Heroic Exodus 1947 illegal immigration ship special calls for a commemorative sea voyage
(0600 UTC, 17 September 2017 until 0600 UTC, 18 September)
Exodus 1947” - 70 Years Memorial Event
“Exodus 1947”
After WWII the British enforced restrictions on Jewish immigration to British controlled Palestine.
The Exodus 1947 was a US coastal freight passenger ship launched in 1928, sold as scrap. It was purchased by the Hagana (the underground Jewish military organization) in order to transport Jews who sought to illegally immigrate into Palestine.
In July 1947, the ship left Sète, France. It carried 4,554 Jewish men, women, and children, all Holocaust survivors from displaced persons (DP) camps. The ship was shadowed by the British navy. On July 18, 20 miles from Haifa, the British navy boarded the ship. In a fierce fight one Jewish crew member and two passengers were killed. Dozens suffered bullet wounds and other injuries.
Attempting to make an example of the Exodus 1947, the British towed the ship to Haifa and transferred the passengers onto three navy transports which returned to Europe. The ships first landed at Port-de-Bouc, France, where the passengers were ordered to disembark. The French authorities refused to forcibly remove the refugees. British authorities, fearing adverse public opinion, sought to wait until the passengers disembarked of their own accord. The passengers, including many orphaned children, forced the issue by declaring a hunger strike which lasted 24 days. Mounting pressure from international media coverage pressed British authorities to find a solution. The British transported them to Hamburg in the British-occupied zone of Germany, where the passengers were interned in DP camps.
DPs in camps all over Europe protested vociferously and staged hunger strikes when they heard the news. Large protests erupted on both sides of the Atlantic. The ensuing public embarrassment for Britain played a significant role in the diplomatic swing of sympathy toward the Jews and the eventual recognition of Israel, the Jewish state, in 1948.
“Exodus 1947-2017”
70 years after the historic and heroic Exodus 1947 voyage, a commemorative voyage will be held from September 17, 2017. 100 of original Exodus 1947 voyage survivors s and 900 Israeli youths will board the ship MS Golden Iris in Haifa port for a 24-hour commemoration sea voyage, during which the Exodus 1947 events will be discussed with survivors of the original voyage, and the role of illegal Jewish immigration in Israel’s establishment, as well as the role of the young generation in the future of Israel, will be debated.
4X70EXODUS, 4Z70ARNON
The Gideon (pronounced Gid’on) wireless network, with stations all over Europe and the Middle East, was a clandestine wireless network operated by the Haganah Signal Service, providing communication service enabling illegal immigration into British held Palestine, prior to Israel’s establishment in 1948. The wireless operators of this network were called Gideonim (singular Gideoni/Gideonit). Arnon was the code name of the network HQ in Tel Aviv. The network was using home-made QRP HF equipment (10-15 Watts) with long wire antennas, utilizing Morse code.
In honor of the Gideonim, the Israel Amateur Radio Club, supported by the Association for the Commemoration of the Fallen Soldiers of the Israeli Signal Corps, will operate two amateur radio stations during the symbolic sea voyage: 4X70EXODUS, on the ship cruising in the Mediterranean, will be on air during the actual sea voyage, from around 0600 UTC, Sunday 17 September 2017 and 4Z70ARNON, in Tel Aviv, will be on air from 0500 UTC, Friday 8 September 2017, until 2000 UTC, Monday 18 September 2017.
Unique eQSLs and Certificate
All QSOs within the framework of this special event will be uploaded to LoTW and eQSL. An eQSL registered operator making QSO who successfully contacts any one of these special-event stations will receive a unique eQSL.
Note the unique sea locator (KM72MV) and Holyland square (G05-HF) for this special evet.
An operator who successfully contacts both stations during the period of the special event will be eligible to receive a special certificate.
Requests for the special certificate should be mailed with relevant QSOs details to 4Z4DX@iarc.org who will email them the certificate.
(0600 UTC, 17 September 2017 until 0600 UTC, 18 September)
Exodus 1947” - 70 Years Memorial Event
“Exodus 1947”
After WWII the British enforced restrictions on Jewish immigration to British controlled Palestine.
The Exodus 1947 was a US coastal freight passenger ship launched in 1928, sold as scrap. It was purchased by the Hagana (the underground Jewish military organization) in order to transport Jews who sought to illegally immigrate into Palestine.
In July 1947, the ship left Sète, France. It carried 4,554 Jewish men, women, and children, all Holocaust survivors from displaced persons (DP) camps. The ship was shadowed by the British navy. On July 18, 20 miles from Haifa, the British navy boarded the ship. In a fierce fight one Jewish crew member and two passengers were killed. Dozens suffered bullet wounds and other injuries.
Attempting to make an example of the Exodus 1947, the British towed the ship to Haifa and transferred the passengers onto three navy transports which returned to Europe. The ships first landed at Port-de-Bouc, France, where the passengers were ordered to disembark. The French authorities refused to forcibly remove the refugees. British authorities, fearing adverse public opinion, sought to wait until the passengers disembarked of their own accord. The passengers, including many orphaned children, forced the issue by declaring a hunger strike which lasted 24 days. Mounting pressure from international media coverage pressed British authorities to find a solution. The British transported them to Hamburg in the British-occupied zone of Germany, where the passengers were interned in DP camps.
DPs in camps all over Europe protested vociferously and staged hunger strikes when they heard the news. Large protests erupted on both sides of the Atlantic. The ensuing public embarrassment for Britain played a significant role in the diplomatic swing of sympathy toward the Jews and the eventual recognition of Israel, the Jewish state, in 1948.
“Exodus 1947-2017”
70 years after the historic and heroic Exodus 1947 voyage, a commemorative voyage will be held from September 17, 2017. 100 of original Exodus 1947 voyage survivors s and 900 Israeli youths will board the ship MS Golden Iris in Haifa port for a 24-hour commemoration sea voyage, during which the Exodus 1947 events will be discussed with survivors of the original voyage, and the role of illegal Jewish immigration in Israel’s establishment, as well as the role of the young generation in the future of Israel, will be debated.
4X70EXODUS, 4Z70ARNON
The Gideon (pronounced Gid’on) wireless network, with stations all over Europe and the Middle East, was a clandestine wireless network operated by the Haganah Signal Service, providing communication service enabling illegal immigration into British held Palestine, prior to Israel’s establishment in 1948. The wireless operators of this network were called Gideonim (singular Gideoni/Gideonit). Arnon was the code name of the network HQ in Tel Aviv. The network was using home-made QRP HF equipment (10-15 Watts) with long wire antennas, utilizing Morse code.
In honor of the Gideonim, the Israel Amateur Radio Club, supported by the Association for the Commemoration of the Fallen Soldiers of the Israeli Signal Corps, will operate two amateur radio stations during the symbolic sea voyage: 4X70EXODUS, on the ship cruising in the Mediterranean, will be on air during the actual sea voyage, from around 0600 UTC, Sunday 17 September 2017 and 4Z70ARNON, in Tel Aviv, will be on air from 0500 UTC, Friday 8 September 2017, until 2000 UTC, Monday 18 September 2017.
Unique eQSLs and Certificate
All QSOs within the framework of this special event will be uploaded to LoTW and eQSL. An eQSL registered operator making QSO who successfully contacts any one of these special-event stations will receive a unique eQSL.
Note the unique sea locator (KM72MV) and Holyland square (G05-HF) for this special evet.
An operator who successfully contacts both stations during the period of the special event will be eligible to receive a special certificate.
Requests for the special certificate should be mailed with relevant QSOs details to 4Z4DX@iarc.org who will email them the certificate.