POW son escaped to Switzerland

Arcangelo Andreucci was born in Picinisco (Frosinone) Italy on the 14th October 1882. On the 11th June 1940, aged 58, Arcangelo was arrested in Manchester, England where he lived at 12 Heath Street.

He had attended school until he was 12 years old and was a farm worker in Italy until he migrated to England in 1898 and was employed as an ice cream manufacturer in Manchester. Then in 1904 he was employed as a kitchen porter in the Midlands Hotel. He was then in 1912 employed as a Railway Porter with Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Coy. By 1918, he had commenced business as an ice cream manufacturer at 2 Royal Street, Newton, Manchester. In 1940, the factory was taken over by the government as ‘cool store’.

The 1911 English Census recorded that Arcangelo and his wife Maria were living at 376 Oldham Road, Manchester, sharing their house with Arcangelo’s brother John, his wife Maggie and their children Mary and Aleh. John was an organ grinder/street musician. Additionally, a 1911 Trade Directory had Arcangelo Andreucci listed under the heading: Confectioners.

By the beginning of the 20th century, there were some 2,000 Italians living in ‘Little Italy’ Ancoats, Manchester which was bordered by Oldham Road, Great Ancoats Street and Redhill Street. Research shows that brothers Giovanni and Arcangelo Andreucci operated an ice cream business under the name of John Andrews Ices. Giovanni died in 1928.

Australian records indicate that Arcangelo was friends with Francesco Mattiussi also in the ice cream industry and from Manchester. During his time in Tatura Camp, he worked in the camp garden party and it was noted he had a good camp record. Arcangelo expressed an interest to work in Australia and was happy to work in kitchens.

Arcangelo had three sons, one was serving in the British Army when he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Italy. In December 1943, Arcangelo received the welcomed news that his son had escaped Italy and had safely made his way to Switzerland.

When he was released from Tatura Camp 2 on the 10th October 1944, he was sent into the employ of Messrs De Marco Bros. a mosaics and terrazzo business at 40 Ferrars Street, South Melbourne.

Arcangelo arrived at Southampton, England on the SS Athlone Castle on the 28th February 1946.

His internment was over but his family remembered that he arrived home suffering from bronchitis and died on the 21st March 1946 aged 63 years.