"JOSIAH WEDGWOOD" A SHIP WITH AN AMAZING STORY

Some weeks back I somehow stumbled upon a World War II era ship named "Josiah Wedgwood". One thing led to another and I learned a lot, as did my friend Tony in Scotland, who is a former mariner. Between the two of us, our curiosity got the better of us and Tony spent a good deal of time not only doing the research to figure out why the ship was named "Josiah Wedgwood", but to condense the large amount of information down to a more reader-friendly article. The links we've provided give additional detail for anyone interested in a more in-depth version! We've found trains and boats, books and pots, wonder what else we'll find named "Josiah Wedgwood"! We hope you will enjoy the fruits of Tony's labours and a big thanks to him for taking his time to elucidate this fascinating story. As is our habit, clicking the title of this post & the colored links will lead to more information on the topic.


"The corvette "Beauharnois" was built by the Morton Engineering and Dry Docks Co., Quebec City and launched on 11th May 1944 for service with the Canadian Navy. Corvettes were a temporary answer to a shortage of patrol and escort vessels until the larger destroyers entered service. Short (205 ft) and broad in the beam, they were based on a whaling ship design which allowed them to patrol in heavy weather. The hull design also gave them a reputation of being capable of "rolling on wet grass" - a challenge to the stomach of even the most hardened naval veteran! They could make 16 knots whilst a surfaced U-boat was capable of 17-18 knots.

Decommissioned in July 1945 she was purchased, along with her sister ship the "Norsyd", by Mossad Le'Aliya using a false shipping company as a "front". She was sailed to New York and renamed "Josiah Wedgwood", joined a fleet of ten Aliyah Bet ships manned by largely American crews for the purpose of running the British blockade of Palestine. Sailing from New York with a crew of 20 men (the usual crew numbered 85) she eventually reached Italy where 1259 Jewish refugees were taken on board for passage to Palestine. However, she was intercepted by the British destroyer "Venus" and towed into Haifa where all on board were transported to the Atlit Detention Camp. After being laid up in Haifa harbour she was renamed the "Hashomer" and served with the Israeli Navy until 1955.

The name "Josiah Wedgwood" was chosen as a tribute to Colonel Josiah Clement Wedgwood, 1st Baron Wedgwood of Barlaston, DSO. Also known as Josiah IV, he was the son of Clement Wedgwood and Gt-Gt-Grandson of Josiah 1. He followed a career, first in industry and then, after seeing service in South Africa during the second Boer War, became a Liberal Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1906.

After serving in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the First World War, he returned to Parliament and, in 1919, joined the Labour Party. It was for his championing of Zionism and his attacks on the government's Middle East policies over the next twenty years that the ship was named in his honour. Serving in the Home Guard during the Second World War, he toured the USA putting Britain's case against Germany. It was while there that Churchill offered him a Peerage and he became Baron Wedgwood in 1942. He died the following year in London aged 71.

Much more detail on the background to the politics which brought about the blockade of Palestine and the formation of the Aliyah Bet fleet can be found on the internet as can a full account of the life of Josiah IV. [Go here to read a first-person account of a sailor on the ship.]

In total the 66 ships of the Aliyah Bet fleet transported 71,534 refugees out of which the 10 American ships transported 31,078 or 43.4%."

Refugees at Haifa