S.S. San Dimitrio - Latrun
"Latrun" sailed from Sete port in France on October 19th 1946, with 1,252 immigrants on board.
The "Latrun" Haapala ship (named after the detention camp that held thousands of Jews who were arrested during "Black Sabbath") was prepared for departure to Israel in Sweden and in Marseille port by Yehosha Rabinovitch (Bahreb), Avinoam, and Yosef Hoover (Dror.) The ship was previously used as a passenger-cargo boat between shores. The captain of the ship was Albert Laimaz Carion (a Spaniard.) The ship commander was Uri Greenblat (Goren.) The 'Gidoni' was Yitzhak Golan. Additional escorts: Palyam members Shalom Schwartz and Binyamin Shtrasman (Nativ.)
"Latrun" sailed from Sete port in France on October 19th 1946, with 1,252 immigrants on board. The voyage was filled with adversities: The ship could not travel beyond 5 knots; therefore, the travel time was twice as long as planned, and the food and water supply ran out. It also lost steadiness after the coal supply that helped steady the ship ran out, and water penetrated in various areas. The British knew of the ship as early as its preparation in Marseille, and followed it despite their intervention with the French authorities to prevent its departure. A British reconnaissance aircraft spotted the ship on October 29th, and two days later, the ship was surrounded by four British destroyers. Two of them butted against the side and bow of the "Latrun" to force it to stop. The escort crew had organized a group of immigrants whose job was to prevent the British from boarding the deck; a group of swimmers was also organized to reach the shore by swimming. But despite the preparations, the British soldiers took over the navigation bridge using teargas and water hoses, and quickly subdued any resistance attempt. The escorts deliberately sabotaged the engines, but the British forced the Spanish crew to restart "Latrun."
The ship was towed to Haifa port on November 1st. The immigrants were quietly transferred to the "Empire Haywood" and "Ocean Vigor" deportation ships. Shalom Schwartz hid inside the spare parts cupboard on board the ship, and was rescued two days later by "Haogen" men. The remaining escorts intermingled with the immigrants and arrived in Cyprus with them. The immigrants were taken to detention camp No.63 in Caraolos.
"Latrun" sailed from Sete port in France on October 19th 1946, with 1,252 immigrants on board. The voyage was filled with adversities: The ship could not travel beyond 5 knots; therefore, the travel time was twice as long as planned, and the food and water supply ran out. It also lost steadiness after the coal supply that helped steady the ship ran out, and water penetrated in various areas. The British knew of the ship as early as its preparation in Marseille, and followed it despite their intervention with the French authorities to prevent its departure. A British reconnaissance aircraft spotted the ship on October 29th, and two days later, the ship was surrounded by four British destroyers. Two of them butted against the side and bow of the "Latrun" to force it to stop. The escort crew had organized a group of immigrants whose job was to prevent the British from boarding the deck; a group of swimmers was also organized to reach the shore by swimming. But despite the preparations, the British soldiers took over the navigation bridge using teargas and water hoses, and quickly subdued any resistance attempt. The escorts deliberately sabotaged the engines, but the British forced the Spanish crew to restart "Latrun."
The ship was towed to Haifa port on November 1st. The immigrants were quietly transferred to the "Empire Haywood" and "Ocean Vigor" deportation ships. Shalom Schwartz hid inside the spare parts cupboard on board the ship, and was rescued two days later by "Haogen" men. The remaining escorts intermingled with the immigrants and arrived in Cyprus with them. The immigrants were taken to detention camp No.63 in Caraolos.