ABSTRACT
The British Mandate came formally to an end on 15 May 1948. The broad pendant of Commodore Palestine was struck and His Excellency the High Commissioner departed in the cruiser HMS Euryalus (Captain C.C. Harvey RN). He was escorted out of Palestine waters by the aircraft-carrier HMS Ocean (Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge KCB DSO (Flag Officer (Air) and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Station)), commanded by Captain E.M.C. Abel-Smith RN, together with HM Ships Chevron, Childers, Volage, Pelican and Widemouth Bay. British Army forces then withdrew into the Haifa enclave preparatory to a final departure. By this time the Jews had declared the creation of the state of Israel and the encircling Arab states launched the war they forecast to President Truman almost three years earlier.
