Changing winds of war

In WW1 Rinaldo Radice served in the British Army then in WW2 he was considered to be 'a dangerous character' and was interned.

Rinaldo Radice was born in Cesate (Milano) Italy on the 29th June 1894. At the time of his arrest on the 11th June 1940, he was living at 328 Camden Road, London, England with his wife Maria Margherita and son Ronald. 

In 1911, Rinaldo had arrived in England and conducted a restaurant for one year then worked as a waiter at various establishments in London.  In April 1917, he enlisted in the British Army and served with the 3 Gloucester Regiment 2/5 Battalion 61 Division.

Upon discharge, he continued to work as a waiter and also as a steward on the Royal Mail Steamers.  From 1929 until internment, he worked as a waiter at the Hotel Savoy, London.

Intelligence Office noted that his camp record was good but that he was embittered by the war, particularly by his treatment on the Dunera. It was also acknowledged that his association with the group of fascists in camp might have more to do with being blackmailed by the leading fascists and being afraid of physical coercion.

Rinaldo was sent to Loveday Camp 14D from the 8th March to the 23rd May 1944 and returned to Tatura Camp 2A with Giovanni and Nicola Cua.

On the 11th October 1944, he appeared before the Overseas Internees Investigation Board which convened at Tatura Camp. His embitterment regarding his internment was noted as was his claims for loyalty to Italy. Anxious to be released to work in Australia, Rinaldo was considered a low security risk and was released for employment at the Dookie Agricultural College on the 14th November 1944.

He embarked on the Dominion Monarch in Sydney, New South Wales on the 4th March 1945 with 20 other UK Italian internees for return to the UK.  He disembarked at Liverpool, England on the 19th April 1945 as a ‘released internee’. His address on the ship's register was noted at 328 Camden Road, London and his occupation 'wine butler'.

Rinaldo died in London on the 29th August 1967.

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)