...barbed wire in every corner.

Venuto Corinti was born in Pelligrino (Parma) Italy on the 3rd  September 1914.  At the time of his arrest on the 12th June 1940, Venuto was working at The Idle Rocks Hotel, St Mawes, Cornwall and his wife Annetta (Anna) was living in Pelligrino (Parma) Italy with their two young children.

He had arrived in England in 1927 and married Anna Bertorelli in 1936. 

Venuto listed his occupation as chef but in Tatura Camp he was noted as undertaking carpentry and plumbing work in the camp maintenance work party.  His friends in camp were Giovanni Moruzzi and Riccardo Freppoli.

A letter written to his wife Anna on the 4th September 1942 provided an important insight two years after having landed in Australia:… and I can only curse those cowards who have sent us far away, to enclose us then in a place six hundred metres, with machine guns and barbed-wire in every corner. (NAA:A367, C76035)

A year later, Venuto wrote a letter to the Home Office, asking for permission to return to the UK and appear before the Italian Advisory Committee. I would be over two years before he returned to his home and family.

Venuto was ‘released on parole’ to work in the Civil Aliens Corps in forestry on the 16th May, 1944.  He returned to the UK as a ‘released internee’ onboard the Athlone Castle 28th February 1946 which docked in Southampton, England.

Connections formed during internment continued into post-war civilian life. On the 18th January 1960, a liquor licence for the consumption of alcohol at premises: 1 and 3 Pelham Street and 48 Thurloe Street Kensington was applied for.  Two of the licensees were Dino Accini and Venuto Corinti, both directors of Dino’s Limited. Venuto also travelled by the Athlone Castle with Dino Accini.

Venuto died in 1979.