A sea going cook

Giovanni Pietro Negri was born in Lugagnano Val D’Arda (Piacenza) Italy on the 28th November 1896. At the time of his arrest on the 10th June 1940, he lived with his wife Giuseppina at 15 Queens Terrace, Southampton, England. In a newspaper article about the sinking of the Arandora Star, ‘Giovanni Negri -sea going cook’ was mentioned as one of the Southampton Italian survivors.

His time in Australia was brief, Giovanni arrived on the 3rd September 1940 and on the 5th October 1941 he departed Tatura Camp for Liverpool Camp, NSW. Giovanni then boarded the Stirling Castle in Sydney on the 13th October 1941 for return to the UK. The voyage was to take Giovanni and nine other UK Italian internees onboard to Auckland, New Zealand, Cristobal, Panama and Liverpool, England. He arrived in England on the 28th November 1941. The ship’s register noted his address as 3 Richmond Building Dean Street, London and his occupation as chief cook.

Giovanni was re-interned on the Isle of Man until his case for release under Category 22 under the White Paper was heard: Category 22. Any person as to whom the Tribunal, appointed by the Secretary of State, reported that he had, since childhood or for at least 20 years, lived continuously or almost continuously in Great Britain; had long severed connections with his country of nationality; that his associations and interests were British; and that he was friendly towards this country. (White Paper, Civilian Internees of Enemy Nationality, Home Office)

On the 3rd February 1942, his release was refused.  Giovanni remained on the Isle of Man until the 23rd June 1942.  The notation on his document recorded RA SC 23.6.42. Possibly SC refers to Special Case.

As some stage in the internment process, documents were taken from the men for safe keeping eg passports, identity cards, and registration certificates.

After Giovanni's return to the UK, he made enquiries as to the whereabouts of his documents as the last time he had seen this Italian Passport, Identity Card and Registration Certificate was at Tatura Camp before his departure from Australia. The letter below from revealed that the documents belonging to Giovanni Negri had been returned to the Home Office on the 13th February 1942.

This highlights the complexities of bureaucracy associated with the handling of private documents, safe custody of documents and their receipt and dispatch. While Giovanni departed Australia on the 13th October 1941, his documents were not dispatched until 13th February 1942.

It is hoped that between the time that the first letter of inquiry was sent on the 25th February 1942 and the dispatch of the 6th August 1942 letter below, that Giovanni received his documents.

(NAA: A2908, P22 Part 8)