Tadorne – Nachshon [first to go to the war]
"Nachshon" sailed from La Ciotat port in France on April 14th 1948, with 550 immigrants on board.
The "Nachshon" Haapala ship (named after 'Operation Nachshon' that opened the road to the besieged Jerusalem in early April 1948) prepared to depart for Israel from the La Rochelle port in France. The ship was previously used as a French fishing boat.
The commander of the "Nachshon" was Palyam member Yosef Almog; the 'Gidoni' was Shalom Burshtein. Additional escorts were Yisrael Sheinkman, Michael Gudovich (Gal) and Moshe.
The ship completed two voyages. On the first voyage, in early March 1948 (the ship was yet to be named at that time), an engine failure was discovered, and the immigrants were transferred onto the "Yechiam" ship that arrived from Italy for that purpose. After the transfer was completed – near the Monte Cristo Island – the ship arrived at the Bastia port in Corsica for repairs and preparation for its second voyage.
"Nachshon" sailed from La Ciotat port in France on April 14th 1948, with 550 immigrants on board. Due to a second technical failure, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' HQ ordered the "Mishmar Haemek" Haapala ship to absorb the "Nachshon" immigrants near Crete; but "Mishmar Haemek" was spotted by the British before the meeting was executed. "Nachshon" slowly continued to Israel, escorted by two British destroyers from April 26th. A few hours after overpowering the immigrants by using clubs, water hoses, and tear gas, the British soldiers took over the ship. The ship was towed to Haifa port on April 28th. The immigrants were loaded onto the "Empire Rest" and detained in the "Winter Camps" in Cyprus.
"Nachshon" was the last Haapala ship to arrive in Israel during the British Mandate, and its immigrants were the last ones to be deported to the detention camps in Cyprus.
The commander of the "Nachshon" was Palyam member Yosef Almog; the 'Gidoni' was Shalom Burshtein. Additional escorts were Yisrael Sheinkman, Michael Gudovich (Gal) and Moshe.
The ship completed two voyages. On the first voyage, in early March 1948 (the ship was yet to be named at that time), an engine failure was discovered, and the immigrants were transferred onto the "Yechiam" ship that arrived from Italy for that purpose. After the transfer was completed – near the Monte Cristo Island – the ship arrived at the Bastia port in Corsica for repairs and preparation for its second voyage.
"Nachshon" sailed from La Ciotat port in France on April 14th 1948, with 550 immigrants on board. Due to a second technical failure, 'Hamossad for Aliyah Bet' HQ ordered the "Mishmar Haemek" Haapala ship to absorb the "Nachshon" immigrants near Crete; but "Mishmar Haemek" was spotted by the British before the meeting was executed. "Nachshon" slowly continued to Israel, escorted by two British destroyers from April 26th. A few hours after overpowering the immigrants by using clubs, water hoses, and tear gas, the British soldiers took over the ship. The ship was towed to Haifa port on April 28th. The immigrants were loaded onto the "Empire Rest" and detained in the "Winter Camps" in Cyprus.
"Nachshon" was the last Haapala ship to arrive in Israel during the British Mandate, and its immigrants were the last ones to be deported to the detention camps in Cyprus.