ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Haganah Vessel

Haganah (vessel)

The Haganah was an Israeli warship that served in various capacities from its construction during World War II until its eventual retirement.

History

### Construction and Early Service

The ship was originally built as a corvette, Norsyd, for the Royal Canadian Navy under the 1942-1943 construction program of the Morton Engineering and Dry Dock Co. in Quebec. The keel-laying took place on January 14, 1943, with the building number K520 assigned to it. On July 31, 1943, the ship was launched and named Norsyd, derived from "North Sydney". Jeffry Reginald Briggs served as its first commander from November 15, 1943, until October 20, 1944.

### World War II Service

During World War II, the Norsyd served with the Royal Canadian Navy. After the war, it was decommissioned on June 25, 1945, and sold on July 1, 1945. Following its sale, the ship underwent conversion into a cargo vessel and was renamed Balboa.

### Israeli Service

After being acquired by the Institute for an increase B, the ship was renovated and entered service with the Israeli Navy following the declaration of the state. It participated in naval operations during the War of Independence and later took part in the 1951 Columbus operation, representing Israel in the United States. The Haganah also played a role in securing merchant ships against German submarines during World War II.

Characteristics

The corvettes used by the Royal Canadian Navy were characterized by their coastal activities and were equipped with mines. During World War II, they were modified for open sea activity.