SERVICE ON SHIP AT TIMARU

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27557, 14 January 1955, Page 10

SERVICE ON SHIP AT TIMARU

MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS OF TRAGEDY WREATH LAID BY R.S.A. VICE-PRESIDENT (From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, January 13. Ships in Timaru harbour lowered flags half-mast when Mr G. A. Harris, South Island district vice-president of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, for Sir Howard Kippenberger, the New Zealand president, attached a wreath of 'poppies to the base of the mast over number one hold on the Italian freighter, the Nino Bixio, today. The wreath was laid during a short and impressive service in memory of the 2700 Commonwealth prisoners of war who died when the Nino Bixio was torpedoed in the Mediterranean by a British submarine while transporting the prisoners from North Africa in 1942. Bandsman D. Rennie sounded “Last Post” and the ship’s siren sounded a long, mournful blast. Representatives of the South Canterbury Returned Services’ Association and all districts, the Timaru Ex-Pris-oners of War Association, and the Umaru branch of the New Zealand Homeservicemen’s Association attended the service. Mr W. H. Halt chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board* represented the board, and Mr P. L. Marquand, Timaru manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, agents for the ship, was also present. Through his interpreter. Second Officer Danila Pedrocio, the master (Captain E. Sambolino) addressed the gathering. He said that the presence of his ship would awaken many sad memories for New Zealand. The ship had only been in New Zealand a few days but the officers and crew would also remember the friendship and goodwill extended to them. Mr A. G. Harris, on behalf of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, thanked the agents and captain of the Nino Bixio for the opportunity of holding the memorial service. He announced that Captain Sambolino had promised that as soon as practicable the wreath would be laid on the graves of the New Zealanders at Narvarino. Photographs of the ship and of the ceremony were taken and will be available to relatives of the men who dieAwhen the ship was sunk. Only one of the 118 New Zealand survivors of the tragedy was present

today. He was Mr John O’Neill, of Wellington, who made a trip from Christchurch to Timaru to attend the service. Mr O’Neill was in the No. 1 hold of the ship when the torpedo struck. From the 520 Australians and New Zealanders in the hold only about 150 survived and they were rescued by the Germans after the ship had bepn awash for six days.