Israel has issued an 8o p. stamp depicting the destroyer Eilat, a tribute to the ship which was sunk on October 22, 1967; by guided missiles from a Soviet-built "Komar" vessel of the Egyptian Navy. The rocket missiles had a homing device and although they could be seen approaching the destroyer, evasive action was impossible. The vessel never stood a chance.
The Eilat was on a routine patrol at Romani on the Sinai coast, miles from Port Said where the Egyptian ship which fired the rockets was lying. Of the 202 officers and men on board the Israeli destroyer it was announced that 17 were killed and 26 were reported missing. Of the 159 survivors, 48 were injured.
Israel protested to the United Nations Security Council that the attack on the destroyer was not only a breach of international maritime law but also a most dangerous breach of the cease-fire arrangements made after the six-day war, describing the sinking as a deliberate and flagrant act of belligerency. The Egyptians claimed that the Eilat was in Egyptian territorial waters, decorating the four naval officers concerned.
The Eilat was the former British destroyer Zealous, built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, in 1944. She was sold to the Israeli Navy on July 15, 1955, together with a sister-ship, the Zodiac. Standard displacement was 1,710 tons and length 3624 ft., beam 354 ft. and draft 16 ft. Armament consisted of four 4.5-in., and five 4o mn. guns, with eight 2 -in. torpedo tubes. Propelling machinery was a set of Parsons geared turbines developing' 40,000 s.h.p. to give a speed of 36 knots. There seem to be various translations of the Israeli name of the destroyer, among them, Elat, Eilat and Eilath.
SG411 Sea Breezes 7/69
Elat
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aukepalmhof
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Re: Elat
After completion used in the convoy service to North Russia. She sailed first in the JW 64 convoy on 3 February 1945, which sailed from the Clyde Anchorage and arrived at the Kola Inlet on 15 February.
She was ordered together with some of her sisters to the North of Norway to embark the population of the island of Soroy (500 people) that was attacked by German forces. They were landed at Murmansk to be distributed amongst the homeward bound ships in the next convoy.
She sailed with convoy RA 64 homeward bound, the convoy sailed from Kola Inlet on 17 February.
The weather during the homeward voyage was very bad (hurricane force) and the convoy was scattered, many ships suffered severe weather damage, and 12 destroyers which accompanied the convoy were docked after arrival in Great Britain to repair the weather damage.
She was again used for a Russian convoy when the convoy sailed from the Clyde on 27 April 1945 without any loss the convoy arrived 25 April in the Kola Inlet.
She sailed out with convoy RA 66 homeward bound on 29 April; the convoy arrived on VE-Day 1945 in the Clyde.
Thereafter she was used in the Far East.
1947 Laid up in reserve.
1955 Sold to Israel on 15 July 1955 handed over to the navy of Israel, renamed ELATH.
Before she was handed over she underwent a refit.
She became a notorious spot in naval history, by becoming the first victim of a guided missile attack from an other surface vessel.
During the Six Day War between the Arabs and Israelis, she was lost on 21 October 1967; she approached the Egyptian territorial waters and was attacked by two Komar missile motorboats which were equipped with Styx missiles. The missiles were launched from this fast attack crafts which were sheltered in Port Said. The ELATH was hit by three Styx anti-ship missiles and causing the loss of the ELATH.
47 Men of the crew of the ELATH were killed during the attack, 151 rescued including 48 wounded.
The wreck of the ELATH was later located lying on her side in about 70ft of water in a position about 14 miles north-east of Port Said.
She was ordered together with some of her sisters to the North of Norway to embark the population of the island of Soroy (500 people) that was attacked by German forces. They were landed at Murmansk to be distributed amongst the homeward bound ships in the next convoy.
She sailed with convoy RA 64 homeward bound, the convoy sailed from Kola Inlet on 17 February.
The weather during the homeward voyage was very bad (hurricane force) and the convoy was scattered, many ships suffered severe weather damage, and 12 destroyers which accompanied the convoy were docked after arrival in Great Britain to repair the weather damage.
She was again used for a Russian convoy when the convoy sailed from the Clyde on 27 April 1945 without any loss the convoy arrived 25 April in the Kola Inlet.
She sailed out with convoy RA 66 homeward bound on 29 April; the convoy arrived on VE-Day 1945 in the Clyde.
Thereafter she was used in the Far East.
1947 Laid up in reserve.
1955 Sold to Israel on 15 July 1955 handed over to the navy of Israel, renamed ELATH.
Before she was handed over she underwent a refit.
She became a notorious spot in naval history, by becoming the first victim of a guided missile attack from an other surface vessel.
During the Six Day War between the Arabs and Israelis, she was lost on 21 October 1967; she approached the Egyptian territorial waters and was attacked by two Komar missile motorboats which were equipped with Styx missiles. The missiles were launched from this fast attack crafts which were sheltered in Port Said. The ELATH was hit by three Styx anti-ship missiles and causing the loss of the ELATH.
47 Men of the crew of the ELATH were killed during the attack, 151 rescued including 48 wounded.
The wreck of the ELATH was later located lying on her side in about 70ft of water in a position about 14 miles north-east of Port Said.