Italian liner Conte Verde scuttled in Shanghai-1943

Mentioned in W.J. Carrie’s diary:

https://gwulo.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=799c8ad05a5c041128ab7995f&id=1b59543639&e=1b6723dbf7

Likely scuttled on 9 September 1943 after the announcement of the surrender of Italy to the Allies. The vessel was later raised and refloated and used again by the Japanese. Finally damaged by U.S. bombing in 1945 and sold for scrap in 1949. See: http://www.combinedfleet.com/Kotobuki_t.htm

Extracts from The Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury newspaper between September and December 1943.

17 September

The British Radio broadcast a German report from Shanghai last week saying that the Italian passenger liner Conte Verde, and two Italian river gunboats (one of them the Depanto) have been scuttled by their crews.

The Conte Verde was used to take repatriates to Lourenco Marques, together with the Asama Maru, in the first exchange a year ago. She is listed as having a gross tonnage of 18,760 and was one of the most luxurious liners on the Shanghai-Europe run, in which Far Easterners of every nationality travelled.

5 November

Confirmation of the scuttling of the Conte Verde in the Whangpoo River in Shanghai also was reported by repatriates at Port Elizabeth. Eyewitnesses stated the 18,000-ton Italian liner, previously reported scuttled by her crew after the Italian capitulation, was seen lying on her side in the river when the Japanese exchange ship Teia Maru left Shanghai Sept. 20. Shipping men said she was scuttled so cleverly she will be useless except for scrap.

10 December

Many stories were printed in New York newspapers last week and many tales were told at various social gatherings held in honor of the repatriates. Passengers from Shanghai told of the scuttling of the Italian liner Conte Verde by her crew on the day Italy capitulated to the United States. She was anchored directly opposite the Shanghai Club, once famous for possessing the longest bar in the world, now headquarters of the Japanese Naval Landing Party. 

It was an awe-inspiring sight, according to one eye witness to see the huge vessel slowly keel over and settle down into the muddy waters of the Whangpoo. Her crew lined up on deck and took to the boats at the last moment, then rowed ashore and gave themselves up to the waiting Japanese.