ABSTRACT

At the end of November the 8th MSF left the Mediterranean, reducing the number of ‘Algerine’-class minesweepers available for the Patrol to eight. However, the onset of winter appeared to reduce Zionist zeal for difficult sea voyages and from 26 November until 9 February 1947 there were no arrivals or arrests. During this period it was possible to reduce the force level to three destroyers, two minesweepers and one sloop or frigate. However a major rescue became necessary after a final unsuccessful voyage by the Athina, which started from Bakar in Yugoslavia, where she received two railway wagon loads of UNRRA foodstuffs and two wagon loads of fuel sent from Zagreb. These were embarked with the open assistance of the Yugoslav authorities. Illegal immigrants followed, mainly from Poland, travelling by night in horse drawn vehicles for anything from two to five months. The ship then sailed flying the Zionist flag and a Reuter’s source indicated that she had been intended to tranship her passengers to another vessel. The Naval authorities had wind of her intentions and the Admiralty authorised an attempt at voluntary diversion to Cyprus.