Background

The liner Victoria operated as troopship during convoy operation T.18 (Naples – Tripoli), the second major convoy of January 1942. It was the first time a liner was operated after the desaster in September when HM/Sub Upholder sank two liners in the same convoy. Troop transports since then had been on armed merchant cruisers, warships, and by air.

She was sunk on 23 January 1942 with heavy loss of life by two successive aerial torpedo hits, first by a Bristol Beaufort of No. 39 Squadron R.A.F., and then by a Fairey Albacore of No. 826 Squadron F.A.A. both operating out of Berka airfield in northern Cyrenaica. A detailed account of her loss is (in Italian) at this link. There are also surviving reports from German personnel embarked on her.

Websites

There is a beautiful website with a detailed history and lots of material relating to her histor.  It can be found at this link. 

Both sites are well worth a visit.

Victoria during her last voyage, picture taken from Duilio. From “La difesa del Traffic.” USMM, Rome, 1965, via Con la Pelle Appesa a un Chiodo