisers Mauritius and Phoebe. Passengers could retain their luggage. The ships went directly to Cyprus where disembarkation took four days.
Name means “Ingathering of the Exiles.”
Book: “Voyage to Freedom” by Ze’ev Venia Hadari and Ze’ev Tsahor.
155. Atzmaut — Pan Crescent
type: str
Departed Burgas, Bulgaria 27 Dec 1947, arrived 1 Jan 1948
ex-Pan Crescent, ex-El Valle, built 1901, 4570 gross tons, steamer.
7612 passengers
See above under Kibbutz Galuyot (No. 155). Pan Crescent was sabotaged by British intelligence at Venice by a limpet mine, 30 Aug 1947.
Name means “Independence.”
Photograph source: Haganah Archives
154. HaUmot HaMeuhadot — Archimede
type: schr
Departed Civitavecchia, Italy 24 Dec 1947, arrived 1 Jan 1948
ex-Archimede, built 1927, about 350 tons, 2-mast motor schooner.
537 passengers
Evaded the Royal Navy and was beached at Nahariya. 131 passengers detained, others evaded arrest. Ship broken up by the sea.
Name means “United Nations.”
153. 29 beNovember — Giovanni Maria
type: barkentine
Departed Corsica 14 Dec 1947, arrived 28 Dec 1947
ex-Giovanni Maria, ex-Kléber, built 1907, 280 gross tons, wood 3-mast barkentine
680 passengers
Passengers, including 124 children, transferred from LeKommemiyut (No. 159) off Corsica. Captured by HMS Chevron, no resistance. Taken to Cyprus on the Ocean Vigour. Also called He’Chalutz.
Name refers to the date of the United Nations resolution approving the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.
Photograph source: Leaning Masts
152. Lo Tafchidunu — Maria Cristina
type: schr
Departed Civitavecchia, Italy 11 Dec 1947, arrived 22 Dec 1947
ex-Maria Cristina, built 1946, 371 gross tons, wood 2-mast schooner
884 passengers
A tidy vessel, no resistance to capture by destroyer Verulam, and towed in by sloop Mermaid. Three journalists on board, including Meyer Levin, who made a documentary film. Passengers included 150 children.
Name means “Unafraid.”
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
151. HaPortzim — Marie Annik
type: schr
Departed Bandol, France 22 Nov 1947, arrived 4 Dec 1947 check
ex-Marie Annik, built 1927
167 passengers
Embarked 124 passengers. 50 more at Algiers, 6 Nov, but over 500 were left behind when police broke up the sailing. Passengers landed at the mouth of the River Yarkon. Many were former Exodus passengers.
Name means “Blockade Runners.”
150. Kadima — Rafaellucia
type: schr
Departed Palestrina, near Venice, Italy 5 Nov 1947, arrived 16 Nov 1947 cjheck
ex-Raffaeluccia, ex-Excelsior, ex-Peloro, built 1921, 351 gross tons, wood 2-mast barkentine
794 passengers
Intercepted by destroyer Venus. There was no resistance; passengers taken to Cyprus on the Runnymede Park. 416 men, 249 women, 129 children.
Name means “Forward.”
Photograph source: http://palyam.org
149. Aliyah — Albertina
type: motor schr
Departed Bandol, France 5 Nov 1947, arrived 15 Nov 1947 check
ex-Albertina, ex-Pietro, built 1945, 109 gross tons (see No.104)
182 passengers
Found deserted on the beach at Nahariya. Passengers were specially picked youths who quickly disembarked and disappeared. This was the same ship that traveled in 1945 as Pietro (No. 104).
Name: Aliyah, literally Ascent, refers to Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel.
Photograph source: Leaning Masts