Sinking of the SS Galilea. Part 3

Sinking of the SS Galilea. Part 3

On a clear day, two white aircraft with red crosses painted on their wings and fuselage are featured. One is flying on the horizon and the other crashing into the sea. Flames and smoke have engulfed the crashed aircraft. Nearby is a white boat with 286 painted on the side. In the foreground, an Alpino wearing only green shorts and the green cap can be seen waving his arms in the air, whilst balancing on a piece of driftwood.

Label reads “53”; signed by the author; caption reads “All’improvviso una visione di un gigante stava in piedi sul mare, dritto con le braccia alzate, protese verso di noi, incredibile erano già passate altre 14 ore dal naufragio, si reggeva su una porta, era di Rigolato UD fù salvato dalla Marina; un’altro Bertossi da Cervignano UD errò sul mare a lungo, quando salvato, stupì i medici, dopo tanta permanenza in acqua gelida, non aveva nemmeno un raffreddore. I morti furono 792 i superstiti 74 a bordo del Galilea erano 1532, 880 alpini della Julia, 65 del battaglione Gemona, 48 bersaglieri, 28 carabinieri, 23 civili, 62 membri dell‘equipaggio, 64 deportati politici, e 6 donne. 3”

Caption translates as: “Suddenly, the sight of a giant standing on the sea, straight, his arms stretching towards us. It was unbelievable that 14 hours had already passed since the shipwreck. He was holding onto a door. He was from Rigolato (Udine province) and was rescued by the Navy. Another one, a Bertossi from Cervignano (Udine province) remained in icy water for a long time; when he was rescued, he astonished the doctors for not even having caught a cold. Of the 1,532 people on the Galilea, 792 men died and 74 survived; 880 Alpini on the Julia, and 65 from the Gemona battalion; 48 were riflemen, 28 were Carabinieri, 23 civilians, 62 members of the crew, 64 political deportees, and six women. 3”

One tempera on paper, pasted on mount board

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