Father and son

Giovanni Cua was born in Alice Castello (Vercelli) Italy on the 28th February 1885.  At the time of his arrest in London, England on the 11th June 1940,  he was living with his son Nicola at 206 Newport Dwellings and worked as a restaurant cook.

Giovanni and his son had been arrested at different times and were reunited at Bury Camp. Their survival from the Arandora Star sinking was put down to father and son agreeing to seek their own way, should the ship get into trouble.  They had been warned by Dr Zezi that the Arandora Star was an easy target without a convoy.

Upon arrival in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on the 3rd September 1940, Giovanni was one of four stretcher cases taken from the Dunera. He was taken to the Broadmeadows Military Hospital.  He would be reunited with his son Nicola at Tatura Camp 2B on the 20th September 1940.

Giovanni had arrived in London in 1910 and worked as a cook at Hotel Cecil.  From 1914-1919, he served with the Bersagliere in the Italian Army.  He returned to London and worked at Lyons and Criterion Cafes.  In 1939, his wife Teresa returned to Italy, while Giovanni and Nicola remained in London.

A quiet, elderly man, who kept to himself, Giovanni was seen as a patriotic Italian. He was not in good health and had applied for repatriation to Italy in the first instance, then applied to be released to return to the UK. Notification that his application was refused was sent on the 21st January 1944. Most likely to remain with his son, he then volunteered to work in the Civil Aliens Corps in forestry work, but his application was rejected on the grounds of age. 

Nicola had been approved for work in the Civil Aliens Corps but had his placement delayed so that he could make suitable arrangements for his father, once Giovanni’s ‘release on parole’ was finalised. Approval was authorised on the 3rd October 1944.  Nicola found work for his father at an orphanage where Giovanni had accommodation and was in charge of the breakfast and dinner services.  Nicola failed his medical for the Civil Aliens Corps, so found himself a flat and then work at the Alexander Hotel in Melbourne as a dish washer.

On the 23rd January 1946, Giovanni and Nicola boarded the SS Athlone Castle as ‘released internees’.  They shared the voyage with ten other UK Italians and disembarked at Southampton, England on the 28th February 1946. Giovanni was 61 years old.

Tatura, Australia. January 1943. Group of Italian internees from overseas now interned at Tatura Internment Camp. Back row, left to right: G. Galbiati; U. Giovine; G. Berni; P. Beschizza; N. Cua; F. Amato. Front row: G. Cua; E. Simonelli; G. Guarnieri; P. Tolaini.