▁Palest ine ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁with ▁ 5 3 6 ▁passengers . ▁The ▁engines ▁on ▁Henri etta ▁Sz old ▁failed ▁and ▁Raf i ▁to wed ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁S yr na ▁Island ▁G ulf , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁delayed ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁until ▁the ▁problem ▁was ▁fixed . ▁On ▁near ing ▁Ha ifa , ▁the ▁British ▁intercept ed ▁the ▁boat ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁destroy er ▁, ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁defe ating ▁the ▁Admir al ▁Graf ▁Spe e ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Pl ate , ▁ram med ▁the ▁ship . ▁British ▁soldiers ▁then ▁soldiers ▁board ed , ▁fought ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁passengers ▁and ▁transferred ▁them ▁to ▁T ent ▁Camp ▁No . ▁ 5 5 ▁near ▁Fam ag usta , ▁on ▁Cy pr us . ▁The ▁H agan ah ▁esc ort s ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁imm igr ants ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁deport ation ▁phase ▁and ▁escaped ▁the ▁det ention ▁camp ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁' M oss ad ▁Ali y ah ▁Bet '. ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁until ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁independence , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁Pal y am ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Isra eli ▁Navy ▁Fl ot illa , ▁composed ▁out ▁of ▁four ▁illegal ▁ships . ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Naval ▁Service ▁( prec ursor ▁of ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁Sea ▁Corps ) ▁was ▁established ▁and ▁the ▁Pal y am ▁members ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁join ▁it . ▁ ▁On