'Little Croci'

If the records are correct, Mario Croci was 4 feet 9 inches tall, but his height did not stop him from playing inter-hut football. Football was a pastime which allowed men of all ages and size to participate and socialise. Mario was 51 years old and Giovanni Baldelli was 26 years old.

Vittorio Tolaini the sports reporter for Gioventu wrote of a December 1940 football competiton:

 

The first match in this inter-hut football competition was between Hut 1 Team A and the reserve of the same hut.

The game on the whole was a complete farce, the score being 13-5 in favour of the first team.

Baldelli, captain of the reserves played an excellent game testing the opposing goalkeeper with a few stinging shots.

Little Croci and big Politi were the full backs for Baldelli’s team and what Croci lacked in size he made up in courage.  Every time his goal was attacked, he valiantly charged into the opposing forwards, and sometimes with great success.  Three of the reserve goals were scored when the goal keeper of A team, having nothing to do, walked off the field to obtain a drink.

 

Mario Croci was born in Palagano (Modena) Italy on the 16th April 1889. He lived in New Cumnock, Scotland when he was arrested on the 11th June 1940.

 

An ice-cream vendor, he had arrived in the UK in 1916 and his family; his mother Luisa, three brothers and three sisters lived in Italy. An anti-fascist, Mario had returned to Italy in 1926, 1931 and 1938 to visit his mother.

 

Mario associated with Libero Roveta, worked in the camp kitchen at Tatura Camp and also in the garden party.

He was 'released on parole' for work with the Civil Aliens Corps on the 16th May 1944.

Tatura, Australia. January 1943.

Group of Italian internees from overseas now interned at Tatura Internment Camp.

Back row, left to right: A. Pacitti; V. Bechelli; R. Ciuffardi; R. Mazzolini; C. Pardini; G. Biagioni.

Front row: G. Orlandi; C. Barsotti; M. Croci; L. Minchella.

(AWM Image 030188/05 Photographer Colin Halmarick)