November 28, 1942 off the coast of South Africa another human tragedy was caused by the actions of other
men. The passenger ship turned transport Nova Scotia was torpedoed and sunk by U-177. On board with the
crew and passengers were over 650 Italian civilian internees, which of course the Germans were not aware of. After the torpedoes struck the ship went down in less than ten minuets leaving hundreds in the water, but hundreds went down with the ship.

The U-boat picked up two Italian men and found out the ship was full of their comrades countrymen. They also
found out the scale of the human drama which was about to play out in front of them. The commander knew he
could not take hundreds of people on his boat, and since the Laconia order no aid was to be rendered to those
in the water, friend or foe.

The U-boat's commander did radio for instructions and the German High Command contacted Portugal and they
sent the frigate Alfonso de Albuquerque to the scene, but by then only 194 people were still alive. Over 850
perished, including about 650 Italians.