Sinking of the SS Galilea. Part 1

Sinking of the SS Galilea. Part 1

The SS Galilea has been torpedoed on its starboard side. A large explosion has caused flames to engulf the craft and black smoke is billowing upwards. Large waves are evident around the ship. Two other ships are sailing away towards the horizon, one to the left and the other straight ahead.

Label reads “51”; signed by the author; caption reads “28 MARZO 1942. Ore 13.00 sei piroscafi carichi di truppe, scortati da sei caccia lasciano Patrasso, in formazione di fila, poi a fila doppia il mare è mosso pioggia a raffiche. C‘è l’agguato, il sommergibile inglese Proteus lancia i siluri il Galilea da 7000 tonellate è colpito, si tenta di far arenare la nave, ma il mare grosso l’impedi’. Lo scoppio del siluro provoca un’inmenso panico a bordo, buio alpini che corrono sui ponti, la maggior parte hanno i salvagente e le scarpe slacciate. Molti si gettarono in mare dall‘alto della nave, scomparendovi sotto, due sole scialuppe toccarono il mare, sono le 3.50 del 29 Marzo, molti alpini non vollero buttarsi e affondarono con la nave, faceva freddo, molti svenirono… 1”

Caption translates as: “29 March 1942 – 1 pm. Six steamers, loaded with troops in a convoy, escorted by a line of six destroyers are leaving Patrasso. Single file formation, then two. The sea is rough; heavy rain. Ambushed: the British submarine, Proteus, shoots torpedoes. The Galilea, 7,000 gross register tonnage, is hit. They tried to run the ship ashore, but the stormy sea prevents it. The explosion of the torpedo caused massive panic aboard. It was dark. ‘Alpini’ mountain infantrymen running on the decks, mostly with life vests and untied shoes. Many jumped in the sea from the ship and disappeared below water. Only two lifeboats were successfully launched. Time is 3.50 am, 29 March, many Alpini did not want to jump in the sea and sank with the ship. It was cold, many fainted… 1”

One tempera on paper, pasted on mount board

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