Cafe Owner Greenock

Amilcare Cima was born on the 1st July 1900 at Beverino (La Spezia) Italy. At the time of his arrest on the 11th June 1940, he owned a café and the property at 1 Campbell Street Greenock, Scotland and lived at 51 Rue End Street, Greenock. He had a sister also living in Greenock while two sisters and his parents lived in Beverino, Italy.

Dr Terri Colpi interviewed 90 year old Amilcare and he shared with her the irony of arriving in Greenock, Scotland after surviving the sinking of the Arandora Star on the 2nd July 1940:

At 4.15 the H83, “St Laurent” destroyer, came for us, picked us up and took us back to Greenock – the very place from which I had come in the first place! My sister came down to where they had us.  She brought some bread and a few other items with her, but they wouldn’t let her in, in order to give these things to me.  Eventually, she made contact with a local lawyer who arranged for some clothes to be brought to me. (from The Italian Factor by De Terri Colpi 1991)

In Australia, Amilcare kept company with his friend Realdo Ciuffardi, also a shopkeeper from Scotland.  Amilcare was a constant worker in the carpentry party; a quiet type, not politically minded.

He was released on parole for work with the Civil Aliens Corps in forestry on the 16th May 1944. On the 21st August 1945, he arrived at Liverpool on the Nieuw Amsterdam as a ‘released internee’.  The ship’s register listed his address as 29 Rue End Street, Greenock, Scotland.