Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

HMS Chevron was a C-Class destroyer,

On the night of March 25/26, 1946, Kismet Adalia, alias SS Wingate וינגייט was intercepted by HMS Chevron, and taken to Haifa חיפה.

Commander John F.D. Bush RN served as Commander aboard HMS Chevron.

On December 9-10, 1946, the British minesweeper HMS Providence, working with HMS Chevron, HHMS Themistocles A/T Θεμιστοκλῆς (Ex HMS Branham) and HHMS Aegean Αιγαίο (Ex HMS Lauderdale) rescued the survivors of Rafiah רפיח MV Αθηνά.
HMS Chevron transported the passengers to Crete Κρήτη.
At dawn, December 11,1946, HMS Providence arrived at Souda Σούδα, and transferred 256 survivor, to a LST (Tank Landing Ship).
Edmund Rosianu cites British soldiers escorted the survivors aboard the British ship, HMS Independence.
The survivors were then transhipped to the detention camps on Cyprus Κύπρος, and finally released in 1948.
Dimitris Galon cites: The crew of the vessel, consisting of Greek sailors, were taken aboard the destroyer, HHMS Themistocles A/T Θεμιστοκλῆς.
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: "On 14 December Providence was involved in rendering assistance to Jewish immigrants after their ship had been wrecked on the Greek island of Syrna."
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: "for eight hours through 1000 miles of electrical storms, wind and rain, three Halifax bombers today dropped five tons of food, clothes and medical supplies to 800 Jewish illegal immigrants stranded on the Greek island of Syrina since their 'hell ship' went down amid rocks and boiling surf on Sunday.
As the tired crews landed their planes here (Aqir, Palestine) after their hazardous mercy flight, a fourth Halifax climbed away over the sea with more relief supplies, and the destroyer Chevron and the minesweeper Providence set out from Haifa to make a 'combined operation' rescue attempt."
Ninian Stewart cites "With Providence pitching and rolling heavily, each survivor had to be secured by a line and hauled onboard, and the women, clinging to their bundles, showed considerable pluck and fortitude.However, when her whaler first brought survivors alongside they panicked, became out of control, rushed to get aboard the 'sweeper' and capsized the boat, leaving two crew, sixmen and seven women in the water."

On March 8, 1947, an Royal Air Force plane sighted Ben Hecht בן הכט.
Jeno Berkovitz cites: "On March 8, everything changed. That afternoon, I happened to be stationed on deck, at the steering wheel. I still remember how good it felt – how the air smelled different as we got close to Eretz Yisrael. We were less than 10 miles from the coast of Tel Aviv, when three British destroyers approached and a British patrol plane circled overhead. I grabbed this flag, it had a big Jewish star on it, and hoisted it up the mast to show them that we were proud to be Jews fighting for our land.”
She was intercepted by Royal Navy destroyers, because armed resistance was expected, the British did not use minesweepers for the operation, just ten miles froms from the coast of Tel Aviv תל אביב.
At 12:15PM, HMS Chieftain joined HMS Chevron two hours later,
The British hailed Ben Hecht בן הכט in English and in German.
At 16:15PM, Ben Hecht בן הכט stopped, and sent her passengers below deck, while discussions took place.
At 17:30PM, HMS Chivalrous and frigate HMS St. Bride's Bay joined.
Ben Hecht בן הכט resumed, making 10 knots, towards Tel Aviv תל אביב.
When warned again, Ben Hecht בן הכט increased speed to 13 knots.
HMS Cheiftain came along side, and 32 officers and British soldiers wearing red berets, called ‘Red Devils’ boarded, and pushed Ben Hecht בן הכט round towards the west.
HMS Chevron boarded 30 more, while 20 soldiers from HMS Chivalrous boarded.
Jeno Berkovitz cites: "British soldiers wearing red berets – we called them 'red devils’'– jumped aboard. They shoved me aside and quickly took control of the ship. The crew and the passengers were brought to a detention camp in Cyprus. The DPs would end up staying there for more than a year, until after Israel’s creation in May 1948."
A photographer, from Life Magazine, was kicked while taking pictures of the boarding party coming aboard, and three British were killed and several injured in an effort capture passengers who plunged into the water.
At 05:33AM, Ben Hecht בן הכט was arrested when she reached teritorial waters.
HMS Octavia came along side, secured a line, and towed Ben Hecht בן הכט to Haifa חיפה.
The passengers were taken to a Detention Camp Number 66, in Cyprus Κύπρος, while the crew members were jailed at Akko Prison כלא עכו.
The British took the American crew members to the Akko Prison כלא עכו, where they were jailed alongside members of the ITzL אצ"ל and Lehi לח"י Stern Group, and announced they would deport the crew members to the United States.
Jeno Berkovitz cites: "To London’s dismay, the detention of the Ben Hecht crewmen became a lightning rod for criticism from Members of Congress, the American press and the US Jewish community. After holding the seamen for a month, the British decided they were more trouble than they were worth and put them on a ship bound for New York."
Meanwhile, the United States Attorney General announced he would not bring criminal charges against them.

G.L. Morter served as Chief Petty Officer aboard HMS Chevron.

On December 11, 1946, Rafi Tadmor was transported to Cyprus aboard HMS Chevron.

On April 24, 1948, as she sailed towards Haifa, Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele, was captured by HMS Chevron.
Paul H. Silverstone's Aliyah Bet Project cites: Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele was "Captured by the destroyer Chevron off Haifa."
The crew cut Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele's engines, and she was towed into Haifa.
Ninian Stewart cites: "HMS Chevron returned on 22 April in time to see boats streaming up the coast filled with escaping Arabs. Two days later she arrested the San Michele, a modern Italian motor ship, at the three-mile limit and towed her to Cyprus."
David Eisen cites three British destroyers escorted Mishmar haEmek משמר העמק San Michele to Haifa, where passengers and crew were transferred to shore and sprayed with DDT and then sent on HMT Empire Rival to Cyprus.

On May 15, 1948, HMS Euryalus was responsible for the evacuation of the British High Commissioner, Lt. General Sir Alan Cunningham, from Haifa to England.
She was escorted out of Palestine waters by aircraft carrier, HMS Ocean, together with HMS Chevron, HMS Childers, HMS Volage, HMS Pelican and HMS Widemouth Bay.