Miriam Stucchi is tracing the journey of her father, Alcide Stucchi: Libya, India, Australia. With a few precious photos and notations on the back of the photos, Miriam is retracing her father’s footprints.

Alcide Stucchi was captured at Sidi el Barrani on 9.12.40.  Sidi el Barrani was the first battle of Operation Compass. It was the first British attack in the Western Desert Campaign 10th – 11th December 1940 with the capture of supplies and 20,000 Italian troops. Sidi el Barrani had been taken by the Italians three months before and was a vital rail connection on the border between Libya and Egypt.

The map and  Volume 1 Ch 6 Sidi Barrani  are from Australia in the War 1939-1945 Series One (Army) Volume 1 to Benghazi by Gavin Long Published by Australian War Memorial Canberra.

By the 20th September 1941, Alcide and his friends Emilio and Leonardo are in a POW Camp at Bhopal India.

Leonardo Pellicane, Alcide Stucchi, J. Joyce CSM  and Emilio Volonterio (Standing L to R)

(photo from the collection of Miriam Stucchi)

Miriam is very interested in finding the families of Leonardo and Emilio.  While Alcide arrived in Australia on board Mariposa 1.11.43, Leonardo and Emilio appear to have stayed in India until their repatriation to Italy.

Can you help Miriam?

For more information on Bhopal:  Italian prisoners of war in India and Bhopal