SS Habana

S.S. Habana

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"VIVA INGLATERRA!" was the excited shout that went up from hundreds of boys and girls, as they raced to the rails of the Spanish liner Habana, when, escorted by a British destroyer, she brought 4,000 Basque refugee children to Southampton during the week-end.

After lying off Fawley for the night, the Habana steamed up Southampton Water to the New Docks early yesterday morning and within an hour disembarkation started. Every child was medically examined and labelled before being brought ashore for a hot bath and a change of clothing.

From the Southampton "ECHO".

e-mail us on: editor@spanishrefugees-basquechildren.org

The Habana leaves Spain

"Very Rough in
Bay of Biscay"

A group of Basque children posing aboard the SS Habana prior to departure from Santurce.

Do you recognise anybody?

ONE day late on in May 1937 a liner looking the worse for wear and filled to overflowing with children came alongside at Southampton Docks. Her entry was silent. No ship's siren bid her welcome in case it frightened the children. They were Basques, refugees from a region of Spain that was suffering terribly from the Civil War then raging in that country. So on this silent note began a saga that closely involved Southampton. At times the bitterness and passion that divided Spain was to spill over and reveal itself in the Basque children and the English participants...

For the trip to England the old converted liner Habana was used. The children were taken down to the quay in trainloads of 600 amidst scenes of great emotion. All through May 20th the ship was loaded so she was ready to sail on the early morning tide. Before she left the Basque President Senor Aguirre went on board to bid them farewell.

The Habana was escorted by a Spanish destroyer until she picked up the British convoy under the Royal Oak and the Forester a few miles off shore. The crossing was rough and spirits were low till England was sighted midday on the 22nd. By that evening Habana was alongside at Southampton waiting clearance from health authorities under Dr Maurice Williams. The next day, Sunday, saw the first group of children move into the camp and receive a visit from the home Secretary, Sir Kingsley Wood.

Part of article taken from the Hampshire, December 1978 and written by Mark Phillimore.

The Habana is the second biggest ship of the Cia Transatlantica fleet, and was formerly a hospital ship.

She is a liner of 10,551 tons.

   Captain Ricardo Fernandez, Master of the Habana, who was responsible for the evacuation of two previous shiploads of refugees to France, looked very tired when he talked to the Press about the voyage to England.
    For the past 48 hours he and the rest of his crew had been able to snatch only a few hours' sleep.
    "Six children slept in my cabin and five in the chief officer's cabin. Wherever they saw a door they opened it, and, of course, we would not have thought of turning them out. There has been a great deal of sea-sickness on the voyage--it was very rough in the Bay of Biscay--but, as you can see, the children have quite recovered their good spirits."

The priest on board the Habana is playing the Quita (a traditional Basque type of whistle) is Eduardo Gorosarri who eventually went to Durham.

It is believed that he also went to Belgium, and it has been mooted that he may have been shot?

The S.S. Habana setting sail from Santurce on its epic voyage.

Nurses proceeding to disembark from the Habana. Is this at Southampton Dock?

"Just before we sailed on Thursday night there was another. Bombs fell in the water all around the Habana, but none touched the ship."

Begona

Mothers with their children waiting in the docks of Santurce awaiting to board their children on the Habana.

The children are looking at the camera, apart from the boy in the foreground, but in a rather puzzled way!

The upper deck of the Habana.

The Habana docking at Southampton.

   Accompanied by the British destoyer Forester (H 74), the Spanish liner Habana, with 4,000 Basque refugee children on board, is due to reach the Needles at 5 o'clock this afternoon.
    As soon as a radio message is received stating that the vessel has been sighted off the Island, Mr. H. Brinto, of the National Spanish Relief Committee, will proceed down Southampton Water in a high-powered R.A.F. launch to the Habana at Fawley to discuss last-minute plans with Mrs. Manning, the Committee's representative on board, and the captain.
    The Habana is being followed by a steam yacht, which is conveying children who missed the liner at Bilbao owing to an Insurgent air-raid over the city, which created chaos when the child refugees were being embarked.
    The Duchess of Atholl, M.P. (chairman of the National Spanish Relief Committee), arrived at Southampton to-day, and is now assisting at the North Stoneham Camp.

Many left behind...

Seeing England as the S.S. Habana came alongside the Passenger and Cargo Shed Dock number 106 at Southampton Docks on the River Test.