The transatlantic liner REX, built by Ansaldo of Genoa, is the only Italian ship in history to have won the Blue Riband, awarded on 16 August 1933 after a record crossing from Gibraltar to New York in just 4 days and 13 hours. The jewel in the crown of Italian shipbuilding with its carefully crafted interiors and advanced technology, REX formed the backdrop for many important events of the time.

This book covers the most significant episodes from the ship’s launch on 1 August 1931 and its period of service on Atlantic routes from 1932 to 1940 through to the events leading up to 8 September 1994 when it was sunk. The truth about REX, often romanticized or hidden, casts a new light on its brief operating life, including its contribution to saving European Jews, international incidents like its interception by the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the United States Air Force in the Atlantic and the motives and circumstances surrounding its sinking.

Languages: English and Italian.

Edition: 2021