Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Tel Aviv תל אביב means Spring Hill, in Hebrew.

In 1936, the Palestinian Arabs declared a general strike which shut down the Port of Jaffa.
In response, the Jewish Agency requested permission from the British High Commissioner to build the Port of Tel Aviv.

At 14:00PM, Monday, September 2, 1946, Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was spotted by a British 4-engine Lancaster reconnaissance aircraft 40 miles away from the Tel Aviv תל אביב shore.
At 15:00PM, a destroyer came into sight of Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, as she entered the 4 mile territorial waters, and shouted orders through a megaphone.
Claire Neikind cites: "Suddenly the destroyer headed straight for us. Maneouvering into a tangent, she rammed our port side. Our ship tilted dangerously."
She was intercepted by three British vessels, including, HMS Childers, HMS Chivalrous, and Police launch, Moreta.
Claire Neikind cites: Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was surrounded by three British destroyers.
Surrounded by the destroyers, Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות was boarded by British soldiers, firing to scare the passengers, and using water hoses for cover.
Claire Neikind cites: "A dozen British sailors with tommy-guns jumped down to our deck."
The passengers resisted boarding.
The bow force was headed by Eli Zohar; the deck force was headed by Peter Hoffman and Fabi Gaver stood at the navigation bridge,from where he ran the resistance.
"Another destroyer approached. Both rammed our sides simultaneously, playing hoses again, and dropping more sailors. They fought their way to the engine room and stopped the ship."
Claire Neikind cites another group of soldiers raided and subdued the passengers after a three-hour brawl.
13 of the injured immigrants needed hospitalization. 13 passengers jumped overboard, and tried to swim to the shore; two made it, but the rest were captured by the British, some drowned.
Claire Neikind cites: "At noon we arrived at Haifa harbour, and we saw our prison ship, the Empire Haywood, waiting."
On September 3, 1946, passengers were transferred to HMT Empire Heywood, and were taken to the Karaolos Καράολος Internment Camp.

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.

On April 13, 1947, Theodor Herzl תיאודור הרצל tried to run a British blockade, and and was intercepted by HMS St. Brides Bay and HMS Haydon.
Fritz Liebreich cites HMS Cheviot, HMS Octavia and HMS Charity.
Able Seaman Alan Green cites: HMS Providence "In April was involved in the interception and boarding of the Theodor Herzl when fierce resistance was put up by the illegal immigrants before the ship was taken under control."
Theodor Herzl תיאודור הרצל was stopped at 07:00AM, 16 miles from the shore of Tel Aviv.
On April 13, 1947, 15:00PM, HMS St. Brides Bay was preparing to board, and escort her to Haifa חיפה.
The Maapilim put a banner were put on her hull that read: "YOU JOINED THE NAVY TO CHASE ORPHANS"
and: "HITLER DESTROYED OUR FAMILIES, DO NOT DESTROY OUR HOPE "
On April 14, 1947, 01.20AM, the doctor on board Theodor Herzl תיאודור הרצל requested the wounded be transferred, as they were likely to die from gunshot wounds.
On April 14, 1947, 02.45AM, HMS Charity took on 20 wounded, and returned to Haifa חיפה.
Two passengers were slain, and a third died later.
The passengers were transhipped to Cyprus Κύπρος Detention Camps.

On May 15, 1948, within hours after independence was proclaimed, Spitfire IXs of the Royal Egyptian Air Force attacked Tel Aviv תל אביב and Sde Dov שדה דב Airfield.
One Spitfire was shot down by ground fire, and salvaged for use by the Israeli Air Force זרוע האוויר והחלל.