A letter writer

Gaetano Nello Zezi was born in Milano, Italy on the 10th July 1900. He lived with his wife Luisa at 29 Woburn Square, London when he was arrested on the 11th June 1940. 

A medical doctor, Dr Zezi had studied at Padua University and graduated in 1927 with a M.D.U.  He was listed in the Medical Register for 1931, Aliens List as a registered doctor in the UK.

Dr Zezi was the official doctor for the 1936 Berlin Olympics Italian Rowing Team. While the Italian team wore light blue shirts and white trousers, team managers wore black shirts. In addition to his duties to the Rowing Team, he was also called upon to treat football stars Bertoni for a contracture which he treated with Roentgen rays and treated Allemandi with injections for his injuries.

Dr Zezi along with Dr Gerolamo Manzocchi, disembarked the Dunera on the 3rd September 1940 at Melbourne, Victoria and accompanied ill internees to the Broadmeadows Military Hospital. Patients and doctors arrived at Tatura Camp 2B on the 20th September 1940. Both doctors had treated internees in the Dunera’s hospital as was remembered by Jewish refugees and Italians.

Many UK Internees remembered Dr Zezi as the Harley Street doctor, but Luigi Beschizza remembered Dr Zezi as the head of sport. In Tatura Camp 2B, a jumping ground was set out inside the camp. Another indication that athletics training and competitions took place was a certificate for the 800 m race winner Pietro Beschizza in Loveday Camp which was awarded by Dr Zezi. Nicola Cua remembered Dr Zezi as being the European doctor for Elizabeth Arden, the perfume people; an amateur Italian Tennis Champion; looking after his father Giovanni Cua who had been taken to Broadmeadows Military Hospital and for being the doctor of the chairman of the Arandora Star.

When the Captain of the Arandora Star recognized Dr Zezi, Nicola Cua remembered that Dr Zezi was offered a cabin but refused this luxury as he considered himself just a number and that he would stay with his friends (the Italians) but he did relent to having dinner with the Captain.

Dr Zezi was one of the fortunate few who arrived in Australia with possessions of any note. The Dunera had carried Dr Zezi’s medical books, as Dr Zezi explained: A small fortune in modern medical books, after crossing safely the ocean went astray between Melbourne and Tatura. (NAA: A367 C75321) The books were never recovered but in time he received medical journals and publications from the American Medical Association, International College of Surgeons and colleagues to help him keep abreast with developments in areas of interest. Additionally, Dr Zezi received The Illustrated London News and used his connections within Elizabeth Arden to secure an advance of £15 as well as a remittance of clothing and toiletry items with June Geranium Soap and Eau de Cologne being received in one package.

Letter writing would consume some men and Dr Zezi kept busy with writing letters and sending cablegrams and reading received correspondence. He wrote to the Japanese Consul via the Swiss Consul in Melbourne.  He received visitors from a representative of the Swiss Consul, Rosa Buffa of the Japanese Consulate and RJ Scott Williams Esq in Sydney, the Australian Representative for Elizabeth Arden Limited. He engaged the services of a legal firm in London and Melbourne: Davies, Campbell and Piesse.  Dr Zezi wrote to Bluestar Cold Storage in Sydney asking to contact Lord Vesty on his behalf. His wife visited the Home Office in London with Lady Penelope Clementi (wife of Lord Cecil Clementi ex-Governor of Hong Kong and the Settlement Straits).

Dr Zezi also made application for a visa to enter the USA. In 1941-1942 he wrote to ask to be seen by the Mixed Medical Condition for consideration for repatriation to Italy which unfortunately  for him cancelled out his application for consideration to be returned to UK. This led to further letters to remedy the error. He made applications in 1941 and April 1943 to return to the UK, but both were not approved. Dr Zezi was officially approved to return to the UK on 30th November 1943. Although Dr Zezi had ‘friends in high places’ it was soon clear that internment was a great leveller.  

On the 30th November 1943, Dr Zezi was released to the UK to appear before the Advisory Committee.  He boarded the SS Themistocles on the 2nd December 1943 and arrived in Cardiff, Wales on the 14th February 1944.  He continued his internment until the 25th March 1944 when he was released under Category 9 of the White Paper: 9. Doctors of medicine and dentists who had been authorised by the Secretary of State to practice in Great Britain.  (White Paper, Civilian Internees of Enemy Nationality, Home Office)

Dr Zezi’s naturalisation was awarded on the 1st April 1949, as advertised in The London Gazette 20th May 1949.

 

At the time of his death on the 8th July 1977, Dr Gaetano Nello Zezi was living at 64 Gordon Mansions, Torrington Place, London.

One of Dr Zezi's letter, written on the 5th October 1940, one month after his arrival in Australia.