Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was a schooner
Registered name: Suzanne Idéros Nickname: Ile-de-la-Rose
She sailed under the French flag, to avoid recognition by the British reconnaissance planes and the ships of the Palestine Blockade.
Built: 1913, in Paimpol
Engine: 70 horsepower
Capacity: 111 tons
Length: 32 meters

In 1945, or early 1946, Idéros was purchased (perhaps leased) by Yehuda Berginski, representative of Mossad leAliyah Bet.
She was renamed Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט, after the sailor with the 23 Yordey Hasira, one of the senior Jewish seamen, and commander of the Haapalah ships.

On June 3, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט sailed from Auray, Morbihan, Bretagne, citing Ilan Braun.
The crew were non-Jewish sailors from France, and the naval officers were members of Palyam and Mossad leAliyah Bet.
Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט loaded 12,000 bottles of cognac in La Rochelle, and sailed for Tangier طنجة.

From June 5, 1946 to June 18, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was prepared for sailing at La Pallice, port of La Rochelle. citing Ilan Braun's timeline.
Ilan Braun cites: changes (additional berths) made to Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט were done in Auray, Morbihan.

On June 18, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט sailed from La Pallice to Tangier طنجة.

From June 21 to June 28, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was laid up in Gijón (Puerto de El Musel) Xixón (Gignon), Asturias, 43°32′N 5°42′W, with engine troubles.

On July 4, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט arrived at Tangier طنجة, where she stayed until July 14, 1946.

Ilan Braun cites: "Le 14 juillet 1946 la goélette française Idéros venant de Bretagne va appareiller pour Marseille. Mais un incident survient: un pied qui dépasse d'un canot éveille l'attention d'un marin qui découvre..un passager clandestin, puis deux puis trois, enfin huit en tout! La police est appelée et les pauvres, rêveurs de lendemains français, sont arrêtés, à l'exception de deux d'entre eux: Raphael Garcia, espagnol, et Alberto, âgé de treize ans environ, qui serait juif?"
"On July 14, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat sail from Brittany for Marseille. But a problem arose: one dinghy was hanging lower than the others, attracting the attention of a sailor who discovered .. a stowaway, then a second, then a third, and finally a total of eight! The police were called and the poor dreamers of a French future, were arrested, with the exception of two: Raphael Garcia, Spanish, and Alberto, who was about thirteen, and possibly Jewish?"

On July 20, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט reached Marseille to complete outfitting and take on Mossad leAliyah Bet agents, and then continued to Bacoli.

At 03:00AM, August 6, 1946, the eve Tisha beAv תשעה באב, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט weighed anchor, sailed from Bacoli (Boca di Magra), under French flag, at 5-6 knots, carrying 183 passengers.
Dudale Ben-Chorin served as Palyam Commander aboard Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט.
Yonatan Kinarti served as Palyam Escort aboard Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט.
Yosef Lustig Israeli served as Gidoni, wireless radio operator, aboard Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט.
The crew aboard Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was French, and so was the Captain.

On August 7 or 8, 1946, after crossing the Strait of Messina Stretto di Messina, Alberto/Roberto fell overboard.
Tzvi Ben-Tzur cites "During the voyage a young deckhand known as Robert, whom the crew had taken on in Algiers, prior to the voyage, on its way to Marseille, fell from the ship and disappeared."
Idéros Amiram Shochat turned around to search for him, but his body could not be recovered.

On August 10, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט's position was 36° 25’ N 23° 10’ E; Course 100° Speed 6 knots

On August 11, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט's position was 36° 25° 20’ E

On August 12, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט's positions, citing to Yonatan Kinarti (Palyam) were :
* First Location: 35° 05 N 27° 35’ E
* Last Location: 35° 25’ N 28° 40’ E

On August 13, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat's positions, citing Yonatan Kinarti (Palyam) were:
* First Location: 34° 50’ N 31° E
* Last Location: 34° 22’ N 32° 13’ E

On August 14, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat, previously spotted by a reconnaissance plane,was spotted by a second Royal Navy patrol.
* First Location: 33° 50’ N 33° E
* Second Location: 34° N 34° 02’ E
* Last Location: 33° 47’ N 33° 20’ E
Yonatan Kinarti (Palyam) cites : Idéros Amiram Shochat radioing concern for the second Royal Navy patrol that discovered her, to Artsi (Arazi) and Hofshi ( commanders responsible for landing preparations), and that it would be best to land at about 06:00AM, if not captured beforehand.

On August 15, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was spotted by the British cruiser, HMS Saumarez, as she approached the coast of Palestine from the north, near southern Lebanon.
HMS Saumarez continued to track Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט on radar.
Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was not on the list of illegal immigrant ships, so no action was taken, even though she was inside the patrol line and only 6 miles from Caesarea קיסריה.

On August 16, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט neared the coast at Caesarea.קיסריה, at 32° 32’ N 34° 50’ E
Yonatan Kinarti (Palyam) cites "During the night, Amiram Shochat set ashore her 180 passengers, and turned back to sea, returning outside territorial waters, where she could not be arrested."
Fritz Liebreich cites an unknown caique, believed to be the Ile de la Rose, renamed Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט, landed at Atlit עתלית on August 15/16, 1946.
Fritz Liebreich cites Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט landing ar Sdot Yam שדות ים (It had never been made clear whether Ile de la Rose and Idéros were in fact one and the same vessel.)
Three small boats, Tirza תרצה, Rivka רבקה and Dov דוב‎, rowed out to unload the passengers.
Passengers were taken to Hadera חדרה, Binyamina בנימינה, kibbutz Sdot Yam קיבוץ שדות ים, Neveh Haim נווה חיים‎, and the religious moshav, Kfar HaRoeh כפר הרא"ה.
Ilan Braun cites Serge Christian Texier stated that Idéros Amiram Shochat עמירם שוחט was deliberately rammed by a British warship right after the landing in Palestine, and suffered much structural damage as well as damage to her engine.

From September 3, 1946 to October 25, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat was laid up in Rodos for repairs. Fritz Lieberwich cites Idéros Amiram Shochat as being moored behind a breakwater, called 'Rotten Row, from September, 1946.
Ilan Braun cites Serge Christian Texier stating the engine was sabotaged a second time (the engine was sabotaged after Beirut), probably by the British, as reprisal for running the Blockade of Palestine.

On October 27, 1946, Idéros Amiram Shochat sank off Crete, having run onto the rocks in a storm, and was abandoned by her crew.
The crew had to wait 44 days before being repatriated to France, via Greece, aboard a liner bound to the USA.