Charles Maslin Robertson

NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES THE SINKING OF THE NINO BIXIO TORPEDOED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA BETWEEN BENGHAZI (LIBYA) AND SICILY BY THE BRITISH SUBMARINE HMS TURBULENT WITH THE LOSS OF 117* NEW ZEALAND PRISONERS OF WAR MONDAY 17 AUGUST 1942

The Nino Bixio was an Italian troop transport ship of 7,137 tons. She was torpedoed on August 17 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Sicily, by the British submarine HMS Turbulent.

At the time she was carrying 3000 Prisoners of War captured in North Africa. The Nino Bixio was hit by two torpedoes, one exploding in the prisoners hold and killing many. The injured were brought up on deck and attended to by medical officers.

The badly damaged Nino Bixio was taken in tow by one of its escorting destroyers and towed to Navarino in southern Greece. There the dead prisoners were buried, the rest were sent, via Corinth, to a prisoner of war camp near Bari.

Of the 3000 POW's, 300 were killed including 117* New Zealanders.