Category Archives: Western Australia Italian POWs

Welcome… Benvenuto

2 Replies

Welcome to Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War a comprehensive archive of documents, artefacts, testaments, photographs and research relating to this compelling chapter in Australian history.

This is an international community history project involving Australian and Italian families from sixteen countries who have shared their stories so that this history is not forgotten.

The website operates as a ‘virtual museum’.

Sneath Murray Bridge

Over 18000 Italian Prisoners of War came to Australia from 1941 – 1945. Captured in theatres of war in North Africa, East Africa and Europe, they were transported to Australia  via staging camps in Egypt, Palestine and India.

This research features Italian prisoners of war and their farming families in Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Articles cut across a range of topics: the battles in Libya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Greece; the movement of prisoners from the place of capture to prisoner of war camps in Egypt and Palestine; interment in the camps of India; transport to Australia; repatriation from Australia and arrival in Naples.  

The stories and memories of Italian and Australian farming families gives this history a voice.  The diversity of photos and relics shared personalises what would otherwise be a very black and white official report.

The articles featured on the project’s website brings colour and personality to this almost forgotten chapter in Australia’s history.

list-of-articles-may-2021-2Download

The Italian prisoners of war were more than just a POW.  They were fathers, brothers, sons and husbands from across Italy and from diverse backgrounds and occupations.

Follow their journey…. Walking in their Boots

 

The Footprints Project

1 Reply

Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War Project is a community project supported by Australians in six states and Italian families in sixteen countries.**

Did you know?

The website operates as a ‘virtual’ museum and library.

Over 300 articles have been written for the website.

The website has a wide reaching readership to over 120 countries.

What makes this research unique and diverse?

Perspective.

Contributions have come from far and wide:  farmers, farmers’ wives, farming children, the town kids, families of Australian Army interpreters, children of Italians who were prisoners of war, Italians who were prisoners of war, the local nurse, the mother of an ex-POW, government policy and reports.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What does the research encompass?

Website: italianprisonersofwar.com

Facebook Page: Prigionieri di guerra Italiani in Australia

Music Book: Notations for songs and dance music by Ciccio Cipolla.

Farm Diary: daily notations regarding farm life during war time including information on Italian POWs and Land Army Girls.

Feature article in Corriere della Sera [Italy] in March 2021.

Memories in Concrete: Giuseppe Miraglia from Enna Sicily and Adriano Zagonara from Bagnara di Romagna Ravenna.

Donations to the Australian War Memorial of two artefacts made by Gympie Italian prisoners of war

Two publications: Walking in their Boots and Costanzo Melino: Son of Anzano (in collaboration with Rosa Melino)

Journey of two Italian families from Italy to visit Queensland and ‘walk in the footsteps of their fathers’: Q1 Stanthorpe and Q6 Home Hill

POW Kit Bags: Adriano Zagonara and Sebastiano Di Campli

The Colour Magenta: The Australian prisoner of war uniform for Italians, Japanese and Germans.

Theatre Productions: Details of  plays performed by the Italians

Handbooks: L’Amico del Prigioniero, Pidgin English for Italian Prisoners of War, Piccolo Guido per gli Italiani in Australia

Voices from the Past:  testimonials from Italian soldiers who worked on  farms.

Letters written by Italian prisoners of war to family in Italy, to their Queensland farmers and to the children of farmers, written by mother of an Italian POW to a Queensland nurse, written by the Italians to their interpreter, Queensland farmer to Italian, letters written between Italian POW places in different states.

Photographs of Italian soldiers in full dress uniform, Italian soldiers in Italian and Libya during training, Italians as POWs with their farming families, Italians on their Wedding Day and with their families, Italians in POW camps in India.

Handmade items: embroideries, wooden objects, cellophane belt, silver rings, paintings, cane baskets, metal items, chess sets, art work, theatre programs.

Contributions by Italian families whose fathers and family returned to Australia as ‘new Australians’.

Identification of buildings used as prisoner of war accommodation.

Publication of three guides for Italian families to assist in their search for information about their fathers and grandfathers.

Collaboration with numerous Italian and Australian families; local museums and family history associations; journalists; translators; collectors of historic postal items; local libraries.

Discussion about our Queensland research at conference in Catania Sicily May 2019 on prisoner of war experiences.

My Wish List

In the beginning:

I had one wish, to find one Queensland family who remembered the Italians working and living on their farm. Thank you Althea Kleidon, you were the beginning with your photos and memories of Tony and Jimmy.

My adjusted wish list, to find three photographs of Italian POWs on Queensland farms. Then came Rosemary Watt and Pam Phillips with their collection of photos, a signature in concrete and a gift worked in metal.

….

Now:

To have the three Finding Nonno guides translated into Italian.

If I win Gold Lotto, to have Walking in their Boots translated into Italian or an upgrade to the website.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

**Background

What started out as a personal journey to read about the Italian POW Camp outside of Home Hill has resulted in a comprehensive, diverse and rich collection of stories, letters, photographs, testimonies, artefacts, music, newspaper articles spanning over 80 years: the battles in the Mediterranean and in Libya 1940 to the present.

Over the past seven years, I have heard these words many times over, “but you have it wrong, there were no Italian prisoners of war in Queensland”.

And this became a focal point for the research: to record this chapter in Queensland’s history before it was completely forgotten.

But like ripples in a pond,  Queensland’s history of Italian POWs expanded across and was part of a greater history and so the project extended and expanded: to other Australia states and to Italian families in sixteen countries around the world.

Join the journey and follow the footprints of the Italian prisoners of war.

Uniform Regulations

Leave a reply

Article 12 of the PW Convention, inter-alia, reads:-

“Clothing, underwear and footwear shall be supplied to prisoners of war by the detaining Power. The regular replacement and repair of such articles shall be assured.  Workers shall also receive working kit wherever the nature of the work requires it.”

What the records tell us

All prisoners of war were allowed to wear their badges of rank and insignia on their uniforms.

Clothing items, except for pyjamas, could not be purchased from the Canteen.

Clothing Issue

1 hat (a)1 hair brush
1 overcoat (a)1 shaving brush
2 coats, medical detachment (a)1 toothbrush
2 pairs of trousers, medical detachment (a)2 pairs of short cotton underwear (b)
1 pullover, labour detachment (a)1 comb
1 pair of trousers, labour detachment (a)2 pairs of woollen and cotton underwear (c)
1 pair of shorts (a) (b)1 jersey pullover (c)
1 pair of shoes1 safety razor with blade (d)
1 pair of laces2 flannel shirts
1 pair of braces2 cotton singlets (b)
2 pairs of woollen socks2 wool and cotton singlets (c)
2 towels3 cotton handkerchiefs
  • (a) Dyed burgundy
  • (b) Summer
  • (c) Winter
  • (d)One new blade a week in exchange for old blade

N.C.O.s and other prisoners of war

This group received a free issue of clothing and necessaries.

All articles were replaced free of charge when necessary.  Facilities were provided for repairs to shoes and clothing and prisoners of war employed as bootmakers, tailors, cobblers.

Prisoner of War Officers

Officers and men of equivalent rank must provide their own items and paid for at their expense. The clothing was manufactured in Australia and issued by authorities. Replacement officer uniforms were made after measurements were taken.  Completed uniforms were made in a venetian grey material, and cost approx. £5 each. The exception was for Japanese officers who were supplied with magenta dyed Australian Military Forces uniforms only but were allowed to wear any national uniforms they had in their possession.

Guerre 1939-1945. Myrtleford. Camp 5 B. Prisonniers de guerre italiens.

Camp 5B Myrtleford June 1943 ICRC V-P-HIST-03290-33A

Merchant Seamen Prisoners of War

Both officers and other ranks merchant seamen were provided with clothing and other items free of charge. Merchant Seamen officers and other ranks did not receive a payment as did other prisoner of war. When arrested, they had been in the employment of shipping companies. There was no agreement with the Italian government to provide a stipend (payment) for merchant seamen.

For this group, the seven first articles on the above list were replaced by a peaked cap, an overcoat, a vest and a pair of trousers suitable for merchant marines.  The material used was a dark green cloth.  The two flannel shirts were grey and had two collars each.  A blue tie was also issued.

What do the photos from Myrtleford Camp tell us

Guerre 1939-1945. Camp de Myrtleford. Groupe numéro 27. World War 1939-1945. Myrtleford camp. Group number 27.

Non regulation overcoat possibly made from government issue blanket (centre)

Group Number 27 Myrtleford Camp ICRC V-P-HIST-01882-27

Guerre 1939-1945. Camp de Myrtleford. Groupe numéro 23. World War 1939-1945. Myrtleford camp. Group number 23.

Non regulation fleecy winter vests Group Number 23 Myrtleford Camp ICRC V-P-HIST-01882-32

Guerre 1939-1945. Camp de Myrtleford. World War 1939-1945. Myrtleford camp.

Handmade plaited belt?

February 1945 Myrtleford Camp ICRC V-P-HIST-01882-19A

Guerre 1939-1945. Myrtleford. Prisonniers de guerre italiens.

Regardless of being a prisoner of war, the officers wore their uniforms with pride

Myrtleford Camp ICRC V-P-HIST-03290-36A

Friendship down the generations

3 Replies

Alessandra Garizzo stumbled across the article on Marrinup Prisoner of War Camp Western Australia; and was amazed to see her father’s Prisoner of War Identity Card.  I had a number of identity cards to choose from for this article but I was drawn to Giuseppe Garizzo for two reasons: he was tall – 6 ft and he was from Venice.  There is a  generalisation that all Italian POWs were short peasant farmers from the south of Italy, and I wanted to counter this myth as not only was Giuseppe tall, he was also from the north of Italy.  The second reason is a little closer to home for me: my nonna and nonno migrated to Australia for a small village, Palse near Pordenone north of Venice.

Garizzo Identity Card 1

(NAA: K1174 Garizzo, Giuseppe)

However, there is another reason, which is less tangible, for I sometimes think decisions are made for me; that maybe Alessandra’s father touched me on the shoulder and in that moment I chose his card.  Now Alessandra via ‘The Footprints of Italian Prisoners of War’ project has new background knowledge of her father’s time in Australia: Marrinup, the repatriation voyage on Chitral,  details of the Battle of Bardia, photos and stories from the camps on India.

Garizzo 1

Gino* and Giuseppe Garizzo with Graeme Stewart at Rocky Glen 1944-45

(photos courtesy of Alessandra Garizzo)

Alessandra grew up with her father’s stories of  Jack Stewart and his family on Rocky Glen via Muradup.  Four precious photos of Giuseppe’s time at Rocky Glen are kept close and in Alessandra’s mobile gallery.  The connection between the Stewart and Garizzo families is a story that spans over seven decades with Stewart family members visiting Giuseppe Garizzo in Venice several times.

Garizzo 2

Giuseppe Garizzo and Gino  with Graeme Stewart at Rocky Glen 1944-45

(photos courtesy of Alessandra Garizzo)

In September 2014, Alessandra journeyed to Australia and Muradup to visit Graeme Stewart and his childhood friend Max Evans.  Both men shared memories of ‘Joe’ [Giuseppe’s Aussie name]. The local newspaper captured this special connection and history in: War friendships endure

Garizzo Reunion - Copy

Sandra Garizzo with Max Evans and Graeme Stewart.

Picture: Marcus Whisson d426086

Jack Stewart’s grandson David Carlin has written about the special relationships between the two families and Joe’s prisoner of war journey in The Bronzista of Muradup   The article is a beautiful and poignant tribute to the special friendship of Jack Stewart and Giuseppe Garizzo.

* There were two men named Gino who arrived in Western Australia on board Ruys** and were sent to W4 Kojonup on 11.3.44, the same journey as Giuseppe Garizzo.  Gino Appetito [PWI59376] was from Rome [5′ 6″]  and Gino Lucchini [PWI 59103] was from Verona [5′ 9″].

**Ruys was the only transport which disembarked Italian prisoners of war at Fremantle, before sailing to Melbourne and disembarking the remainder of Italians.

 

Distilling Alcohol

1 Reply

Three years after the Italian prisoners of war departed Cowra Prisoner of War Camp a hidden alcohol distilling unit was found. Its discovery was reported in the newspaper.

There are many memories about prisoners of war making alcohol. Ernie Polis researcher of Italian and German prisoners of war in Western Australia interviewed ex- staff and ex- prisoners of Marrinup POW Camp in WA. The camp had a permanent population of German prisoners of war and the “Marrinup Schnapps” they made was legendary.

A Kingaroy farmer’s wife Joyce Dickenson recounted that her citrus trees in the home garden thrived under the attention of their Italian prisoners of war and the alcohol they made was quite potent: “They also weren’t allowed alcohol.  But they used the oranges to make liquor, making a still out of a 4 gallon kerosene tin.  I don’t think they had much success with the alcohol, so I don’t count the still as a breach in the rules, it was more giving the men something to do and I don’t think it tasted that good.”

Percy Miles from Mooloo via Gympie recalled the still making equipment his POW workers.

“…Francesco [ Francesco Ciaramita from Xitta Trapani] was a tin-smith, he spent weeks cutting a kerosene tin into strips and rolling them into half inch pipes and soldering them, then joining them together.  It turned out to be a still to make alcohol which was something they were not allowed have.

I turned a blind eye at first but in the end I had to tell them to destroy it, but not before they gave me a sample of the alcohol it made. They had old rotten pineapples and potatoes and any other fruit they could find in a 4 gallon drum with a top on it with the pipe coming out of the top. A clear vodka-like fluid was dripping out of the pipe.  They gave me a ¼ cup to try, Alice put some on a teaspoon and put a match to it, it had a nice blue flame. I thought this may be the way to fuel my ute, but it had to be destroyed much to the POW’s disappointment. “   

Alan Fitzgerald in his book, The Italian Farming Soldiers wrote, ” a search at Gaythorne Camp [Brisbane] uncovered a home-made still capable of brewing alcohol beneath a hut in the Italian compound. The still, although a crude structure, was full of sliced apples and other fruits in the process of fermentation. A medical officer, Second Lieutenant Cariglia, state that the brew from the still was intended for use in flavouring the morning coffee. He added that in India there was no objection to the POWs using a still for the making of cognac.”

… necessity is the mother of invention …

What a journey!

Leave a reply

Today I introduce you to Pasquale Landolfi from Frattaminore Napoli. Pasquale was 20 years old when he was captured at Tobruk 21.1.1941.

From 13.10.41 and his arrival on the Queen Mary into Sydney NSW until his departure on 28.6.1949 from Sydney NSW on the SS Surriento Pasquale travels through five states of Australia.

Tracing his journey Pasquale went from NEW SOUTH WALES: Sydney to Cowra Camp to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp. He transited through SOUTH AUSTRALIA on his way to WESTERN AUSTRALIA: No 8 Labour Detachment Karrakatta and Marrinup Camp.

Pasquale then crossed Australia again and returned to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp and then NEW SOUTH WALES: Hay Camp.

The next stage of his journey took him to QUEENSLAND: Gaythorne Camp and Home Hill* Hostel. After escaping from the Home Hill Hostel, he briefly ‘visited’ Bowen until his arrest and return the Home Hill Hostel.

He returned to Gaythorne Camp before a return to VICTORIA: Murchison Camp and the Dandenong after he escaped from a Murchison working party. Upon capture he was sent to NEW SOUTH WALES: Holdsworthy Military Barracks for detention.

Three Italian prisoners of war boarded the SS Surriento in Sydney on 28.6.49: Pasquale Landolfi, Giacomo Tagliaferri and Isidoro Cammaroto. The ship sailed from Sydney to Brisbane QLD before departing for Italy.

The newspaper article below records this unusual situation of a passenger liner carrying three prisoners of war and two political deportees.

Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 – 1954), Thursday 30 June 1949, page 8

1949 ‘Line­­r Has Unwelcome Quintette’, Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 – 1954), 30 June, p. 8. (CITY FINAL), viewed 20 Jul 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212190014

*Home Hill is 97 km south of Townsville. Bowen is 104 km south of Home Hill and 84 km north of Whitsundays.

four photos… four countries

6 Replies

Italy…Libya…India…Australia

Giovanni Cavoli’s journey can be traced through his small collection of black and white photos.

[Photo courtesy of Diana Cavoli]

From Venagrande [Ascoli Piceno] his military service was undertaken in Bologna with Giovanni serving with the 6th Reggimento Bersaglieri.

The photo taken in Libya shows his desert accommodation. Giovanni is in the back row centre. If you look closely, you will see a wine flagon and the words ‘Il Duce’ written with stones.

[Photo courtesy of Diana Cavoli]

This identity photo taken in India, found its way to Australia and into his Australia file.

He departed India for Australia in February 1944.

Giovanni Cavoli in India

[NAA:K1174]

Dressed in his magenta dyed Australian uniform, Giovanni is photographed at Mr H Crawford’s Tambellup farm in Western Australia. At the time of his return to Italy, he had not seen his family for almost 8 years.

[Photo courtesy of Diana Cavoli]

In May 1949, Giovanni, his wife Rosa and their two children arrived in Fremantle Western Australia on the Ugolino Vivaldi. Sponsored by his war time employer Mr H Crawford, he returned to Tambellup. In time the family settled in Katanning.

1948 and the first former Italian POWs return

Leave a reply

In 1948, there were 40 escaped Italian prisoners of war ‘hiding out’ in Australia. These men wanted to remain in Australia and had found themselves jobs. Eventually, all but 17 were captured or surrendered. These 17 had evaded being ‘found’ and were granted temporary Alien Registration.

1948 also saw the return of former Italian prisoners of war. Armando Cervi and Domenico Molino returned to Adelaide on 30 November 1948 as assisted migrants.

“They had come back to Australia ‘because it was the best country in the world.'” Their passages were paid by Victor Harbour dairymen for whom they worked on parole from Loveday. Mr. HH Collins who paid 167 pounds for Domenico’s fare, said it was the one way he knew to get a good worker.” [News (Adelaide, SA: 1923-1954), Tuesday 30 November 1948, page 1.

It is estimated between 10 to 20% of Italian prisoners of war returned to Australia to begin new lives.

Some of the men who returned in 1949:

Pietro Driussi returned on the Ugolino Vivaldi to marry his fiancee Miss Eina Oliver of Murwillumbah NSW.

Vitale Iacus returned on the Cyrenia accompanied by his wife, daughter and son to work from Mr TH Fisher of Mumballup near Donnybrook WA.

Alfonso Gerardi and Giuseppe Morabito returned on the Toscana into Sydney. Gerardi was nominated by Jack Booth Armidale NSW and planned to bring his wife and daughter to Australia as soon as possible. Morabito would work with his uncle in a fruit shop in Oxford Street Sydney NSW.

Angelo Pin and Vincenzo Agostino returned on the Napoli. Agostino returned to work on a farm at Gunnedah NSW.

Antonio Scarpato arrived on the Napoli. He would work with Mr H Nahrung a orchardist in Stanthorpe Queensland.

1950

Giovanni Cecire took a unique approach to find a sponsor to assist him return to Australia:

Ex-Italian P.O.W. .I Wants to Come Back

“The Land” has received a letter from Giovanni Cecire, of Salerno, Italy, who wants to come to Australia. He says that he spent five years as a prisoner of war in Australia, part of which time he did farm work, and now wishes to return here to work and become an Australian citizen. Giovanni is aged 32, and he wants someone to make an application for his entry, which can be secured if he has a job to come to. If anyone is interested, “The Land” will supply further particulars on application by letter. (The Land (Sydney, NSW: 1911-1954 Friday 2 June 1950, page 23)

An electrician, Giovanni arrived in Australia on the Toscana under the Italian Australian Migration Scheme.

Memorial at Cowra Prisoner of War Site listing the names of ex POWs returned to Australia

(Photo courtesy of Maria Schattinger)

the best and finest time was at Marrinup…

Leave a reply

A resident of Marrinup POW Camp, Heins Doehmen, wrote to a Western Australian newspaper in 1947.

While Heins is German, not Italian, I found his letter very interesting and sobering and therefore a worthy inclusion. His record states that he is Catholic and his occupation is – Theology student. Heins was fighting in infantry when he was captured at Sollum 16th May 1941.

To the Editor.

Sir,- I take the liberty of writing you this letter, even if it is in bad English; but I am doing so in order not to lose connection with the land where I lived such a long time as a P.O.W.  I spent almost three years of six in Western Australia, the other time being in Victoria and South Australia.  But the best and finest time was at Marrinup.  Working there as swampers, wood cutters, or somewhat else, we did it mostly with great pleasure.

Today it is forbidden to me to think of the flesh-pots [pot of flesh or meat] of Australia, only to save my stomach and protect it from the convulsions of “hunger laughter.” My stomach is always-contra.  Shortly after my repatriation I weighted 200lb. Now it has been set back to 140lb.  It is no good to be burdened with too much fat, says the order of the day.  The bread, made of Indian corn, looks like cake, but is much better to digest by chickens than by men.  We are housed here in ruins, as you know well by pictures and magazines.  Morality is the same as your reporters have shown in your paper.  The children are mostly fond of debris, playing hide-and-seek or pirates in mysterious corners of empty cellars.  In the streets you hear all the day the click-click of the wooden shoes of our girls.  Leather shoes are going out of fashion.  But our women grow sadder day by day, providing a deplorable sight with their trouble about food, clothing and housekeeping.  Where is the future, and what will the time to come bring to us? Perhaps life, perhaps a castle in the air only, perhaps a burying-ground.

I am living with my old parents and my sister in two small rooms, the last of our fine house, giving thanks to God that I didn’t see the last winter in Germany and praying for mild weather the next time.  Above all, I thank you and your folks for the fine time I have had in Australia. Never will I forget it.

Now I ask you to find out a person for me to correspond with, not only with the object of obtaining an acquaintance in the paradise called Australia, but also to have a connection with the outer workd and to learn good English. On the other side, I will give promptly a report of my country.  I am aged 30, and work as a clerk in a labour office.  Before the war I was a student of philospohy and mathematics.-

Yours, etc.,

HEINS DOEHMEN

22a, M-Gladbach/Rhl, Benderstr.

(1947 ‘German P.O.W. writes letter of Thanks’, Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 – 1954), 16 October, p. 11. , viewed 22 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52180042)

Heins Doehmen 41162

Murchison, Australia. 30 December 1942. Group of German prisoners of war (POWs) interned at No. 13 POW Group. Known to be are: 41944 Lance Corporal (L Cpl) Richard Wiedmann of Ludwigshafen am Rhein; 41061 Corporal (Cpl) Emil Baade of Ludwigshafen am Rhein; 41620 L Cpl Otto Niedhammer of Heidelberg; 41119 L Cpl Richard Brinkmann of Heidelberg; 41069 L Cpl Hans Naring of Unterkoettenich ueber Dueren, Rheinland; 41533 L Cpl Karl Lohoff of Sinsheim am Elsenz, Baden; 41618 Cpl Eugen Niederberger of Mannheim; 41162 Cpl Heinrich Doehmen of Gladbach, Rheinland; 41270 Cpl Emil Guenther of Altrip am Rhein; 41905 Cpl Josef Vieren of Witten, Ruhr. Note: The number is an assigned POW number. (AWM Image 30178/07 Photographer Colin Thomas Halmarick)

While it is unknow which man in the photo is Heins (Heinrich), what is known is that he is 5′ 9′ tall, weighted 157 lbs [1941] and has blond and blue eyes.  He was 26 years old when the photo was taken at Murchsion POW Camp in Victoria.  BUT in the group are 4 men 6′ plus tall, and only one man was shorter than Heins.

I wonder if Heins found a penfriend?

Where is my adored son?

Leave a reply

From Tunisia, Salvatore Magaddino at 28 years old was an experienced world traveller: born Castellamore del Golfo Sicily, home address Tindja Tunisia, capture Amba Alagi Ethiopia, internment in India POW camps 1941-1945, travel to Melbourne Australia 1945, transfer to Western Australia and farm work in the Moora district 1945-1946, escape from Northam POW Camp Western Australia 17th  June 1946.

Magaddino 5

His feisty mother wrote to the commanding Officer of Marrinup POW Camp expressing grave concerns for her son:

Tindja Tunis

November 28 1946

“Gentlemen, – Once more I return to beg of you a favour.  It is six months since I have had news of my son Salvatore Magaddino.  I would like to know if he is still in Australia or if he has returned to Italy. Please give me some news about him because I am in a state of mortal anxiety.  Dear sirs, for the love of heaven let me know what has happened to my adored son as soon as possible.  Here is the latest address for my son: Magaddino, Salvatore: No 67655 Camp 16 P.O.W. Camp Marrinup, W.A.

I beg you to excuse me for for disturbing you and I thank you in anticipation of your kindness.  In hopes of an answer from you, receive by deepest regret. Mrs Margharita Magaddino c/o Pietro Magaddino, Maison Moltisanti, Tindja, Tunis. 

1947 ‘MISSING SON.’, The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 – 1954), 21 February, p. 7. (SECOND EDITION.), viewed 12 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46264224

AND SALVATORE LISTENED TO HIS MOTHER

“THIS IS ME”

Identifying himself with a photograph published in “The West Australian” last Friday, Salvatore Magaddino, one of 13 Italian prisoners of war at large from internment camps in Western Australia, walked into Western Command headquarters yesterday and surrendered himself.  he said he had read the published letter written by his mother in Tunis, Italy, to the army authorities and he had decided to return to her although he was anxious to remain in Australia.  Magaddino reported to Lieut. David Compton shortly after 11 o’clock.  He carried a copy of the newspaper in which his description was given and in halting English said: “This is me.” …

1947 ‘NEWS AND NOTES.’, The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 – 1954), 25 February, p. 7. (SECOND EDITION.), viewed 12 Jul 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46265423