114. Eliahu Golomb — Fenice
type: m/v
Departed La Spezia, Italy, 8 May 1946, arrived 13 May 1946
ex-Fenice, ex-Enrico, ex-Alma, ex-Jocelyn, ex-Rotterdam, built 1918, 313 gross tons, steel auxiliary schooner (See No. 127)
735 passengers
See note under Dov Hos (No. 113).
Name: Eliahu Golomb (1893-1945) was a founder of the Haganah.
Photograph source: USHMM
113. Dov Hos — Fede
type: m/v
Departed La Spezia, Italy, 8 May 1946, arrived 13 May 1946
ex-Fede, built 1946, 512 gross tons, motor vessel
675 passengers
The passengers arrived at La Spezia on 8 April 1946 and were blockaded by the British. Yehuda Arazi exploited the situation, and organized a hunger strike, then threatened to blow up the ship. After a truce, the British finally gave in, the passengers were given permits and arrived legally on Fede and Fenice. Refugees included 167 partisans from Poland, members of pioneer groups and ultra-Orthodox Agudat Israel, and 12 children. By this maneuver, Arazi gained world-wide publicity for the plight of the Jewish survivors.
Name: Dov Hos (1894-1940) was a founder of the Haganah.
Photograph source: Haganah Archives
112. Max Nordau — Smyrnie
Type: m/v
Departed Constanta, Romania, 7 May 1946, arrived 14 May 1946
ex-Smyrni, built 1907, 761 gross tons
1754 passengers
Ship was purchased in Romania in 1942, but after the Mefkure (No. 85) was sunk, the passengers refused to sail. Captured by British destroyers Jervis and Chequers. The largest contingent of refugees to date, including 370 (240 under 12) children.
Name: Max Nordau (1849-1923) was a famous Zionist leader and philosopher.
111. Tel Hai — Asya
type: yt
Departed Sète, France, 16 Mar 1946, arrived 27 Mar 1946
ex-Asya, ex-Assia, ex-Macedonia, ex-Panorimitis, ex-Zingara, built 1875, 427 gross tons, iron steamer, former yacht
736 passengers
Ship was re-engined in Istanbul with a U-boat engine. Captured by British destroyer Chequers 140 miles at sea. Passengers included 195 French immigrants and 548 members of a youth movement from Belgium.
Name: Tel Hai was a settlement in northern Galilee, attacked by Arabs in 1920 when Joseph Trumpeldor was killed.
110. Wingate — Kismet Adalia
Type: aux schr
Departed Palestrina, Italy 13 Mar 1946, arrived 25 Mar 1946
ex-Kismet Adalia, or ex-Noris, built (unk), about 200 tons, auxiliary schooner
248 passengers
Initial landing was foiled by the police, who opened fire, killing Bracha Fuld, age 18, a Palmach member. Ship was captured and brought into Haifa by British destroyer Chevron.
Name: Charles Orde Wingate (1903-1944) was a British officer who in 1938 organized the Special Night Squads, which later became the Haganah. He was killed in action in Burma in 1944.
109. Enzo Sereni — Rondine
type: m/v
Departed Vado, near Genoa, Italy 7 Jan 1946, arrived 17 Jan 1946
ex-Rondine, built 1945, 410 gross tons (See No.160)
908 passengers
Ship was brought into Haifa by British destroyer Talybont. Many refugees were former partisans, 551 men, 357 women.
Name: Enzo Sereni (1905-1944), Italian Zionist and scholar, was a Palmach member parachuted into occupied Italy in 1944 who died in Dachau.
108. Hannah Senesh — Andarta
Type: m/v
Departed Savona, Italy, 14 Dec 1945, arrived 25 Dec 1945
ex-Andarta, built 1942, 144 gross tons
252 passengers
The ship was beached at Nahariya. Passengers were brought to shore by a rope bridge and evaded capture. Vessel later used by Israeli Navy until 1952.
Name: Hannah Senesh (1921-1944) was a parachutist killed by the Nazis in Yugoslavia in 1944.
Photo courtesy of “Leaning Masts” by R. Aharoni
107. Berl Katznelson — Demetrios
Type: m/v
Departed Lavrion, near Piraeus, Greece 16 Nov 1945, arrived 23 Nov 1945
ex-Teti F., ex-Ambitieux, ex-Whangaroo, ex-Hjorleifur, built 1906, 117 gross tons
220 passengers
First ship to be discovered since end of the war. Intercepted by British sloop Peacock while landing refugees near Shefayim. 200 reached the beach and disappeared; 20 arrested on board.
Name: Berl Katznelson (1887-1944) was a well known Jewish Socialist leader.
106. Peter (2) Pietro
Departed Taranto, Italy 1 Oct 1945, arrived 22 Oct 1945
ex-Albertina, built (unk), 170 gross tons (See No.149)
174 passengers
Immigrants landed at Shefayim.
Start of Royal Navy Patrols off Palestine
105. Natan (2) — Nettuno
Departed Bari 24 Sep 1945, arrived 1 Oct 1945
ex-Nettuno, built (unk), 65 gross tons
73 passengers
Immigrants landed at Shefayim.
104. Peter (I) — Pietro
Departed Metaporto, Italy 12 Sep 1945, arrived 17 Sep 1945
ex-Albertina, Built (unk), 170 gross tons
168 passengers aboard
Carried seamen and radio operators from Palmach and Jewish Agency emissaries on return trip to Italy.
Photograph source: http://palyam.org