Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Fabi Gaver served as Palyam Commander aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.
Claire Neikind cites: " Fabi Gever stood at the navigation bridge and ran the resistance from there."
"The humanitarian attitude shown by the British at that stage, as well as the immigrants' great exhaustion, r convinced the ship commander, Fabi Gever, to give up on another struggle during the actual deportation."
Fabi Gaver cites: "Arba Heruyot was special for several reasons. This was the first ship in which it was certain that if caught by the British, the Olim would be deported to Cyprus.
It was also the first ship that was ordered to resist deportation from Palestine with force. These conditions gave the Olim added motivation to obey the instructions of the Palyamniks, and they hid below deck despite the difficult conditions."

Peter Hoffman served as Palyam Escort aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

Eli Zohar served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, when she sailed from Bocca di Magra.

On August 23, 1946, with Yehuda Arazi's help, Claire Neikind anonymously sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra, and later published articles in the Palestine Post about her journey

Claire Neikind, who had embarked, incognito on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות, was arrested by the British, and detained in Cyprus.

On August 23, 1946, Eliko Cohen sailed on Arba Heruyot ארבע חרויות from Bocca di Magra for Palestine.

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.