Relatives of Italian internees meet for the first time

Photo: Giovanni Baldelli, Italian philosopher and teacher who survived the sinking of the Arandora Star

By Janine Pulford | editorial@mags4dorset.co.uk

Following my article about the Arandora Star last month, a Christchurch resident whose father was on the same ship got in touch and we met up.

Giovanna Gordon explained that her father Giovanni Baldelli – also an Italian internee – was on board the fated Arandora Star in 1940 when it was torpedoed. Being a young man in his 20s, he jumped into the sea, while the older men who could not swim hung back waiting for instructions. Giovanni was rescued and lived until he was 72.

An active anti fascist, he’d fled Italy and moved to England hoping to find safety, but, like my 54-year-old nonno, Egidio Friggi, he was arrested as an enemy alien in Southampton.

When Giovanna and I discovered this coincidental fact, we decided the two men must have known each other as they were both taken to the same internment camp in Scotland.

From there they were transported to Liverpool and put aboard the Arandora Star bound for Canada. The ship was torpedoed off Northern Ireland and sank.

Giovanni’s life story continued, whereas Egidio’s came to an end.

The war years were tough for everyone and after his rescue, Giovanni was put on the Dunera. He and other prisoners of war were not told of the ship’s destination. They were stripped of personal and valuable possessions by the English guards and locked in the hold for most of the journey. They were abused and ill-treated. Overcrowding was so severe, many succumbed to dysentery. Imagine their fear when the Dunera was torpedoed. Thankfully, she didn’t sink.

Speculation that they were heading to Australia was realised and Giovanni was transferred to an internment camp in Tatura. A philosopher and teacher, he edited a magazine that was written, illustrated and hand bound by the Italian internees.

Giovanna has an original copy of a Christmas issue that her father brought back to England when he returned in 1945.

She found it amongst his possessions after he died and wanted to share it with readers.

This wonderful piece of history is just a tiny part of the story of the Italian internees in Australia. It contains jokes, sports reports, a food article, travel journal, fiction and much more, as well as beautiful artwork. If anyone knows of any other similar magazines, or has a relative who was interned at Tatura, do please get in touch with Giovanna on 07968 955343 or contact me.

Extract from the magazine (Issue 14) Christmas edition

Extract from the magazine (Issue 14) Christmas edition