Industrious worker

Pietro Cabrelli was born in Guinadi, Pontremoli (Massa) Italy on the 17th January 1893. A shopkeeper, he was arrested on the 10th June 1940 in the Fifeshire police district, Scotland. He, his wife Annunziata (Nancy) and their three dependent children lived at 13 Broad Street Tayport, Fyfe, Scotland. Three adult sons were also interned, likely Isle of Man.

A WW1 invalid pensioner, Pietro first arrived in Scotland in 1921 and worked in various fish restaurants.  In 1927, his wife and family moved to Scotland and from 1932, Pietro operated his own fish restaurant and confectionery business in Tayport.

He had first applied for permission to return to the UK for appearance before the Italian Advisory Board under Category 22 of the White Paper, but approval was refused. Pietro then appeared before the Mixed Medical Condition for approval to be repatriated to Italy. He followed this with a request via the Swiss Consul to make arrangements for his family to be repatriated to Italy. With the changing winds of war, on the 16th August 1943, Pietro sent a cable to his wife at 13 Moir Street, Glasgow: Received cable, cancel repatriation application, stay there, am well love to all. (NAA: MP70/1 37/101/185 Tatura Part 3)

Pietro was an industrious worker on camp projects including the wood cutting party, but was classified as ‘infirm’ and therefore unsuitable for more laborious work with the Civil Aliens Corps in forestry. It was noted that his associates in camp were Giovanni Borghi and Andrea Terroni.

On the 19th September 1944, Pietro was released to Melbourne, ‘on parole’ and gained employment at the Melbourne Club until his embarkation on the SS Athlone Castle on the 6th February 1945.   He returned to the UK as a ‘released internee’ and arrived in Liverpool, England on the 29th March 1945.