Sinking of italian hospital ship "Po"

Christoph Awender · Post by **Christoph Awender** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 5:07 am

Hello!

In mid march 1941 a daily report of the 12.Armee mentions the sinking of Lazarettschiff "Po" by air-torpedoes.
Further the report says that just personnel was onboard and casualties were light. Also Gräfin Ciano was on the ship.

I was not able to find any other information about the ship or this incident. Anyone can help out?

\Christoph

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 8:28 pm

Hallo Cristoph.
The Regia Nave Ospedale Po was sunk by a British torpedo bomber the night on 14 March 1941 inside the Bay of Valona (Albania), 1, 1/2 miles off Cape Dukati and Crionerò. Light were off by order of the local naval command as they could betray the ships inside the dark, near harbour.
Po, an old passenger ship 7.289 t (17 Knots) launched in 1911, sunk within an hour. There were 21 deads, three of them were nurses.
The Hospotal ship Po, in service since 21 May 1940, had performed, until that last night, 14 missions carring 6.600 wounded from Libya and Albania. Bye EC

Christoph Awender · Post by **Christoph Awender** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 9:41 am

Thank you very much, Enrico!

\Christoph

Enrico Cernuschi · Post by **Enrico Cernuschi** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 1:12 pm

You are welcome, Christopher. I may add that Po was the second of the 8 Italian Hospital ships sunk since 17 feb 1941 (Tevere, by a mine) and the 8 Sept. 1943 armistice. Next time EC

Feldgrau.net

Sinking of italian hospital ship "Po"

Sinking of italian hospital ship "Po"

R.N. Ospedale Po

thanks

Italian Hospital ships, 1940-1943