Tatura, Australia. January 1943. Group of Italian internees from overseas now interned at Tatura Internment Camp. Back row, left to right: L. Servini; B. Rabaiotti; R. Radice; A. Ghisoni; A. Albericci; M. Rabaiotti. Front row: P. Belloni; G. Zaninetta; G. Belloni; S. Albericci. (AWM Image 030188/13 Photographer Colin Halmarick)
Santo Albericci was born in San Colombano al Lambro (Milano) Italy on the 15th February 1892 and was living in Manchester, England when he was arrested on 11th June 1940. Younger brother Angelo Albericci was also born in San Colombano al Lambro (Milano) Italy on the 21st September 1898 and was living in Leeds when he was arrested on the 10th June 1940. They departed Australia together and returned to the UK, arriving in Liverpool on the 29th March 1945 aboard the Athlone Castle.
Both had been employed as waiters in the UK and in the camps worked as mess orderlies.
Angelo Albericci’s son Peter had enlisted in England and his wife Elizabeth was ‘British’. Angelo and other men whose wives were ‘British born’ or ‘British’ made a point of having this recorded on their documents. Angelo and his family lived at 10 Gotts Park Crescent, Leeds.
In Australia, Angelo enrolled in the Civil Aliens Corps and began work 16th May 1944.
On the 16 June 1990, Angelo was bestowed the honour of Cavaliere al Merito della Repubblica Italiana for his efforts to rescue men during the sinking of the Arandora Star.
Santo Albericci lived with his wife Luigia at 33 Hall Road, Manchester and worked as a waiter. He had arrived in England in April 1909 and until November 1911 was employed in Beckley, Drotwich and London. He then had six months in France before he began work in San Sebastian, Spain from July 1912 to October 1914. He returned to England where he joined the Italian forces mobilised in London and remained in service until September 1919. He worked at the Hotel Savoy, London until April 1920 when he entered the employment of the LMS Railway Hotel in Manchester working in its restaurant.
In the camps Santo worked as a mess orderly and worked constantly in the garden party.
Santo's son John joined the British forces to expedite his father’s case to return to the UK and this caused concern amongst the family members. Brother Joseph from Xaverin College in Manchester wrote to Santo as a way of offering a rational view on the situation and told Santo that John had two choices: be interned or enlist. Brother Joseph went on to say, “Please forgive me for being so candid but I am sure that later on, when the madness of war is over, when you are happily joined once more with those you love, when the sorrows and worries of exile are over, then you will realise John has done more than many sons would be prepared to do…” (NAA: A367, C75944)
On 6 July 1944, Santo was released ‘on parole’ to Melbourne to work as a waiter at Scott’s Hotel Collins Street.
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