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Italy lost both of her luxurious transatlantic passenger vessels during the Second World War. The 880-foot Rex, launched in 1931, captured the prestigious Blue Riband for the speed of westbound crossings in 1933 and held the record until 1935. The linerâs sister ship, the slightly smaller Conte di Savoia, began service in 1932.
Italy withdrew their prestigious vessels from passenger travel when the war heated up in 1940. The Rex was anchored in Genoa until a bombing of the city convinced officials that she should be moved to a safer location. The giant ship was spotted by a Royal Air Force pilot as she was being towed to Trieste on September 6, 1940 and she was attacked by British and American planes in Caodistria Bay two days later. Inundated with rocket and cannon fire, the Rex capsized and burned in the shallow water.